China's leading scientific institution is aiming to expand its influence by establishing overseas branches around the world, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced on January 21.

The CAS has started building a comprehensive research center in Kenya, while branches in central Asia, southeast Asia and Latin America are being planned, CAS Vice President Zhang Yaping said at an annual work conference.

The branches are expected to increase CAS's ability to absorb and utilize international technological resources, as well as boost its global influence, attractiveness and competitiveness, according to Zhang.

Zhang said that the CAS will launch a program to help Chinese scientists deepen scientific cooperation with scientists in other developing countries, as well as help them train scientific and technological staff.

The CAS will also recruit more elite foreign scientists, Zhang said.

Documentary Support

An official website devoted to the Chinese documentary industry (docuchina.cntv.cn) was launched on January 22.

Jointly set up by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) and the China Network Television, the site will cover policy releases, industrial trends, expert advice for documentary makers, project financing, academic research and other functions.

According to a statement released on January 22 by the SARFT, the website will showcase outstanding domestic as well as foreign documentaries.

Figures from the China Radio, Film & Television Programs Exchanging Center show that documentary films accounted for 17 percent of the center's total revenue from overseas sales in 2012, up 40.6 percent year on year.

One high-profile doc was A Bite of China, a seven-episode series reflecting Chinese values and lifestyles by documenting the country's various cuisines.

According to the center, the series was sold to 27 countries and regions, raking in $350,000 in the first round of overseas sales—a record among Chinese documentaries.

"China-made documentaries are embracing a prosperous era," said Li Wei, SARFT Deputy Director, adding that he expects the website to serve as an important platform to boost development of Chinese documentaries.

WHO Designation

A Chinese institute has been designated as a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating center for the standardization and evaluation of biological products, the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said on January 17.

The Institute for Biological Product Control (IBPC) of the National Institute for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) in China became the first such center in a developing country, and only the seventh in the world, the SFDA said.

The initial period of designation is four years. The work plan includes contributing to the development of international standards for vaccines and other biological products as well as their implementation into regulatory practice, the WHO said on its official website.

"The designation will help China become a major player in biological product standardization and evaluation, and boost the country's global competitiveness in the research and development of biotechnology," said Wang Junzhi, Director of the IBPC.