Introduction

Labex China is the fourth virtual laboratory of Embrapa. The project was founded in 2012 at the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Science (CAAS), and is the result of a mutual government demand for establishment of joint laboratories for scientific cooperation. Founded in 1957, the CAAS is the largest institution for agricultural research in China, with 39 centers throughout the country.

Labex coordination started its activities in September 2012 and has its base in the Brazilian Embassy in Beijing. The initial focus of Embrapa's work in CAAS is the exchange, characterization, and evaluation of plant genetic resources to support both institutions' main genetic improvement and breeding programs. The arrival of a Chinese researcher to work at Embrapa is scheduled for 2014.

In addition to CAAS, Embrapa has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Science (CATAS), considered to be institutions of interest for future collaborations.