Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Medicine has opened an office in Beijing that will help pioneer research into diabetes in China that experts hope will have global significance.

The tape was cut by the university's Vice-Chancellor Andrew Hamilton shortly after he met Health Minister Chen Zhu, with whom he discussed the importance of international collaboration on health matters and the strength of Oxford's medical research. Professor Hamilton said the minister gave his strong support to the venture and said Oxford University was "extremely important to China".

The 40 million euro ($50.29 million) research will be overseen by Rury Holman, a professor of diabetic medicine and director of the Oxford Diabetes Trials Unit.