The first set of joint RSC-Chinese Chemical Society awards have been won by four young Chinese academics. The Awards for Younger Scientists are given to scientists under the age of 40 for excellent work in the field of sustainable and green chemistry.

The winners, who each received £1500, were Weidong Li (Nankai University), Zhixiang Yu (Peking University); Jinsong Re (Changchun Applied Chemistry Institute, CAS) and Dongsheng Liu (National Nanoscience Centre). The awards were made at the 26th CCS Congress held in Tianjin in July.

Meanwhile, the RSC has continued to develop its links with the scientific community in China by signing a Cooperation Agreement with the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China (CIESE). 

The two organisations had previously singed a memorandum of understanding, and this new agreement cements the working relationship. This is the seventh agreement that the RSC has made with other membership organisations around the world.

RSC Chief Executive Richard Pike, who signed the agreement for the RSC, said: "As economies become more international such agreements become very important. 

"Both sides are keen to see tangible benefits from the agreement. We hope to run joint events and promote interchange between Chinese and UK scientists."