is of following four features in its managem ent: 1)separate mechanisms for consultation, decision making and implementation; 2) combined system of application and inviting tenders; 3) with existing agricu ltural research results as the basis, emphasis on the practicality; and 4) simpl ifying the unnecessary management procedure and improving efficiency.
China's Technology Export Accelerated
As shown by statistics, China's last year technology export had recorded a 21.2% growth against the previous year, a figure much higher than 0 .5% growth for the nation's general export trade in the same period. The enc ouraging development indicates that China's technology export has become a grow th point in its export business.
Mr. Xu Fuxing, Director-General of Dept. of Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Economic and Trade Cooperation said that future development of China's foreign trade should go for technology intensive products, though its proportio n is still low in the total export volume now. China's technology export has r ecorded a sustained annual average growth of 30% for four consecutive years, hig her than that of foreign trade in general in the same period. However, its tota l volume took only 3% of the nation's total export last year.
Recent years have witnessed China's greatly improved technological capacity wit h its overall level ahead of most developing countries. However, the developmen t and export of some high tech products representing future market calls have la gged far behind. Taking computer software as an example, in 1997 Indian softwar e export harvested USD 1.75 billion only after USA and several dozens of times that of China. Development trend has told us it was a must to support China's foreign trade with modern science and technology.
As briefed by Mr. Xu, China has demonstrated its competitiveness against manuf acturers of Europe and USA in exporting complete sets of equipment to developing countries with its advantages in technical adaptability and lower prices. Its export of high tech products such as airmaterials, computer software and medical technologies are mostly directing to Europe and USA. As a result, Southeast Asian financial crisis has much less impact on Chinese technology export than on its general foreign trade.
Perhaps just because of this seen advantage, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Econo mic Co-operation has proposed the concept of revitalizing foreign trade with
science and technology and made it a new economic growth point for foreign trade . In this context, Mr. Xu said we should render two services in materializing th e concept: accelerate the marriage between S&T and trade with foreign trade as t he lead into international market, serving for transfer S&T results into commodi ties; understand and provide information on demand and supply of international m arket for technology products, serving for promoting export of products of high tech content and high added values. He also pointed out foreign trade authoritie s in localities should pay great attention to the implementation of revitalizing foreign trade with science and technology, vigorously tapping up technology pro ducts suitable for international market according to their own conditions, accel erating the pace of transforming traditional industries with high technology and increasing technology content and added value of traditional export products.
It is revealed that Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation is togeth er with other authorities concerned working on associated supporting policies so as to promote technology product export and optimize export structure.
China's Further Opening to Foreign Investment
By the end of March 1999, China has approved the establishment of 328228 foreign invested enterprises in the country on a cumulative basis with
contractual investment reaching USD 581.245 billion and paid-in investment USD 274.793 billion. The period from January to March 1999 has seen 3516 foreign invested ventures approved for their establishment, 11.46% down against the s ame period last year with contractual amount reaching USD 8.721 billion, 0.02 % up and paid-in USD 7.34 billion, 14.61% down in comparison with that of th e same period.
A senior official of Ministry of Foreign Economic and Trade Cooperation expresse d recently that China will further its opening to foreign investment so as to ab sorb foreign capital in a faster and better manner and improve the quality and l evel of foreign investment on a constant basis.
It is reported that the future will see China's more positive gesture embracing foreign investment. It will loosen some conditions for approving the establish ment of joint ventures on foreign trade and expand demonstration scopes and the number of experimental bases; it will allow foreign travel agencies to set up th eir joint ventures in China so as to further develop China's tourism; it will a lso allow banking institutions to set up their operational branches in China; Ch ina has published a number of new regulations on further opening up its retail s ector and both domestic and foreign investors may apply for the establishment of retail joint ventures according to new regulations. He also added that China w ould further improve its environment for foreign investment and perfect regional distribution of foreign investment on a constant basis.
Strong Development Trend of China's Private S&T Enterprises
As reported by the sources of Ministry of Science and Technology, privat e S&T industries have become an indispensable component of China's economic dev elopment. At the end of 1997, there were in the country more than 65,000 priva te S&T enterprises with a total employee of 3.15 million, integrated aggregate revenues RMB 500 billion and tax paid RMB 26.56 billion.
Most of Chinese private S&T enterprises are related to newly emerged industries, especially to the technology- intensive one. At present stage, private S&T e nterprises have constituted 80% of the enterprises stationed in China's 53 nati onal high and new technology industrial development zones and 58 provincial high and new tech development zones.
Statistics have shown that the growth rate of the output value of private S&T en terprises is generally higher than that of local industrial and agricultural out put total. In Beijing, the integrated aggregate revenues created by private S& T enterprises have exceeded RMB 40 billion in 1997.
Experts predicted that by 2000 the economic scale of China's private S&T enterp rises will increase from RMB 550 billion in 1997 to RMB 1000 billion and its per centage in the national economy from 6% to about 10%.
China's First Freon Substitute Production Line
China's first R134a Freon substitute production line with the annual output of 200 tons, jointly invested and constructed by Xi'an Institute of Contemporary Chemistry and Tibet Jinzhu Ltd., was put into official operation on April 24, 1999.
It is briefed by experts that being the best substitute coolant widely acknowled ged in the world , R134a is of both fine physical and chemical properties and ha s found extensive production and applications in developed countries. Before th is, R134a needed by China's domestic refrigeration industry were all imported. The said project is one of national priorities listed in the 8th Five-Year Pl an. To accelerate the transfer of its research results and provide technical su pport and funding source for the project, Xi'an Institute of Contemporary Chemi stry established a joint venture with Tibet Jinzhu Co. Experts believed that ap plied with internationally advanced gaseous phase technique and unique "adverse cycling" technique of its own, the production line has reached internationall y advanced level. The construction and successful operation of the production l ine has filled in the gaps in R134a production.
It is disclosed that Jinzhu will invest RMB 290 million in its phase two project in which another production line with an annual output of 5000-ton R134a will be built. By that time, Xi'an will become the largest base in the country prod ucing harmless R134a with most advanced technology.
China's Green PC and Color TV
Beijing Zhaowei Group which turned out China's first electronic computer and PC has been honored with "Environment Friendly Products" certificate issued
by computer and color TV authorities for its zero-radiation color projector TV
and energy saving PCs.
It is reported that color projector TV sets developed by Zhaowei are high tech a udio-video products enjoying complete independent intellectual property right. Applied with advanced background projecting techniques and numerous digital i mprovements, Zhaowei's color projector TV freed itself from the radiation broug ht by conventional TV tube displaying technique. As shown by the test results of China Environment Friendly Products Certificate Committee, its rate of radiati on is zero.The new technique used has fundamentally solved the harmful radiatio n brought about by TV to human body and will make big screen with the size of 40 -60 inches and even bigger.
Closely following the trend of international computer development, Zhaowei Group developed and manufactured green energy-saving computers with the application of special electric source and unique case designing. The new computer does not have radiation effects on other electronic appliances as conventional one does and it consumes only 26.1 w of electricity in dormant state, much lower than t hat required by state authorities. Thanks to the use of green environment frien dly materials, environmental pollution in the process of production is eradicate d. This is of great help to save the resources and energy and also protect the e nvironment.
It is reported that China has seen an annual color TV output of 20 million sets . Most of them are equipped with CRT tubes having X-ray contamination problem . China State Bureau of Environmental Protection published technical specificat ions on environmental friendly color TV with low radiation on March this year an d technical specifications on environmental friendly computers on July last year . Beijing Zhaowei Electronics Group is the first applicant for both green certi ficates in the country.
North China Rare-Earth IndustryProductivity Promotion Center
Approved by Ministry of Science and Technology and Science and Technology Committee of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, North China Rare-Earth Industry Productivity Promotion Center and Inner Mongolian Rare Earth Productivity Promo tion Center were established in Baotou on April 27, 1999.
The executive councils of the above mentioned two centers are membered with Rare Earth Office of State Planning Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, State Metallurgical Administration, S&T Committee of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, S&T Committee of Baotou Municipality and Baotou Institute of Rare Earth . In the principle of independent operation and being responsible for their own profits and losses, the two centers will pursue their respective development a ccording to laws. The said two centers are physically subordinated to Baotou In stitute of Rare Earth.
The centers are designed with following terms of references: provide rare earth enterprises with information service on rare earth S&T, quality, economics and p olicies; organize exchanges and collaborations between enterprises and research and higher learning institutions; assist enterprises to establish their technica l foundation; improve management and S&T quality of enterprises; organize applic ations and demonstrations; assist enterprises to import new technologies, produc ts and techniques; improve enterprises' R&D capacity; organize domestic and int ernational exchanges among small and medium rare earth enterprises; explore dome stic and international collaboration; provide diagnostic comments on technical d ifficulties and personnel training; provide consultation service; promote S&T ad vance of China's small and medium rare earth enterprises; formulate responding strategies and plans for improving productivity, propose advice to authorities concerned, assist enterprises in technical development; introduce human resource s and nurture talented people with technical innovation consciousness for enterp rises.
S&T Development Guide for Light Industry
To provide macro guidance for S&T development in light industry, promote organic marriage between S&T and economy, encourage technical innovation and promote te chnical advance and economic development of light industry, State Light Industry Administration compiled and published "S&T Development Guide for Light Industr y (1999-2000)" in accordance with practical development and needs of China's li ght industry on 22nd of April.
The Guide serves as a prediction for light industry technology development both at home and abroad and proposes new projects for light industry technology, prod ucts development, industrialization of high tech results and diffusion of new te chnologies tailored to market demand. Of them, high tech industrialization cove rs 15 fields and new technology diffusion numerous high technologies in 65 categ ories. Of macro guiding significance for next 3-5 years, many S&T development projects in the Guide are cutting-edge ones.
