The State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK) was officially opened on December 13, 2008. Professor Wan Gang, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Minister of Science and Technology; Mr Zhan Yongxin, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR; Mr Li Ling, Deputy Director General of Education, Science and Technology Department of Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Mr Gregory So Kam Leung, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; Professor Sun Qixin, Vice President of the China Agricultural University; and Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, officiated at the plaque unveiling ceremony.

Approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK) is the second state key laboratory at CUHK, following the establishment of the State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China (CUHK) in 2006. The national-level laboratory was established with the mission of up-scaling China’s agricultural technology to the world frontier to increase agricultural productivity, safeguard food security in China, and improve people’s nutrition. It will tap into Hong Kong’s advantages in global networking, international human resources and modern management, and the mainland’s strengths in economy, research capacity and abundant natural resources.