On June 19, 2024, NSFC President Dou Xiankang met with Dr. Mark Suzman, CEO of Gates Foundation in Beijing.

President Dou expressed his sincere greetings to Dr. Suzman. He said NSFC has always attached great importance to international cooperation. He highlighted Gates Foundation as an important partner of NSFC, noting the pragmatic cooperation in global health and agriculture sectors between the two organizations over the past years. He hoped that with a common goal of improving the well-being of all people, the two sides should renew the MoU, increase the investment to support more projects, and explore new areas like sustainable development and climate change for future cooperation. He also introduced NSFC’s new reform measures that encourage international students and young scientists to carry out exchange and research activities in China, and measures to support clinicians conduct research.

Dr. Suzman concurred with President Dou, citing Gates Foundation's longstanding commitment to supporting public goods and ensuring R&D and innovation benefit all, which aligns with NSFC's goal of improving the well-being of all people. He also noted that the research outcomes of some joint projects on global health have already translated into practical technologies, which will play an important role in infectious disease prevention and control. Given the broad prospect for basic research cooperation in public goods between the two organizations, he hoped that the two sides could deepen and expand the areas of cooperation, encourage greater academic exchanges, and jointly address global challenges.

Dr. Suzman invited President Dou to attend the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting next year in the United States and hoped that one day the meeting could return to China. President Dou conveyed his gratitude for the invitation and promised NSFC’s support should the meeting be held in China. The two sides also exchanged views on how the research outcomes help the development of Africa.