[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2014-06-24-en ________________________________ ICANN and CATR Signs Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Collaboration Between ICANN and Chinese Stakeholders | Closer Collaboration on Engagement Efforts in China 24 June 2014 London, United Kingdom… ICANN and the China Academy of Telecommunication Research (CATR) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to forge closer collaboration on engagement efforts in China. Under the cooperative agreement, ICANN and CATR will work together to improve communication with Chinese communities, align academic and public research in IP address and domain name areas, and exchange opinions on Internet governance. CATR will also help to promote participation from the Chinese community in ICANN activities such as ICANN public meetings. "This partnership is a testament to how China – a country with over one fifth of the global Internet population and a vibrant Internet industry – can engage and contribute in the ICANN global community," said Fadi Chehadé, ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer. "This marks another milestone in ICANN's globalization efforts after we established our first engagement center in Beijing last April." CATR President, Cao Shumin and Fadi Chehadé signed the MOU at ICANN's 50th Public Meeting in London, United Kingdom. "CATR is a constructive player in ICANN's community and appreciates ICANN's globalization effort. This MOU will go a long way to promote the mutual understanding," said Cao Shumin. "We believe that this cooperation program will bring ICANN closer to the Chinese Internet users and industry. We are delighted to work with ICANN on such a meaningful program, especially at such a critical transformation period of ICANN." Kuek Yu-Chuang, ICANN's Vice President and Managing Director for ICANN Asia Pacific commented that CATR is recognized as a renowned national research institute with over 50 years experience in technological and policy research. "CATR has rich experience and wide connection in working with China's government, academia and industry. We are very excited to collaborate with a close partner such as CATR. Our cooperation will not only benefit China, but also set examples for ICANN's collaboration with other countries in the Asia Pacific," he added. The China Academy of Telecommunication Research is a unit of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). It supports the government and serves the ICT industry in China. It is a pillar unit in the ICT field in China and a major supportive unit for MIIT in comprehensive policies, giving full support to MIIT in terms of technologies and policies at both macro and micro levels from domestic and international perspectives. # # # To download high resolution photos of the signing ceremony, click here<https://www.flickr.com/photos/icann/sets/72157645308557551/>. Media Contacts Liana Teo Head of Communications, Asia Pacific Singapore Tel: +65 6808 6669 Email: liana.teo@icann.org<mailto:liana.teo@icann.org> About ICANN ICANN's mission is to ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet's unique identifiers. ICANN doesn't control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn't deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet's naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet. For more information please visit: www.icann.org<https://www.icann.org>.