BEIJING -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences has signed agreements with 174 organizations in 61 countries around the world to expand and deepen cooperation.

Zhang Yaping, vice president of CAS, said the academy achieved breakthrough in conducting exchanges and cooperation with countries with advanced science and technology over the past year.

Remarkable progress has been made in constructing the Alliance of International Science Organizations in the Belt and Road Region, according to Zhang.

There are also nearly 4,000 foreign talents and more than 1,600 foreign graduate students receiving financial support to visit, work and study in CAS.

From 2013 to 2019, CAS ranked the first among global science institutions in the Nature Index, which is an indicator of global high-quality research output and collaboration.