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No.179 |
CHINA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China
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February 20,1999 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
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98’Top Ten News on China's Basic Sciences
9.2% Growth of Chinas R&D Budget
China’s Ecological Network Passed Approval
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98’Top Ten News on China's Basic Sciences
Selection of 98 top ten news on Chinas basic scientific research, the first of its kind in China, was sponsored by Chinese Ministry of Science and Technologywith the results as follows.
1.Chinese scientists successfully cloned the genes causing nerve deafness
Prof. Xia Jiahui et al with National Key Laboratory on Chinese Medical Genetics subordinated to Hunan University of Medical Sciences have for the first time in the world cloned nerve deafness genes mainly featured with high frequency hearing ability declining. This is the first disease gene cloned in China. The research result was published in the internationally renowned journal Nature and has been granted with the protection of international patent right.
2.China discovered the most ancient animal fossil pieces and earliest anginsperm fossil in the world
“Sponge in Precambrian Period and its Cell Composition”,result of joint studies by Prof. Li Jiawei, Taiwan based Tsinghua University and Mr. Chen Junyuan, a research fellow with Nanjing Geologic Palaeontological Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published in Science, a US based publication on Feb. 6, 1998; “Algae and Embryo in Phosphatic Rocks in Late Proterozoic Era”， result of another joint studies by Dr. Xiao Shuhai, a Chinese Doctor studying in US and Prof. Zhang Yun with Beijing University, was published in UK based Nature on Feb. 5, 1998.
Two theses revealed their studies on mini multi-cellular animals and their embryo fossils in Precambrian phosphatic stratum discovered in Wengan District, China＇s Guizhou Province. The said animal community is preserved in phosphatic stratum of
Sinian System formed 580 million years ago. Wengan animal community is the earliest fossilized animal evidence known to human society. It represents anera 50 million years earlier than that represented by Chengjiang animal community and also 20 million years earlier than that of Australian Eidicarlar animal community.
Mr. Sun Ge, a research fellow with Nanjing Geologic Palacontological Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences and his team discovered for the first time the Liaoning Guguo, an angiosperm fossil, the earliest of its kind in the world in Beipiao District of Chinas Liaoning Province. The fossil maintains a fruit branch of the original angiosperm plant dated back to 145 million years ago, 15 or 20 million years earlier than the “earliest” angiosperm plant fossil previously acknowledged by international scientific community. The discovery is of importance to addressing the theoretical issue of the origin and earlier evolution of angiosperm plants on the earth.
3.China's internationally advanced studies of quark mass ratio
Similar to studies of elements periodic table, the study of the law of quark periodic table is a cutting edge topic for modern particle physics. Scientists in different countries are competing fiercely in identifying reference data for basic particles “periodic table”. The summary report published in summer 1998 by Particle physics Data Group (PDG), an internationally acknowledged assessment body on particle physics, showed that the research result worked out by Yan Mulin, a research fellow with Chinese Science and Technology University, is the latest achievement in the field of quark mass ratio study. This is for the first time in the world that China＇s research result and capability in the field was acknowledged by PDG report.
4.Breakthrough of Chinas studies on artificial quasi-crystals
“Functional Photoelectric Materials”, one of the projects under National Climbing Program, and National Key Laboratory on Solid Ministructures of Nanjing University have witnessed breakthroughs in their studies of artificial crystals. With the assistance of pulse polarization techniques under normal in-door temperature, they success fully worked out quasi periodic ferroelectric domain ministructure on a piece of lithium carbonate crystal on which they realized the process of multiwavelength double frequency output and optical parameter coupling, especially the output tripling directly through 1.57 um fundamental wave with a transfer ratio of 23%. It is the first experimental result of practical values on quasi and quasi periodic materials ever since the discovery of quase. It was thought highly by Nature, saying that it “represents a brand new research direction.”
5.Major breakthroughs for comprehensive studies of the Himalayas and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and acquisition of the annual ring data of trees grown at 4500 m above sea level of the Plateau.
During the integrated studies, a strong reflection belt across Himalayas tectonic zone and another strong reflection belt across Yarlung Zangbo River were discovered, which demonstrated a young huge break on the upper crust of the steep huge river fractures; the discovery of Majiang-Dangxiong magma houses shows extensive melting stratum developed from the old site of Lhasa plate; changed plastic flows of upper crust and differed reflex designs of lower crust were also discovered and in-depth variations from the Himalayas to Yarlung Zangbo River suture zone and to the mantle of mid-Tibet were determined. The studies have been rewarded with high quality 15 level overlapping sections in 50-second targeting which were the deepest in the world. Six papers on the studies were published in Science and Nature respectively.
Researchers with Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedology of Chinese Academy of Sciences have collected two groups of tree ring samples from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at an altitude of 4500 m above sea level, the unique one at the highest sea level so far collected in the world. The samples are so far collected at the highest level in China as well as in the world. The acquisition of these data will play an important role in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau studies in China.
6. Chinese scientists harvested new fruits in carbon nanometer tube making and successfully developed one dimensional gallium nitride nanometer crystal
The research group headed by Prof. Xie Sishen with Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have recently successfully worked out a directional carbon nanometer tube array with a super length of 2-3mm, which makes measuring physical properties of carbon nanometer tube with regular lab means possible. The said result was published in Nature on August 13, 1998.
Another research team chaired by Prof. Fan Shoushan of Tsinghua University has achieved major progress in the studies of one dimensional nanometer materials. They successfully developed one dimensional gallium nitride semiconductor bar with a diameter ranging from 3 to 40 nm and length reaching micronscale. Gallium nitride is an important photoelectric semiconductor material and the said development is the first of its kind in the world.
7. China's two genetic engineering anti-cancer drugs witnessed breakthroughs
The applied genetic engineering technology developed by China＇s Northeast Normal University has turned out two anticancer drugs able to prevent new blood vessels from formation in cancer tissues. They are blood vessel restructuring anthormon and endothelium restructuring anthormon. These new drugs have cancer suppression mechanism totally different from the anti-cancer drugs currently extensively applied in clinic treatment. The breakthroughs exhibit the merits of curbing new formation and growth of blood vessels in cancer without producing any toxic or side effects. The basic development of the said two drugs has been completed.
8. The ranking of China's S&T papers published internationally has for the first time been among the first ten in the world
Statistics on Chinese S&T papers have shown that China has 35,311 papers including papers in periodicals and conference proceedings published internationally, 7742 more than the number of last year with a growth rate of 28.1%. China is positioned in the 9th place in the world in terms of quantity of its paper published internationally. The number of Chinese papers collected by SCI increased by 16.8% than last year and ascended from the 14th place to 12th.
9. Chinese atmospheric scientific research community has launched four major scientific experiments
Launched simultaneously in April 1998, they are: the 2nd Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Atmospheric Science Expedition financed by National Climbing Program, South China Sea Monsoon Experiment, South China Torrential Rain Experiment (covering two straits and neighboring areas) and Energy and Water Cycle Experiment on Huaihe River Basin financed by Chinese National Natural Science Foundation. With the participation of a thousand and more Chinese scientists and 20,000-odd meteorological workers and more than 400 foreign scientists, they are large scale field experiments sponsored by China for the first time in the country, covering 24 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, 4 specially designated municipalities, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and also with the participation of one fifth of the total ground weather stations and half of the upper air stations in the country. More than ten countries including US, Japan, Australia, Korea, Vietnam and etc also joined the experiments.
10. Chinese astronomers proposed a new model for studies of active galaxy nuclei (AGN)
Mr. Xie Guangzhong et al of Yunnan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have proposed a new model to study AGN, one of four dark clouds in modern physics identified by Prof. Li Zhengdao, which has been thought highly by their international counterparts. The proposed scenario on the new model is in addition to a black hole of huge mass in the center of AGN, there should be a dust ring outside of the sucker.
9.2% Growth of China’s R&D Budget
Recently, China＇s State Statistics Bureau published its 98 bulletin on China＇s national economic and social development. The bulletin has shown that China＇s science and technology and education sectors applauded for a steady growth in the following expressions:
Steady growth of S&T contingent. At the end of 1998, there were altogether 29.18million technical personnels in state-owned enterprises and institutions in the country, 20% more than last year. There were 19918 independent R&D institutions above county level run by state authorities, higher education institutions and large and medium industrial enterprises; In addition, 286 million people were engaged in S&T activities, of whom 167 million are scientists or engineers.
Increased investment in science and technology. The total S&T related expenditures in the year reached RMB 1177 billion, 107% up over that of last year, of which, RMB 526 billion were spent on R&D activities, increasing by 9.2%.
Basic research activities have been strengthened and technical innovation achieved new progress. In the year the central authorities had invested RMB 37 billion in basic research activities, 26% more than that of last year. A group of technical innovation projects and new products were organized to be put into trail production and 15 major technical facilities were completed and passed verification. The cooperation between enterprises, universities and research institutions have been further strengthened.
Scientific research and technical development have achieved new results. Last year have witnessed 28,000 major S&T results coming out at or above the provincial and ministerial level, of which 2500 are in basic theory research, 24000 in application field and 1500 in soft science, with 4700 reaching internationally advanced level and 543 conferred with national awards. In the same year, six launches of satellites were made successfully. National patent authorities received 121989 patent applications of which 67889 were grated with patent rights, landing a respectivegrowth rate of 6% and 331% of last year. In the year, technology market became more active with 280,000 technology contracts of RMB 43 billion signed, an increase of 22.8% of last year.
Services on quality control, standardization, metrology and meteorology have been further improved. In 1998, there were 4500 product quality control institutions in the country, of which 228 are rated as national quality control centers. Authorities concerned had checked and examined at random 6265 enterprises and their 7804 products or commodities of 200 types. There were 3875 authorized metrological institutions who have verified 2212 million metrical instruments on a mandatory basis.
There were altogether 1213 urban and rural weather forecast service transmittingstations and 235 satellite cloud chart receiving stations in the country. There were 1267 seismograph observation stations and 28 telemetering network stations. The number of marine observation and monitoring stations reached 1403 with 20.82 million marine data collected. Measuring and surveying authorities published 1070 sorts of maps.
Education has witnessed steady growth in different sectors at different levels with deepened reform of higher learning system and further readjustment of the distribution of primary and middle schools. At the end of the year, there were 1022 common higher learning institutions with a total enrollment of 1.08 million people and 341 million in-school students. There were 736 institutions in the country authorized to open graduate courses with a total enrollment of 73,000 people and 199,000 in-school graduates; the number of adult higher learning institutions reached 962 with an enrollment of 1 million and an in-school population of 2.82 million. There were 13948 common senior middle schools in the country with an in-school population of 938 million. 17106 advanced vocational schools in the country has an in-school population of 1126 million including 173 million in technician schools, 55% of the total senior middle school in-school population. There were 54.5 million in-school junior middle school students with a school attendance rate of 87.3%. In-school primary school pupils registered an attendance rate of 98.9%. Drop-out rate for common junior middle schools and primary schools were 3.23% and 0.93% respectively. The in-school population of adult vocational schools reached 2.51 million and personnel trained by adult technical schools 86.82 million person/time. In the same year, 321 million illiterate people have been eliminated.
China’s Ecological Network Passed Approval
On Feb. 26, 1999, the establishment and operation of Ecological Network of Chinese Academy of Sciences have been checked and accepted by National Verification and Approval Committee, which earmarked China becoming an important component part of global ecological monitoring and research network.
Mr Zhao Shidong, Vice General Manager and Chief Engineer of the said network project said that as the result of deteriorating global natural environment, it is imperative to establish a monitoring and research network so as to analyze its cause, current status and future development trend and provide scientific foundation for improvement of agricultural development environment and national macro policies on resources and environment. The system will monitor the basic status of natural environmental elements such as water, soil, air and etc and variations of ecological system, study the composition, functions and recent developments of ecological system, and demonstrate optimized ecological management and sustainable agriculture in localities.
Being a major infrastructure project of the country, CAS＇s ecological network started its construction from 1993 and was completed and put into operation in 1997 with a total investment of RMB 47.41 million.
With a unified planning and designing scheme, CASs Ecological Network is the first of its kind in the country structured in accordance with ecological system theory and system engineering method. Its ecological substations are able to observe andtest environmental elements such as air, soil, water and also the composition, energy flow, matter cycle and the dynamic properties of ecological system. The network is able to exchange data and communications among 34 institutes under its domain as wellas with other domestic or international computer networks. To make individual substations capable of advanced functions of monitoring, research and demonstration, some auxiliary facilities such as laboratories, computer centers, dormitories, roads, fences, wells and others were also erected along with the main structures.
National Verification and Approval Commission believe that the network has become an important base and supporting system for Chinas research activities in thefield of ecology, resource and environmental sciences. It will also play an important role in Chinas sustainable agriculture, improvement of ecological environment and studies of ecology and other related disciplines.
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
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