The 18th Meeting of Heads of Research Councils in Asia (A-HORCs) was Successfully held online on November 2^nd , 2021. Prof. Li Jinghai, President of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Prof. Lee Kwang Bok, President of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and Prof. Satomi Susumu, President of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) headed their respective delegations to attend the Meeting.

With the theme of “allocating plan for achieving diversity in research”, the three parties presented on relevant measures taken for basic research funding, and had extensive discussion on related topics. Prof. Li Jinghai also presented on the progress of NSFC’s reform. The three parties discussed and reached consensus about the cooperation field of the 2022 Northeastern Asian Symposium and A3 Foresight Program, as well as the theme, time and place for the 19th A-HORCs.

Jointly established by NSFC, JSPS and NRF, the A-HORCs meeting has become a regional one which takes place in China, Japan and Korea in turn once a year. The goal of the meeting is to provide a platform for the leaders of the three funding agencies to meet regularly and discuss on subjects of common interests with a view to strengthening high-level exchanges and collaboration in the field of basic research.

To promote Asia as a research center with worldwide influence, culture prominent talents and solve science-related problems of regional importance, NSFC, JSPS and NRF jointly established A3 Foresight Program at the 2^nd A-HORCs meeting, through which to provide fund for the three countries’ scientists to conduct collaborative research in selected areas. Since the implementation of A3 Foresight Program started in 2005, the three parties in succession have co-funded 30 projects in the fields of High performance computing, Autophagy, Chemical biology, Molecular imaging on precision medicine, Emerging material innovation, Nuclear physics, Intelligent Internet of Things and so on, which have achieved fruitful results from regional cooperation.

Accompanying President Li Jinghai were Director General Zou Liyao, Deputy Director General Zhang Yongtao from the Bureau of International Cooperation, Deputy Director General Yao Yupeng from the Bureau of Planning and Policy.