Beyond beef: China and Uruguay team up on science to target cancer, pests and robotics

China and Uruguay have forged a new scientific alliance by signing more than 20 cooperation agreements, targeting critical fields from cancer treatment and water management to fighting crop-destroying pests.The development signals a step forward in ties, moving beyond a decade mainly defined by trade in products like wood pulp, soybeans and beef.“China is a good partner for us, especially in basic sciences,” Alvaro Brunini, president of Uruguay’s National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII), said after a visit to China last month.He said the trip had a strong scientific focus, engaging a delegation of researchers, academics and representatives from various innovation institutions.Lan Yujie (left) of the China" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="40776" data-entity-type="organization">National Natural Science Foundation of China with Alvaro Brunini of Uruguay’s National Agency of Research and Innovation. Photo: HandoutThe two countries’ willingness to cooperate was crucial, he said, as it allowed for the development of research projects as well as student and researcher mobility.