This year the SSSTC (Sino-Swiss Science and Technology Cooperation) has held series of Stepping Stone Symposia in China. The latest symposium  on natural products and drug discovery was jointly held by SIMM (Shanghai Insititute of Materia Medica) and ETH Zurich in Shanghai on 24th -26th October. The Swiss General Consul Mr. Heinrich Schellenberg and his wife Mrs Grisel Schellenberg welcomed the Swiss delegation and the Chinese guests with a dinner reception at their residence in Shanghai on the previous evening. Mr. Schellenberg stressed the long history of good relationship between Switzerland and China. He expressed his pleasure to see so many Swiss and Chinese experts on such a high level coming together, sharing their ideas and building up friendship with each other. Mr. Pascal Marmier, the Director of swissnex China, also gave a welcome speech at the dinner. Mr. Marmier gave a brief introduction on swissnex’s mission and its current projects. He encouraged both the Swiss and Chinese scientists as well as industrial players to utilize the great opportunities and support from swissnex to establish closer relationship and more collaborations with each other.