Bill Gates (File photo)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has been elected as a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), one of China’s top academic institutions, together with 17 other foreigners.

Now, Gates stands shoulder to shoulder with 66 other prominent Chinese and foreign scientists who have been elected in 2017.

Election as a foreign member of CAE is a lifelong honor that is expected to build up the institution, promote international cooperation and exchanges, and improve CAE’s status in the field of engineering.

In September, TerraPower, a Bill Gates-led company, established a joint venture with China National Nuclear Corporation, with the aim of building and operating small, medium, and large traveling-wave nuclear power plants in the next 20 years.

Earlier this month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for closer cooperation with the US in developing next-generation nuclear power technology in his meeting with Bill Gates.

TerraPower cherishes the cooperation with its Chinese counterpart, values China’s rich talent resources, and will take an open attitude to translate their shared cooperation vision into reality, said Gates.