On October 20, 2021, the Joint Council Meeting of the Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy (CASSACA) and the China-Brazil Joint Laboratory for Space Weather of CAS (CBJLSW) was held at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC). Prof. Zhang Yaping, Vice President of CAS and Chairman of CASSACA & CBJLSW Council, attended the meeting, together with the Representatives of the Council members.

The Council reviewed and approved the annual work reports, funding implementations 2021, as well as the work plans and budget arrangements 2022 for the oversea centers. In the meeting, the Council discussed extensively and put forward suggestions on several issues, including the platform operation, scientific research deployment, resource allocation, and international cooperation in the frontier areas including astronomy, space science, climate and remote sensing observation.

In his concluding speech, Prof. Zhang Yaping acknowledged the efforts and achievements made by CASSACA and CBJLSW under the current difficult circumstances of COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that new requirements should be placed for the oversea centers in the new stage. "The oversea centers should further refine their work priorities, make full use of the unique advantages of the oversea platform, promote multilateral collaboration, and develop a more open and dynamic system," said by Zhang Yaping. He also encouraged the scientists to propose major scientific ideas and plans in order to gain more and more influential scientific achievements from the overseas centers.

CASSACA and CBJLSW are two oversea centers of CAS. They were set up, separately, in October 2013 in Chile and in August 2014 in Brazil. They have been playing an important role in the international collaborations in the areas of astronomy and space weather between China and South America countries.

Group Photo (Credit: NAOC)