Academician Study Tour Invigorates the Technical Innovation
Since the last half of 1998, Chinese Academy of Engineering and State Economic and Trade Commission have jointly organized the socalled academician study tour for technical innovation, which bridged the gap between enterprises and S&T community and contributed to rejuvenating large and medium state enterprises through introducing a new approach for technical innovations.
Up to date, 99 academicians and experts have participated in the study tours to seven enterprises including Yanshan Petrochemical and Jiangnan Shipyard Group for technical diagnosis.41 academicians presented 44 academic lectures and solved more than 100 major technical problems for enterprises. Enterprises have signed more than ten technical contracts with the institutions where academicians are working for.
Academicians and experts in the study tour visited selected enterprises, made the diagnosis on the spot and presented academic lectures on the latest S&T development both at home and abroad for the purpose of improving technical and management level of enterprises. Last August, 25 academicians and experts
visited Anshan Steel Company. They presented 10 academic lectures on technical and consultation projects given in advance. Anshan Steel Company compiled lectu renotes into proceedings and distributed them to technicians and staff in the
enterprise who were greatly impressed. Tailored to the technical problems encountered in the production activities, academicians have had some discussions and put forward many constructive proposals.
For example, academician Lu Zhongwu proposed the principle of using fine feed in ironmaking and a number of measures such as reducing molten iron consumption in steel making, consuming more waste steel, reducing the production of castiron, ceasing the use of small furnace, improving the utilization of large
furnace and improving heat transmission. In Tangshan, 15 academicians headed by Duan Ruiyu analyzed the master development plan of Tangshan Steel Company and proposed the basic policy of "controlling the total output, getting rid of the obsolete, restructuring, technical innovation and enhancing vitality" and 50 and more detailed proposals covering seven areas. Yuan Qingtang who used to work for Yanshan Petrochemicals for many years and other academicians proposed 32 suggestions covering 12 areas on the basis of their in-depth investigations which played a key role in making good use of 7 million tons of
crude oil and improving economic benefits. Academicians also helped enterprises to tackle technical difficulties and carried out joint research and technical innovation.
Exchange Program for Senior Chinese and German Scholars
Lu Yongxiang, President of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced in early June, 1999, in Berlin that to help the implementation of CAS's knowledge innovation projects, CAS will create a dedicated financing program in Germany to invite qualified German scientists and Chinese scientists in Germany to work for CASs institutions in China. It is disclosed that the initiative of this program is another special effort to absorb talented people from abroad.
According to the program, collaborated with renowned German research institution s and organizations including a number of foundations and German Association on Research, CAS will establish an exchange program dedicated to senior Chinese and German visiting scholars. Each year will see 20 visiting scientists recruited from Germany to work for CAS's institutions so as to promote the S&T coopera tion and exchanges between two countries.
The basic requirements defined by the program are: senior visiting scholars to be selected shall be under 40 years old, of doctorate and more than five year work experiences in research and have produced some achievements in a related scientific field. A weighted consideration will be given to those who are
renowned internationally or on the list of "Amy-Nute Program" German Association on Research.
Invited senior scholars are generally supposed to work for CAS from 3 months to 1 year and could be extended when necessary with the maximum no longer than two years. Chinese scholars coming back from Germany, when expired for their terms, may decide if they want to continue their research subject to the
approval of CAS.
It is briefed that the application and approval procedure of the program is quite simple. All qualified applicants, upon the consent of their German institutions, may submit their applications to relevant research institutions subordinated to CAS. On the basis of research needs, topics and budget available, these institutions will organize experts panel to assess the applications by correspondence. The preliminarily approved applicants will be submitted to CAS's Managing Committee of Senior Visiting Scholars for further review.
It is reported that the Program will give priority consideration to the needs for visiting scholars of CAS's knowledge innovation bases, national key open labs, major scientific projects, key scientific projects and scientific and engineering centers.
To match with international norms, CAS has set an annual budget for the Program as high as Rmb 150,000. Meanwhile, research results worked out during the visit are supposed to be shared by CAS and dispatching institutions. In addition, CAS will confer the visiting scholars who make outstanding achievements the title of CAS Excellent Visiting Scholar and provide them
with priority consideration for their future visiting contracts.
China's Remote Education Framework
China will create and complete its modernized remote education system through enhanced state investment and extensive absorption of donations from localities, enterprises and individuals in the next three years.
It is reported that Education and Research Computer Network, one of the four major Internet network systems in the country, has completed the constructio n of its national trunk network including 8 regional network sub-centers linking to a national center. Meanwhile, education and research computer network at the provincial level is in the process of construction taking advantage of the 211 project.
As shown by incomplete statistics, its current institutional
subscribers have gone beyond 500 and individual ones of 700,000 in number with more than 300,000 computers connected. Covering the whole country and being the largest remote education system in the world, the satellite based education system possessing three satellite channels, 104 provincial education TV stations and more than ten thousand ground receiving station has become an important component of China's education system.
Taking into account the fact that China's social and economic development is uneven, Chinese Ministry of Education will, in the principle of unified planning, promote information process of education on three levels. Level one is the extension and application of multimedia computer based education techniques at schools; level two is the extension and application of networks
so as to improve teaching quality by taking advantage of net resources; level three is creating modern long-distance education system and sharing rich network resources. As shown in the "Action Plan on Rejuvenating Education in the 21st century" circulated by the State Council, the modern long-distance education project is implemented through utilizing China Education and Research Network and Satellite Education TV Network. To achieve the goals, professional platforms of modern remote education network will be set up, software and
resources development promoted and a number of application projects organized.
Two Iridium Satellites Launched
At 1:15 am, June 12, 1999, Chinese made "Long March II B" rocket successfully sent two iridium satellites from Taiyuan based satellite launching center into the space orbit.
The launching is the 57th flight of Long March series rocket and also its 15th consecutive success since October 1996. This has demonstrated the reliability of carrier rockets which were developed independently by Chinese scientists and also the improved space launching and controlling techniques.
The two satellites launched are the backup ones for the iridium system. China has achieved a good mark of three consecutive successful launching of back-up and set-up satellites in establishing the iridium satellite system dedicated for personal telecommunications sponsored jointly by a number of countries and regions in the world.
China's Information Manufacturing: Leading in the World
As disclosed by the information sources from China National Economic and Trade Commission, China's information manufacturing industry has reached the leading place in the world in terms of its overall scale with the output of color TV,audio and telephone sets all occupying the first place in the world with a total export volume of USD 27 billion.
Information industry has become an important pillar sector in Chinese national economy. In 1998, the total output value of China's information products reached Rmb 480 billion, 26% more than the previous year with the sale revenue of Rmb 320 billion and profits and taxes of Rmb 24 billion. Up to date, there have been 6500 and more foreign investors who have invested their money in information industry in China. Recent years have witnessed rapid development of Internet and multimedia technologies. In 1998, the network market volume in the country reached Rmb 10 billion and an ascending trend is also expected for the years to come.
Catabolites Solved White Pollution
Plastics notorious for its resistance to being dissolved for hundred years will be gulped down by bacteria after mixed with new catabolites in several months time.
The new catabolites recently developed by Chinese scientists is deemed as the best solution so far worked out in the world to solve "white pollution". The technique was commented as "being not only in the leading position at home but also unique in the world" at a technical appraisal and verification meeting with the presence of academicians from both Chinese Academy of
Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. The new result titled "non-starch photo-controllable biological catabolites parents" worked out by Beijing Institute of Plastics has provided a "sharp knife" for solving the problem of "white pollution". At present, the technique is being extended throughout the country. The compound derived from a great number of experiments and tests can be added into plastic products proportionally and make large plastic moleculs to be dissolved into smaller ones under sunshine.
China's Own Concept Car
Unicorn, China's first concept car made its debut on June 13, 1999.
Pan-Asia Center jointly established by US based General Motor and Shanghai Auto Industry Group unveiled China's first concept car which is independently designed by Chinese, manufactured in China and tailored to customers' need of the Chinese market.
Combined with traditional European style and basic functions of mini-trucks, the yellow-green car may freely hold five passengers within a five-door frame. One of its back seats may lay flat for more room. The solid body, large wheels and high chassis make the car able to run on different road surfaces.
Meanwhile, its four-engine and 5-speed manual gear system make the car reliable and economic for the use of more Chinese consumers.
The appearance of the said concept car has forcefully improved the whole car designing capacity of Chinese auto industry and opened a new page in China's auto designing and engineering history.
First Digital Refrigerator in the World
China Increases the Area of High-Quality Early Rice
It is reported from the sources of Chinese Ministry of
Agriculture that this year has witnessed an increase of 530,000 hectares of high-quality early rice planted in the country though the total area of early rice planted went down by 200,000 and more hectares than last year. Agricultural experts believed that the development has shown Chinas increasing attention
to the quality of grains.
It is estimated by the Ministry of Agriculture that China has grown 7.6 million hectares of early rice, of which 2.8 million hectares have been grown with high-quality species, 530,000 hectares more than the same period of last year. The statistics registered a fastest growth record in recent years.
China has in recent year stressed the improvement of early rice quality. Grain bumper harvest for several consecutive years has made Chinas total grain output in a relatively overproducing manner, which in turn laid a solid foundation for optimization of grain quality.
Started from 1997, under the instruction of Ministry of Agriculture on improving early rice quality, Chinese Research Institute of Paddy Rice, Hunan Provincial Institute of Agriculture and other research institutions have worked out a group of improved species through import, breeding and screening. On the other hand, some new techniques such as dry breeding of rice shoot and rice shoot casting have provided technical support for the extension of high-quality early rice.
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