中国科学技术协会

China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) is a non-governmental organization that serves as a bridge between the Chinese government and the country's science and technology community. CAST's main tasks include: to carry out academic exchange, to promote and uphold science in youth and improve scientific literacy of all citizens, to reflect suggestions and demands of scientific and technological professionals and safeguard their rights and interests, to organize and advise on related policies and laws, to recognize and reward outstanding professionals, to consult, to carry out continuing education and training programs, and so on. It consists of 167 national professional societies and hundreds of local ones.