Chinese Vice Minister of Science and Technology Deng Nan said on Thursday that China-US co-operation in science and technology is beneficial to bilateral ties and in the common interest of the two peoples.

Such co-operation has in general been developing successfully and smoothly since the two governments signed their first agreement on science and technology co-operation 24 year ago, Deng said, addressing a conference at Texas A & M University hosted by former US president George Bush.

"Today, co-operative scientific and technological activities between the two countries far exceed anything that was foreseen in the 1970s and constitute the largest of such relationship maintained by both countries,'' she said.

The vice minister called China-US science and technology co-operation an important part of bilateral relations, which helps stabilize and advance the overall ties.

"In particular, during periods of uncertainty in China-US relations, such co-operation remained as an anchor, helped reduce tensions, and renewed desires by both sides to move forward,'' Deng said.

She termed the co-operation wide-ranging and large-scale with fruitful and mutually beneficial outcomes, which she said have promoted scientific, economic and social progress and improved living standards in both countries.

The China-US co-operation in science and technology are obviously fruitful by generating a great number of internationally top-ranked achievements with significant scientific, economic and social values, she said, citing the Beijing Electron Positron Collider, China Digital Seismology Network and China Remote Sensing Satellite Ground Station as examples.

But the vice minister also pointed out that there are issues that negatively affect this relationship.

She noted that at times, non-scientific factors impede normal implementation of co-operation and exchanges.

"The restrictions imposed by the US side on co-operation and trade with China in the high-tech area acts as a barrier to the expansion of science and technology co-operation,'' she said.

She also mentioned difficulties obtaining US visas by Chinese scientists and scholars, saying that it has become another hindrance in science and technology co-operation.

"Last year, more than 100 scientists and project managers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including one of its vice presidents, experienced visa refusals or delays,'' the vice minister said.

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