MOST Enhances Grassroots S&T Activities
A national conference on S&T activities at the county and township level was closed on October 29, 2004. Aiming at the practical needs in China’s economic and social development in the new era, and in the construction of a well-to-do society on a full fledged basis, the conference systematically summarized the major achievements and proven practices made by S&T activities at the county and township level, given an in-depth analysis to the development opportunities and challenges that S&T activities at the grassroots level will have in the first two decades of the century. The conference made an overall deployment for the major S&T tasks to be accomplished at the county and township level, striving to enhance S&T activities there within a period of three years. By 2010, China will see remarkably improved and strengthened S&T activities at the its grassroots levelor the sake of implementation, the conference put forward the following measures to accelerate the improvement of S&T activities at the county and township level: 1) further diffusing the proven practices in mandating mayors to promote the primary productivity, and making the objectives of S&T advancement an important part of the goals defined for the incumbent county and township leaders. A related check process will be held on a regular basis; 2) identifying and intensifying the functionalities of S&T management, making the S&T activities at the county and township level closely linked with the major issues encountered in the economic and social development at localities, providing S&T support. The S&T authorities at the county and township level shall strive for a coordinated management, and an integrated coordination. It shall organize major S&T development projects and associated activities in localities, building up the S&T management capacity at the county and township level; 3) creating experimental and demonstration role models for S&T activities enhancement. Integrating the S&T activities initiated by the “becoming rich” project under the Sparkle Program, and the ones launched by the west development program, with priorities on the underdeveloped areas in the middle, west and east sections. Under the guidance of the central government, the corresponding support shall be secured at the provincial, prefectural and county levels in creating some 100 experimental and demonstration bases at the county and township level, remarkably raising the localities’ S&T advancement level through a couple of years’ sustaining efforts; 4) strengthening the construction of public S&T platforms at the grassroots level, S&T information service platforms in particular, so as to spur S&T information services, practical technology transfer and diffusions, and job related technical training at the grassroots level; 5) popularizing innovative working mechanisms such as S&T envoys, guiding S&T personnel to serve for the battlegrounds in rural areas, exploring and creating S&T innovations for long term applications; 6) enhancing the input in S&T activities. The state treasury will set up a special fund to support the construction of S&T service platforms at the county and township level, and associated demonstrations. Provinces or municipalities shall also create special funds to support the S&T activities at the at the county and township level. Localities shall enhance their S&T input, gradually establishing a multi-channel S&T investment system.
China’s S&T Aiming at World Top Ten
According to the general goals set up by the knowledge innovation project, an effort initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1998, China will strive to reach the intermediately developed nations’ level around 2010, in terms of knowledge innovation strength, heading for the world top ten in the SCI collection, the world top ten in international patents competitiveness, and the same seating in international S&T competitiveness.
The trial and demonstration projects for knowledge innovation gained a full fledged momentum in June 1998. The project is implemented in three phases: 1998-2000, the starting phase, during which eight knowledge innovation bases will be established. The bases will be built into the national role models representing China’s S&T level in the 21st century. 2001-2005 marks a period where a full fledged implementation will be staged in some 80 institutes, forming an innovative national research institute system. The period from 2006 to 2010 is an enhancement phase, seeing the materialization of the project’s general goals, and greatly enhanced innovation capability.
Around 2010, the Chinese Academy of Sciences will build itself into a national knowledge innovation center for natural science and high technology, a scientific research base at an internationally advanced level, a high caliber talent training base, a base promoting high tech industrialization, a national S&T knowledge database of international influence, and a conglomerate gathering scientific ideas and talents.
CAS’ Paper Boom
Since the implementation of the knowledge based innovation project in the past 6 years, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has witnessed a greatly enhanced S&T innovation capability, with noticeably ascending number of is S&T innovation output. CAS papers has approached that of the world first class comprehensive research institutes, in terms of quantity.
During the period of 1998-2003, CAS papers collected by SCI doubled in number from 5,860 to 12,060. CAS also enjoyed an ascending trend for the number of high quality papers by taking half of the nation’s total. In 1998-2003, CAS papers published in the journal Nature or Science accounted for 119 in number, or half of the total Chinese papers collected by the same journals. CAS papers published in the top 20 academic journals amounted to 2,491 in number, or 54% of the nation’s total. According to statistics published by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China in 2002, the top 20 research institutes whose papers were collected by SCI are all the ones affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.When comparing with the Max Planck Institute and the French Research Center, CAS papers has secured a top seat in terms of the number growth, with the total number of the papers collected by SCI overtaking that of the Max Planck Institute, from 1,031 less than that of the Max Planck Institute in 1998 to 4109 more than the latter in 2003.
As far as the quantity of high level papers is concerned, CAS has been narrowing down its gaps with the Max Planck Institute and the French research Center. In 1998, the number of CAS papers published by the top 20 research institutes accounted for only 20% of the Max Planck Institute’s, and 17% of the French Research Center’s. In 2003, the same percentage went up by 53% and 52% respectively.
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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION |
China-France S&T Innovation Forum
On the occasion celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and France, a China-France S&T Forum, jointly sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, French Ministry of Research, and the French Embassy in Beijing, opened on November 1st, 2004, at the Great Hall of People. More than 300 Chinese and French participants, including government officials, academic leaders in universities and research institutes, and senior industrial management personnel, attended the forum. They represent different fields of interests, including innovative research and finding transfer, information technology , life science, environment, and energy.
The forum, the largest S&T event staged in celebrating the French Culture Year in China, strives to strengthen S&T collaboration, exchanges, and innovation cooperation between the two nations. The forum intends to guide the S&T cooperation between the two nations into a higher and broader perspective. CHEN Jinpei, Chinese Vice Minister of Science and Technology told reporters that the forum had shared views on a variety of issues, including the policies and mechanisms supporting research innovations and findings spin-off, partnership between research institutes and industries, collaboration between universities and industries, industrial innovation and technology transfer, information technology and innovation, and life science and innovation.
China-Russia Joint Development of Deep Ocean Vehicle
At the first joint working group meeting on China-Russia cooperation in the field of marine research, held November 8-10, 2004, China and Russia promise to initiate a full cooperation in the marine fields, including the joint development of deep ocean vehicles.
During the session, both parties discussed and defined 35 joint projects in 8 areas, including basic and applied oceanography, ocean floor mineral resources development, marine legislation, marine environment research and monitoring, marine natural disasters prediction, marine ecological environment protection, Antarctic and Arctic research, new marine technologies, and information and data exchange. Of the said projects, 15 that are listed as priorities will soon be kicked off, including the joint development of deep ocean vehicles, China-Russian joint study of paleoenvironment and paleoclimate evolution along the northwest Pacific rims, consultations on international sea floor affairs, and a cooperative geological study of Antarctic hilly areas. Both parties have appointed their respective focal points who will be responsible for the supervision and implementation of the projects.
The State Oceanography Bureau, in the last 4 decades since its establishment, has inked marine cooperation agreements with some 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, India, and Japan
Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
The large dye-sensitized nanofilm solar cells, a project initiated by the Institute of Plasma Physics, an affiliate to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has recently achieved major progress in constructing a 500-watt power generation station made of the said cells for demonstration purpose in mid-October 2004.
The Institute kicked off the development of dye-sensitized nanofilm solar cells in 1994, in an attempt to address the energy problems of residents dwelling in the poor areas of west China, where power shortage is a common place. By taking advantage of the strength of international cooperation, and the financing for renewable energy projects by other international labs, the Institute forged a friendly cooperative tie with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. In 1997, the Institute inked an agreement with STA in Australia for long term research and development commitment. With the support of CAS President Special Fund, and financing granted by the CAS’ knowledge innovation projects and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the Institute launched a well organized research, in collaboration with the Institute of Chemistry and the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, both affiliates to the CAS. Starting from the basic level of solar cells sized at 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm, the painstaking efforts has eventually resulted in 1.5 cm x 5 cm cells. As of 2003, researchers have achieved breakthroughs in making large cells and associated techniques, worked out a cell piece as large as 15cm x 20cm, with a sunlight power conversion efficiency reaching 6.2%, and a 7.3% conversion in 0.5 sunlight duration. At the same time, researchers produced a 40 cm x 60 cm cell component for practical applications, with a 6.41% sunlight power conversion under 0.95 sunlight duration. The Institute even developed a 0.8 m x 1.8 m cell array. TheInstitute has also made major progress in limited production of dye-sensitized solar cells and associated manufacturing techniques, turned out a 500-watt power generation station for demonstration purpose, with its photo-electricity conversion amounting to 5%.
China Invents “Soft Airplane”
Starting from 1993, it takes 11 years for ZHANG Bingyan, a senior engineer of the Henan Normal University to work out his soft airplane. The new concept airplane has entered its testing phase, a last check-up before the pilot flight.
The soft airplane is so named for it is made up of special materials of high strength fibers, without any hard metal elements, except its engine and fuselage frame. With a length of 6m, wing span 8m and a weight some 90 kg, the soft airplane, in a triangle shape, can take off or touch down at a 20-meter long runway, and cruise at a maximum speed of 200km an hour. The new plane catches people attention for its light weight, compactness, collision resistance and a greatly enhanced safety. The developer told reporters that the materials he uses offer a stretching intensity 10 to 15 times higher than steel. The airplane, therefore, will not be damaged even in collision, making people inside the airplane well protected. The new airplane has been thought highly by both domestic and international experts as a safest airplane in the world. The new airplane is made at a very economic cost less than RMB 100,000.
Environment Satellite Constellation
Environment I, China’s first microsatellites constellation for environment and disaster watch, has entered the prototype development stage. The satellite constellation is made up of 3 microsatellites, including optic satellites A and B, and a synthetic aperture radar satellite numbered C. The constellation is designed to make all-weather and consecutive observation of the earth environment through visible, infrared and microwave channels, using the aboard optic camera and synthetic aperture radar. The constellation will be so deployed as to monitor and forecast the occurrences and development of ground disasters, including fires and water pollution. The satellite constellation is able to complete a cyclic observation around the earth in 32 hours, a greatly shortened cycle than a single satellite can achieve.
According to a briefing, two optic satellites of the constellation will be launched by a single rocket before 2006, with the synthetic aperture radar satellite being blast into orbit in 2007.
China Resources II 03 Launched
At 11:10 a.m., November 6, 2004, the Long-March 4B carrier rocket blast the Chinese made satellite “China Resource II” into orbit, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The satellite was separated from the rocket 12 minute later. The data received by the Xi’an Satellite Control Center confirmed the complete success of launch, when the satellite was accurately positioned in the prescribed solar synchronous orbit.
China Resource II is a transmission satellite, designed mainly for land resources survey, environmental watch and protection, urban planning, crop yield prediction, disasters prevention and alleviation, and space experiments. Launched on September 1, 2000 and October 27, 2002 respectively, the 01 and 02 satellites under the same series have been working smoothly in orbit, sending loads of data to the earth. The 03 satellite, compared with the previous two launches, has seen great enhancements in both performance and technologies.
100 Billion Worth Technology Trade
China’s technology market, through two decade development , has grown up from nothing to something, and from small to big in scale. In 2003, China’s technology market registered 268,000 technology contracts, with a total sum worth RMB 108.467 billion, or 0.93% of China’s GDP in the year.
HAN Deqian, Chairman of the China Technology Market Association, said that 20 years ago China only had less than a hundred thousand technology contracts, with a paid-in sum worth only a few hundred millions RMB. Now China has seen the establishment of more than 1,500 technology transfer firms, and some 1,200 technology contract confirmation centers at different levels. The technology market in China has become a main channel through which S&T findings or results are transferred.
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