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No.171

 

 

CHINA  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China

N0.171 December 10,1998

 
IN THIS ISSUE

  • China's First Usable Flying Boat

  • China's First Nuclear Radiation Simulation Lab

  • China's New Discovery on Cardia Cancer Genes

  • China's Medical Information Highway

  • China's S&T Competitiveness: 13th Place in World

  • Construction Market Further Opened


RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

   

China's First Usable Flying Boat

  Mr. Li Xu'e, President of Chinese Academy of S&T Development announced on November 9, 1998 that China's first generation flying boat had successfully cruised in the sky after three year experiments. This is one of major high tech results achieved by China and earmarked China's position in world advanced level in the field.

    The flying boat with both features of airplane and boat has its unique advantages such as taking off from water surface or flat land surface, flying close to land or water surface, reducing “land or water surface effect” by taking advantage of increased ascending forces and decreased resistance. It also has many other merits such as high speed like that of aircraft but without danger of aircraft crashing accidents, low manufacturing costs, no need for airport, low running costs and stable and comfortable flying.

    Flying boat can be extensively used for commercial operation, smuggling checking  and special missions in river or lake areas, pasture and Gebi desert. Large flying boats may also serve as ocean shipping vessel with its economic, safe, comfortable features and large carrying volume exceeding that of large airplanes.

China's First Nuclear
Radiation Simulation Lab

    Thanks to their three year efforts, Chinese scientists have finally completed the construction of China's first technical lab for nuclear radiation environment

    simulation, which has narrowed down China's gap from the advanced world community in nuclear radiation environment science. Not long ago, the Lab had passed the approval of the verification panel consisted of the experts from China General Co. of Nuclear Industry and Peking University.

    Being an only lab in the country studying shifting process of radioactive elements, it has advanced facilities such as atmospheric boundary layer wind chamber, hydraulic environment simulation lab, ecological simulation lab and underground research facilities.

    The Lab is designed to investigate different aspects of nuclear radiation environment such as from surface to ground water and from atmospheric to ecological environment. The Lab is also able to study pollutant from coal burning and other industrial processes.

    The verification panel believed that the Lab's laser molecule scanning imaging technique has reached the domestically advanced level.

    It is reported that during its construction period the Lab had completed relevant studies and collected major scientific data for Phase Ⅲ project of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant and Phase Ⅲ project of Huaneng Shanghai Shidongkou No. 2 Power Plant.

Progress for China's
High Temperature Air-cooling Reactor

    Prof. Ruan Keqiang, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist for energy in China's 863 Program said at the verification meeting on high temperature air cooling reactor held on November 6, 1998 that China has basicaly grasped the design and manufacturing techniques of major equipment for such reactor.

    Three major components of the reactor, namely reactor pressure casing, steam generator and in-pile structures developed by Shanghai Boiler Factory, Shanghai Dynamic Equipment Co. and Shanghai No. 1 Machine Tool Plant respectively for 10 megawatt high temperature air-cooling reactor shipped to Nuclear Energy In stitute of Tsinghua University in mid-November for installation and testing.

    The 10 megawatt high temperature air-cooling reactor designed and constructed by Nuclear Energy Institute of Tsinghua University is a major project listed under863 Program and is also a largest project to be completed within the time frame of this century. It is featured with fine security, reliability and wide application perspectives. It can be used to generate electricity with less investment,shorter construction period and higher efficiency for power generation.

    Three major components of the reactor are complicated in their structures. The pressure casing has a diameter of 4.7m, height 12.6m and weight 150 tons, steam generator diameter 2.9m, height 11.7m and weight 70 tons. Manufacturing of theseequipment has been associated with many new standards, techniques and technical difficulties. Thanks to their two year efforts Shanghai Boiler factory and other manufacturers have overcome ten major technical difficulties and completed the manufacturing process.

 

China's New Discovery  on Cardia Cancer Genes

  Thanks to the continuous improvement of its integrated cardia cancer diagnosis and treatment techniques, Chest Surgery Section of Peking Union Medical College Hospital have made new discovery on cardia cancer genes with many of its patients' post-operation life span extending beyond 5 years and some even leading a normal life for ten years.

    To be part of the world gene war that will go beyond this century and aim at cloning 5 to 10 genes relating to ten major human diseases by 2001 proposed by China's Human Genome Program, Chest Surgery Section of Peking Union Medical College Hospital has since 1997 conducted joint studies on cardia cancer genes with National Key Lab on Molecule Oncology of Oncology Institute. Under the guidance of her tutors, Guo Huiqin, a post-doctorate student has separated and cloned three defected gene sections from cardia cancer issues by using advanced molecule biotechnology such as polymerase chain reaction. So far she has worked out the total length of one of the defected genes. The further clinical testing has shown that the discovered X and Y gene sections are of apparent clinic importance to early diagnosis of cardia cancer, determination of operation alternatives and judgement of after matheffects. At present she is studying its structures and functions so as to provide theoretical foundation for genetic treatment of cardia cancer. The above mentioned defected gene sections have been collected and registered by the gene bank of US based NCBI.

NEWS BRIEFS

 

China's Medical Information Highway

  November 10, China Golden Medical Network Co. Ltd. signed a collaborative agreement with US based STM on developing China's world class medical information highway around year 2000.

    Responsible for numerous functions such as administrative management of medical institutions at different levels and serving as large database for national medical information, the said medical information trunk network covering 2000 counties and cities in the country will be integrated with wide band multi media satellite transmission technology.

    As briefed by Pei Donghong, President of Golden Medical Network Co. the Network will be equipped with 1500 sets of advanced equipment manufactured by STM and become one of the largest networks in the world enjoying largest scale, fullest functions and most advanced technology. Golden Remote Medical Commission is of about ten thousand renowned medical experts as its members. With the help of Internet, each year the Network may provide remote medical diagnosis and consultation services for a million of people. In addition, the Network will open its on-line trade service. Collaborating with domestic and overseas banking institutions, the network may provide seller's and buyer's credit lines.

    STM's president said that his company has decided to position its Asian and Pacific Maintenance Center in Beijing.

    Since its simplified operation in 1997, the Network has established satellite ground receiving stations in several dozens of major national hospitals. More than 3,000 cases have been dealt with through remote experts' diagnosis and consultations and more than ten thousand medical workers viewing a dozen of high level domestic and international symposiums.

China's S&T Competitiveness: 13th Place in World

  As revealed by the Report on International Competitiveness published by Lossan based International Management and Development Institute, China's S&T competitiveness has jumped from its former 20th place in 1997 to 13th in 1998, another major advance following the one achieved in 1997. China's enhanced S&T competitiveness has become an important impetus to improve its international competitivenessin the same field.

        The socalled international competitiveness is the capability of a nation or region in assisting its enterprises to maintain their competitiveness, which is in turn determined by eight major indicators such as domestic economy, internationalization process, governmental policies, financial environment, infrastructures, industrial management, science and technology and citizen quality. Each indicator is composed of several dozens of sub-indicators. In 1998, China's ranking of international competitiveness went up to the 24th place from 27th in 1997. In view of 8 major indicators, items such as domestic economy, governmental policies and science and technology have recorded better rankings. Comparing to the results made in 1997, domestic economy and internationalization process have gone up by 9 places with science and technology and citizen quality being advanced by 7 places. Ranking for financial environment was downgraded by 2 places. China's S&T role in enhancing its international competitiveness has become more outstanding with its ascending trend for last couple of years.

    As far as rankings are concerned, China's international S&T competitiveness is still weaker than that in Singapore and some regions such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, though it has moved ahead of Korea, Malaysia, Russia, India and some developing countries such as Chile, Brazil and Argentine.

    Experts pointed out that China's S&T competitiveness still sees apparent gap in comparison with developed countries. It is not only weaker than that of developed countries such as US, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and UK but also apparently weaker than industrialized countries in Europe such as Switzerland, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Belgium.

    In 1997, China's total expenditure on R&D activities reached US$ 3.425 billion, which was only 1.91% of that in the United States, ranking in the 17th -place among 46 inter-compared countries, though it has recorded a one third increase for its R&D budget. In terms of fund sources, enterprises' expenditure on R&D activities accounted for US$ 1.676 billion, 57.69% of the nation's total. In US, the same indicator is 71.85%. Comparatively speaking, China is astonishingly low for its investment in R&D with only 0.49% of its GDP (33rd place), one third of that in Sweden and 17.25% in Japan.

    Experts explicitly pointed out that China falls into category 4 in 5-category system: S&T superpower, S&T power, S&T medium power, S&T developing countries and S&T less developed countries.

 

  MARKET  AND  CHANCE


Construction Market Further Opened

  Zheng Yijun, Vice Minister of China's Ministry of Construction said at the 98' Beijing International Symposium on Project Contracting held recently that China will further open up its construction market.

    In the area of construction, priorities are attract foreign capital, promote technical transformation of large enterprises, create a group of knowledge and technology intensive enterprises and promote qualified large enterprises to adopt internationally advanced operational mode changing from simple project contractor into investor, constructor and operator of the project. China will also encourage the collaboration between domestic enterprises and overseas contractors for joint bidding for the market in third countries.

    In the area of residential property development, foreign investors are encouraged to introduce and develop advanced architectural systems and components for residential modernization and promote the improvement of China's residential building construction. Foreign investors are also welcomed to invest in developing ordinary residential areas and transformation of old ones.

    In the field of urban public infrastructures and facilities, foreign investors are welcomed to invest in urban water supply, sewage and garbage disposal and roads.

    Mr. Zheng added that foreign capital utilization could either be direct investment or low interest medium or long term foreign loans. China will support and encourage large construction companies to collaborate with their foreign counterparts to engage in investment, construction and operation of infrastructure construction, high tech industry and residential constructions in the fields of agriculture, forestry, hydrology, railway, roads and environmental protection. It will also support and encourage both Chinese and foreign partners to create technology and research institutions so as to jointly develop major techniques for construction improvement, energy efficiency, high rise structures and space structure technology and equipment; it will support and encourage Chinese construction firms to absorb direct foreign investment and undertake technical changes, improve their technology, equipment and management and enhance the capacity for contracting large projects and high tech projects. China will support and encourage foreign investors to make direct investment in urban road, sewage and garbage disposal, centralized gas, water and heat supply through a number of flexible modes such as BOT or operational right transfer in accordance with China's relevant regulations. China will allow foreign project designing, construction, supervision and consultation firms in line with certain conditions to create joint ventures in China.

    He also expressed that China will create more opportunities for overseas contractors to compete for China's broad construction market.


       Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:Mr. Dong Jianlong, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China  Tel: (8610)68512650 Fax: (8610) 68512594, or Mr. Wang Jianping, Editor,NEWSLETTER, 15 Fuxing Road Beijing 100038, PR China, Tel:(8610) 68515544 Ext. 2921