Thirty years ago this month, the first cases of what was to become known as AIDS were diagnosed. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 25 million persons have died from AIDS. More than 60 million people have been infected, and in southern Africa alone there are 14 million children orphaned because of AIDS.

The United States and Germany highly value science and technology (S&T); both have committed to spend 3% of GDP on S&T research and development. More than 50 bilateral cooperation agreements exist between U.S. and German government agencies and scientific institutions along with over 1,500 university partnerships.

South Korea on Monday announced sites for its $4.76 billion "science belt" designed to help Asia's fourth-largest economy take the lead in cutting-edge technologies. Daedeok district will become a global hub for basic scientific research and help South Korea become a world technology leader.

A 134-member delegation led by PKUPresident Zhou Qifeng is currently paying a visit in Taiwan, aiming to strengthen cross-strait cultural communication and enhance academic partnership between PKU and Taiwanese higher education institutes.

An innovation centre dedicated to finding new ways to exploit space has been officially opened in the UK. The Harwell, Oxfordshire, site will foster people and ideas that can grow an already highly successful sector.

The theme of World Water Day 2011 is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge." Since I cover water issues for the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, I sometimes talk to people here about my home state, Michigan, which borders the Great Lakes.

Science diplomacy fosters communications and international collaborations with scientists in nations with which official U.S. diplomatic relations might be limited or strained.

As visitors from Taiwan and the rest of the world are discovering, however, there are more than flowers on display. The beauty of Taiwanese culture is highlighted through thousands of scheduled cultural performances, and local achievements in horticulture, science and environmental protection can also be seen.