Chinese Association for Science and Technology
The China Association for Science and Technology (中國科學技術協會) describes itself as “the largest non-governmental organization of scientific and technological professionals in China,” though it explicitly “serves as a bridge that links the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese government to the country’s science and technology community.” Its sponsoring institution is the State Council of China, the central government. Founded in September 1958 through the merger of two scientific organizations, CAST maintains ties with millions of scientists and engineers through 210 national member societies. The organization is a constituent member of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. CAST operates overseas recruitment programs for technology transfer, including “offshore entrepreneurial bases” in multiple countries and partnerships with organizations like CAST-USA, a non-profit formed in the US in 1992. The organization co-organizes major government initiatives like the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, functioning as a state-directed vehicle for managing China’s scientific community and advancing party-state priorities in science and technology development.
