IRRI and Chinese partners discuss new five-year cooperation plan to advance rice innovation and South-South cooperation
IRRI and its Chinese partners held a cooperation exchange symposium in Sanya Yazhou Bay Science City to review their long-standing collaborative foundation and discuss priorities for the new five-year partnership plan.
Sanya, Hainan, China – 14 May 2026: The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and key Chinese partner institutions held a cooperation exchange symposium in Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya, to review the foundation of their long-standing collaboration and discuss priorities for a new five-year partnership plan.
The symposium brought together representatives from Hainan Province, Sanya City, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Administration, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the National Nanfan Research Institute of CAAS, the China National Rice Research Institute, SDIC Seed Industry, the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and IRRI.
The meeting focused on deepening strategic cooperation between IRRI and Chinese partners, with a particular emphasis on rice breeding innovation, germplasm resource evaluation, climate-resilient varieties, low-carbon production systems, talent development, and translating research into practical impact.
Participants noted that cooperation between IRRI and Chinese institutions has built a strong foundation since 1970s,, covering germplasm exchange, genetic resource evaluation, varietal improvement, researcher training, international project collaboration, and platform development. The establishment of the CAAS-IRRI Sanya International Rice Breeding Center in 2022 was highlighted as a key platform for advancing joint research and international collaboration.
During the meeting, Chinese partners highlighted Hainan, Sanya, and Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City's strategic role in advancing Nanfan research, tropical field trials, international agricultural cooperation, and the commercialization and dissemination of research outcomes. The Hainan Provincial Government pledged support for the operational advancement of the Sanya International Rice Resources and Breeding Center, including joint research initiatives, seed resource introduction and evaluation, and collaborative work on frontier topics such as climate-resilient rice, smart breeding, biofertilizers, and low-carbon rice production.
IRRI stressed that future cooperation should be focused, practical, and measurable. Instead of spreading efforts across too many areas, participants agreed to prioritize fields with strong strategic value, clear demand, and high potential for international impact. Breeding innovation was identified as a core focus, including precise characterization of germplasm resources, discovery and utilization of key traits, integration of advanced breeding technologies, improvement of nutritional quality, development of climate-resilient varieties, multi-location testing, and regional adaptability evaluation.
A key consensus from the symposium was the need to establish a full-chain collaboration pathway covering research, breeding, multi-location trials, variety evaluation, commercialization, demonstration, and extension. Participants also emphasized the importance of unified phenotypic evaluation standards, common check varieties, synchronized testing systems, and data-sharing rules to support AI-assisted breeding, precise evaluation, and joint breeding initiatives.
Chinese partner institutions also outlined specific cooperation needs, including: deeper collaboration in germplasm resource evaluation, variety innovation, high-yield and high-efficiency production, green and low-carbon development, pest and disease resistance, international extension, tropical rice variety innovation, digital decision-making, intellectual property mechanisms, enterprise engagement, overseas market expansion, and integrated rice-fish farming technologies.
South-South cooperation was identified as a key future direction. Participants recommended strengthening collaboration in variety promotion, green production technology demonstration, technical training, young scientist exchanges, and capacity building for developing countries in Asia and Africa.
The symposium concluded with a shared commitment to advance cooperation from consensus to concrete projects, from agreements to action, and from exchanges to measurable outcomes. Participants agreed to establish regular exchange mechanisms, including high-level strategic dialogues, thematic working groups, mutual visits by young scientists, short-term training programs, joint seminars, and coordinated project applications.
Through this renewed cooperation framework, IRRI and its Chinese partners aim to advance rice science innovation, food security, climate resilience, and sustainable agricultural development in China and beyond.