On 10 June 2007, leaders from dozens of enterprises, universities ad research institutes signed agreements in Beijing to establish the Strategic Alliance for Technology Innovation of Iron and Steel Recycling Processes, the Strategic Alliance for Technology Innovation of New Generation of Coal (Energy) Chemical Industry, the Strategic Alliance for Technology Innovation of Coal Development and Utilization and the Strategic Alliance for Technology Innovation of Agricultural Equipment Industry. The establishment of such alliances indicates that under the leadership of the 6-ministry coordinating and guiding group for combination of production, learning and research, significant progress has been achieved in building strategic alliances for industrial technology innovation 

The 4 alliances have 3 common features: 1. They are established upon the demand of enterprises’ own development on the basis of shared investment, profit and risk. 2. Their technological orientation is consistent with the demand of the state key industries and reflects the needs of the national strategic interest; 3. The stability and sustainability of their cooperative relationship for technological innovation is guaranteed by legally binding contracts.