The Polish Geological Institute and Chinese Geological Survey (CGS) renew cooperation agreement

On June 26, 2019, a new cooperation agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) in the field of Earth sciences was officially signed between the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) and the Chinese Geological Survey (CGS).

This agreement is a framework type, renewing that of October 12, 2012, which was the first bilateral agreement concluded by the Chinese Geological Survey with the geological survey of the Central and Eastern European country.

On June 26, 2019, the PIG-PIB hosted a high-level delegation of the Chinese Geological Survey (CGS), led by Vice President of the CGS and Executive Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Mr. Li Jinfa. The delegation included Mr. Xu Yong, General Director of the CGS Research and Development Center and the National Geological Archives of China, and Mr. Shu Siqi, Director of the International Cooperation Department of CGS and representatives of CGS regional branches, Li Zhizhong representing the Shenyang Center CGS (northeast China), Ye Jianliang, director of Guangzhou Marine Geology Department in Guangzhou (GMGS-CGS), as well as Zhang Jinpeng, GMGS-CGS scientist on an internship at the University of Szczecin.

On the part of PGI-NRI, the talks were attended by: deputy director Prof. Przemysław Borkowski, Ph.D. Eng., Beata Wołczuk, head of the international cooperation team, Wojciech Brochwicz-Lewiński from the above mentioned team and directors of regional branches of PIG-PIB - Wojciech Jegliński (Gdańsk) and Artur Skowronek (Szczecin), experts of the Geohazards Center led by Prof. Antoni Wójcik (Kraków) and representatives of other organizational units of PIG-PIB.

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Discussions during the meeting. Right to left: Director Dr. Shu Siqi (International Cooperation Department of CGS), Director General Prof. Xu Yong (CGS Research and Development Center and the National Geological Archives of China), Director Dr. Ye Jian Liang (GMGS, CGS), Vice President of the CGS Mr. Li Jinfa, Jinpeng Zhang (GMGS-CGS scientist on an internship at the University of Szczecin), Director Prof. Li Zhizhong (Shenyang Center, CGS), and Grzegorz Uścinowicz (Marine Geology Branch, PGI-NRI).

The main goal of the visit was to sign a MoU between the PGI-NRI and the CGS on cooperation in the field of Earth sciences. The MoU, concluded for a period of three years, has a framework character and renews the agreement of October 12, 2012, which was the first concluded by the CGS with geological survey of a Central and Eastern European country. Detailed provisions on joint activities in specific thematic areas will be the subject of separate implementing arrangements.

”Family” photo at the end of the meeting. First row (left to right): Deputy Director Prof. Przemysław Borkowski (PGI-NRI) and Vice President of the CGS Mr. Li Jinfa. Second row: Director Shu Siqi (International Cooperation Department, CGS), Bartłomiej Warmuz (Carpathian Branch of PGI-NRI), prof. Zhizhong Li (Shenyang Center, CGS), Jinpeng Zhang (GMGS, CGS), Director General Xu Yong (CGS Research and Development Center and the National Geological Archives of China), Director Ye Jian Liang (GMGS, CGS), Beata Wołczuk (PGI-NRI), Wojciech Brochwicz-Lewiński (PGI-NRI). Third row: Director Wojciech Jegliński (Marine Geology Branch of PGI-NRI), Director Artur Skowronek (Pomeranian Branch of PGI-NRI), Prof. Antoni Wójcik (Carpathian Branch of PGI-NRI), Agata Kozłowska-Roman (PGI-NRI), Agnieszka Strzelecka (Pomeranian Branch of PGI-NRI), Joanna Roszkowska-Remin (PGI-NRI), Michał Tomczak (Pomeranian Branch of PGI-NRI). Fourth row: Przemysław Drzewicz (PGI-NRI), Marcin Socha (PGI-NRI) and Wojciech Wołkowicz (PGI-NRI)

After addressing the Chinese delegation with delegation official greeting, director Przemysław Borkowski presented the history, achievements and tasks faced by the PGI-NRI. Subsequently he referred to very fruitful visit of the delegation of Polish geologists to China from the last year. During that visit the PGI-NRI delegation had the opportunity to learn about the profile of the CGS and its Guangzhou branch - Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, which helped in discussions setting out possible directions for the future cooperation of both parties.

CGS Vice President Li Jinfa gave an extended briefing on history, organizational structure and tasks and challenges currently faced by CGS. These challenges are primarily associated with the necessity to coordinate work throughout the whole area of the country and meet the needs of the Chinese economy, which continues to grow at a strong pace, in the supply of energy and mineral resources in accordance with the guidelines of the 13th 5-year plan. He also referred to the visit of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in China in 2015, followed by the visit of the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping to Poland in 2016 and expressed his belief that the agreement between the geological services of both countries properly fits into the concept of strategic partnership between RP and the PRC.

Director of GMGS CGS Ye Jian Liang began the series of presentations with the presentation of the potential and tasks carried out by the Guangzhou Marine Geology Service Branch in Guangzhou (GMGS-CGS) with its impressive fleet of research vessels. These are works conducted by GMGS in the Arctic and Antarctic regions within the frame of the 5-year program "Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programs”, adopted by the State Oceanic Administration of the PRC (State Oceanic Administration, SOA, PR China), as well as programmes of exploration and assessment of marine hydrocarbon and gas hydrate deposits, mineral resources related to deep-sea polymetallic concretions and cobalt-bearing seafloor hydrothermal sulfides. Professor Li Zhizhong discussed the work carried out by the Shenyang Geological Center, located in north-eastern China, one of the six CGS regional centers, the successes of which include obtaining world record production of shale oil (Songliao basin, Daquing oil field).

After interesting Chinese presentations of the activities of the CGS Research and Development Center (Xu Yong Director) and geological work in Shenyang Province (dir Li Zhizhong), the second part of the meeting focused on the issues of marine geology (Ye Jian Liang, Wojciech Jegliński and Artur Skowronek) and the ongoing Chinese-Polish cooperation in that field (Jinpeng Zhang).

The signed agreement defines the main directions of cooperation between PGI-NRI and CGS. This is mainly the case of cooperation in regional geology and assessments of mineral and groundwater resources, geophysical surveys, marine and coastal geology, deep-sea mineral resources, global climate change, environmental research, geological resources of hydrocarbons and oil systems, geothermal energy, geological storage of CO2, natural and man-made geohazards, 3D cartography in geology, geological modeling and prognostic maps, geographical information system (GIS) and advanced methods and technologies in geological sciences.

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The new cooperation agreement between the CGS and PGI-NRI signed by VicePresident Li Jinfa and Deputy Director Przemysław Borkowski, assisted by Ms. Beata Wołczuk and Dr. Shu Siqui

Both sides expressed their readiness to intensify bilateral cooperation in research and development based on trust. The Polish side was invited to participate in a conference on marine geology, marine mineral resources and the environment, which will take place on November 25-29, 2019 in Guangzhou, China.

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