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

N0.395	February 28,2005
	IN THIS ISSUE
* Quarantine Watch for China’s Wildlife * Knowledge Innovation Project Harvests * China-Japan IPv6 into Operation * China Works on Galileo Project * Most Primitive Bird Found * China’s First Energy Efficient Building
		SPECIAL ISSUES

Quarantine Watch for China’s Wildlife

Not long ago,China will start to construct a nationwide wildlife quarantine watch system, in an attempt to spot wildlife epidemics and protect both human and animal security on a timely basis, announced the China State Forestry Bureau.

ZHAO Xuemin, Deputy Director of State Forestry Bureau told reporters that the bureau will establish a nationwide watch system to track down wildlife-carried pathogens, and to understand their transmissions. The daily watch system will make a prompt judgment of epidemic attack, identifying pathogens, and determining affected areas possible. The effort will also help to cut off the possible spread of animal epidemics to human. Once cross infection or mutation occurs, wild animals, due to their large differences in living habits, habitat environment, and pathogens carried, can result in extensive spread of epidemic diseases, threatening wild animal species, unbalancing the natural ecological equilibrium, and even wiping out an entire population of precious or endangered species.

The quarantine watch is designed with the following missions: organizing a benchmark survey for wild animal epidemic sources and diseases, collecting basic data on natural epidemic sources, wild animal hosts, and vulnerable wild animal species, and gathering basic information on types, attacks, spread and damages of wild animal epidemic diseases both at home and abroad. The State Forestry Bureau will in the first run establish some 100 land quarantine watch spots in major wild animal epidemic source areas, migration channels, and habitats. To guide monitoring efforts, a wild animal quarantine watch center will be physically established in the compound of the Forest Diseases and Pests Control Center, part of the State Forestry Bureau. 

Knowledge Innovation Project Harvests

In the past 7 years since the socalled knowledge innovation project was launched on an experimental basis, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) had harvested numerous innovative results, said recently LU Yongxiang, President of CAS. During the period of 1998-2004, CAS was contracted to 122 projects under the National 973 Program, or 36% of the total projects supported by the Program. During the same period, CAS undertook 48 major projects initiated by the National Natural Science Foundation, or 52% of the total projects lined up by the Foundation. In addition, CAS worked on 365 natural science projects, or 32% of the nation’s total.

In the past 7 years, CAS launched the knowledge innovation project in its 89 research institutes on an experimental basis, merged 45 research institutes, and completed the industrial transformation of 13 institutes. In 2004, CAS’s SCI collection went up by 115%, with 3.2 times growth for invention patent application, 18.6 times for invention patent grants, and 20 times for software and copyrights, compared with 1998. Incomplete statistics show that in 2004, CAS helped localities, through technology transfer, to create new business revenues of RMB 35.9 billion, and profits and taxes of RMB 6.8 billion. In the same year, research institutes under CAS registered a business revenue of RMB 56.76 billion, and profits and taxes of 3.94 billion, and created 58,000 jobs for the society.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

China-Japan IPv6 into Operation

Not long ago,IPv6-CJ, a cooperative project between China and Japan to work on the next generation Internet, reported its progresses at Tsinghua University. Representatives from China State Development and Reform Commission and Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry attended the meeting.

According to a briefing, IPv6-CJ has achieved preliminary progresses in network testing, system configuration, applications, and standardization. The steady cooperation and exchanges between two nations in IPv6 technologies and associated industrialization have accelerated the combination of industries, universities, and research institutes, in the fields of Internet technology, and the combination of network and applications. The cooperation also spurs up China’s development of its next generation Internet, and helps to bring out more talents for the endeavor.

IPv6-CJ, a project co-sponsored by China State Development and Reform Commission and Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, is jointly implemented by China Education and Research Network (CERNET) and Communications and Information network Association of Japan (CIAJ), with the participation of more than 20 R&D institutes from both countries. The project, made up of four components covering network testing, system configuration, applications, and standardization, is implemented through 20 sub-projects. The sub-projects are mainly designed to establish an experimental high speed IPv6 network linking Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, set up a high speed connection with the experimental IPv6 network in Japan, develop key technologies for IPv6, core systems and associated facilities, develop IPv6 intermediate components and typical applications, test and evaluate experimental networks and associated systems, and lay down IPv6 standards. Started from January 2002, the China-Japan experimental IPv6 network completed its construction and was put into operation in March 2005.

China-Japan Talk on Coal Technology and Policy

A coal related technology and policy talk between China and Japan was held recently. The Department of High and New Technology, a part of China Ministry of Science and Technology and the Department of Resources and Energy, affiliated to Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, are the co-sponsors of the meeting. Japanese experts on coal utilization and new energy technology development, and Chinese experts working for energy component under the National 863 program attended the meeting. Japanese expert made a presentation on Japan’s long and medium term plan for coal industry. Official from the Department of High and New Technology briefed the participants about the current and future development of China’s clean coal technology.  Japanese side expressed wishes to cooperate with China in promoting the diffusion of clean coal technology.

Both sides agreed to further their exchanges on a regular basis, and enhance information exchanges between two nations, through collaboration with the international community. Both sides pledged to look for possible fields for future cooperative development, in a joint effort to ensure the stable coal supply and diffusion of clean coal technology in Asia.

China Works on Galileo Project

China National Remote Sensing Center has recently inked a contract with Galileo Satellite Navigation Co. Ltd., in a move to implement China’s due under the Galileo Project. According to the contract, China Galileo Industries Ltd will, entrusted by the National Remote Sensing Center, work on all the projects and activities defined by a cooperative agreement signed between China and Europe. China Galileo Industries Ltd. will be responsible for bringing together domestic enterprises and research institutes to implement assigned missions. The project will also facilitate the development of China’s home civic satellite navigation industry, through technology cooperation between China and EU countries in the fields of satellite navigation.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Most Primitive Bird Found

A study team, chaired by Dr. JI Qiang, a research fellow at the Institute of Geology, a part of Chinese Academy of Geology, has recently announced that it unearthed a fossilized bird that is dated back even earlier than the German archaeopteryx, an ancient bird species that has gained worldwide acknowledgement of its bird ancestor status for 140 years.

Researchers unearthed the oldest bird fossil on July, 2004 on the top of the Longfeng Mount, located in Fengning County, Hebei Province, a geological stratum lower than the one in west Liaoning, where a precious fossilized Zhonghua Longniao (China Dragon Bird) was found.  The fossilized bird was found intact, with a length about 54.8 cm running from head to tail, fully covered by clearly defined feather traces. The bird head presents a side view of triangular form, with a relatively short beak, and 18 smooth teeth sitting at upper and lower jaws respectively. Named Huamei Jinfeng (Beautiful Chinese Phoenix Bird), the fossilized bird retains 12 neck vertebra, 11 back vertebra, and 23 tail vertebra, with a tail length of 27.3 cm, or almost half of its total length. What marvels researchers most is 11 eggs of dark yellow color and less than 10mm across, preserved inside the bird body.

Researchers analyzed 205 anatomic parts of the fossilized bird, using an internationally recognized software for tracking down ancient animals’ evolution path. Results show that it bears a sister relationship with the archaeopteryx, at the bottom of the primitive bird family tree, though a bit earlier than the archaeopteryx. This indicates that Huamei Jinfeng bird, sitting at a critical position running from dinosaurs to birds, makes the most primitive bird so far discovered in the world. 

Researchers explain that the comparative study of fossil features has shown that the archaeopteryx has fewer and shorter arch-shaped smooth teeth, while Huamei Jinfeng bird keeps more and bigger smooth teeth in a dense alignment. The archaeopteryx has rear limbs as almost equally long as the forelimbs. However, Huamei Jinfeng bird has rear limbs slightly longer than the forelimbs. These features indicate that Huamei Jinfeng bird is more primitive than the archaeopteryx, which in turn supports the theory on bird original terrestrial flying capability. Family tress analysis also confirms that Huamei Jinfeng bird is the most primitive bird.

Researchers are trying to tell the age of the stratum, where the fossilized bird was unearthed, using radioactive means, in an attempt to know the accurate age of the bird. The finding has been published in the March issue of Geology Bulletin.

China’s First Energy Efficient Building

A super energy efficient building was recently inaugurated at Tsinghua University. As the first of its kind in the country, the demonstration building gathers some hundred state-of-the-art energy efficient technologies and products. The new building consumes only 30% of the power needed by a conventional building in Beijing, compared on a yearly basis, making a physical energy efficient technology demonstration platform for architectural structures.

The project heads for a range of targets, including physical environment control and associated facilities (sound, light, heat, and air quality), building materials and composition (window, sun sheltering, roof, joints, and steel structures), building environment control system (efficient energy system, advanced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning modes, and associated facilities), and intelligent building system. The demonstration building uses some hundred energy efficient technologies or products developed by research institutes or manufacturers both at home and abroad. Nearly 50 US, German, Japanese, Denmark and domestic manufacturers, including Tongfang and Qinhuangdao Yaohua, contributed their latest energy efficient products to the building. Of them, some 10 products or technologies are used for the first time in the country.  

Building designer told reporters that the high-tech building is installed with an energy supply and air-conditioning system using energy efficient measures or renewable energy technology, for illuminating, office equipment, air-conditioning, and ventilation. The building registers an annual power consumption of 40 kilowatts per square meter, while a high end office building would consume 100 or even 300 kilowatts per square meter in a year. Even in the hottest months in summer, the power consumed by the air-conditioning system in the building is only 10% that of a conventional building.

First Cloned Buffalo Using Adult Cells

Not long ago,the world first instance of cloned buffalo using adult cells was born at a bull reproduction center, affiliated to Guangxi University. With the support of the National 863 Program, the cloning project successfully gave birth to a healthy calf, with a weight of 23 kg, length 86cm, and height 62.5cm. Its 12-year-old mother is also in good condition. The development constitutes not only the world first instance of cloned buffalo using body cells, but also the one using adult body cells.

Chinese researchers cloned ovary cells from an adult cow of Guangxi local breed. On April 10, 2004, the cloned blastula and a cloned bull blastula were planted into a 12-year-old cow at the same time. After 348-day pregnancy, the cow gave birth to the calf. The reproduction center is now working on two additional buffalo clones using body cells that have been conceived for four months.

 

NEWS BRIEFS

China Maps Everest’s Height

Not long ago,China will send one or two mapping experts to measure the accurate height of the Everest’s Peak, literally on its top, using advanced instruments, said XIN Shaohua, Deputy Director of the Dept. of Land Mapping, part of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, at a news conference jointly held by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

In addition to using advanced instruments and state-of-art means to remeasure the peak height, the expedition will try to find a rock on the peak top to serve as a top marker. Experts will also measure ice and snow depth there. The measurement findings, processed and analyzed, will be verified by a legal procedure for publicizing geographic information, before unveiling to public around August 2005.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences organized a scientific expedition trip to the Everest Peak area in 1975. The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping made an accurate measurement of the height of the peak, and had the results published upon the approval of the State Council. Last three decades have seen great changes in the Peak’s raising process, and in its ambient environment. Remeasurement of the peak height right on its physical top, through another scientific expedition, makes a meaningful scientific endeavor with positive social impacts.

China’s Astronomy is Internationally Competitive

Chinese researchers have become internationally competitive in some areas of astronomy, said foreign experts at an international workshop on astronomy opened recently.

“Chinese researchers have become internationally competitive in the fields of numerical modeling and astronomic theory,” said the Chairman of the EU Committee for Astronomy. In recent years, China has produced numerous eye-catching achievements in astronomic studies. For example, the Shanghai Observatory, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has worked out, on the existing basis, a ‘cosmos portrait’, using computer-simulated 100,000 dots to show the distribution of celestial systems. The map represents the highest accuracy among its counterparts in the world. China’s National Observatory is currently working on a research project, looking for the first light produced in the cosmos. Scientists are working steadily to understand the genesis of first generation of stars, using hydrogen atom spectrograph. Researchers of Nanjing University have harvested an internationally acknowledged result on ‘gamma explosion’, a most brilliant light in the cosmos. Workshop participants also expressed the hope that young scientists should have more involvement in cosmos exploration activities.

       Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:Mr. Mao Zhongying, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China  Tel: (8610)58881360 Fax: (8610) 58881364

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