Officials announce the opening of Sinochem International Technological Innovation Center at Shanghai’s Zhangjiang High Tech Park on May 10. [Photo/eastday.com]

The Sinochem International Technological Innovation Center opened at Shanghai’s Zhangjiang High Tech Park on May 10, serving as an R&D platform of China's agrochemical industry.

The center will research new chemical materials and pesticides. It aims to develop into a think tank for China's fine chemical engineering sector and break the technological monopoly of foreign multinationals.

Liu Changling, China's leading expert in agrochemical research is heading up the project as chief scientist.

Liu said that the center plans to invent safer and more effective green agrochemical products, despite agrochemical research's many difficulties such as long R&D cycles, high costs, and high failure rate.

The center has already signed up nine agrochemical companies which have independent intellectual property rights on the market.

Li Bin, vice president of Sinochem Group, said that more patent technologies in the field will be developed.

Feng Zhibin, chairman of Sinochem International said the center will also help Shanghai to reach its goal of becoming a scientific and technological innovation center.

Sinochem International, a member company of Sinochem Group, aims to take the lead in fine chemical innovation.