Although China has made significant achievements in its development of science and technology, people are still very concerned about questions such as "What position does China's technology take in the world?" and "What is the gap between China and developed countries?"

For this, over 600 experts from the Research Team of Technology Forecast and State Key Technology Selection under the Ministry of Science and Technology, universities, R&D institutes, enterprises and industrial departments conducted an appraisal on the R&D level of 218 projects ranging from life science, biotechnology to new materials. The investigation report they concluded shows that among these 218 projects, China leads in one project and is on the same level with other advanced countries in 27 projects.

Nano research and gene technology are cutting edge

The quasi-one-dimensional nano materials represented by nano carbon tubes and its series, lead the world among nonaqueous heatseal nano materials. The R&D level of China in the following fields is equal to advanced countries: basic research of nano including nano and nano complex materials; nano materials for R&D of metals, pottery and porcelain, glass and polymers, research on nano oxide; single nano-particles of metals and semiconductors; nano coating reflecting various material interfaces; new nano functional materials.

In addition, some cutting-edge technology including genome sequencing, research on human functional genomes, genetically modified (GM) technology, molecular markers, and cellular cloning of animals are also at the same level with developed countries.

Sound foundation, strong R&D ability in communications field

According to expert analysis, China has attached great importance to the introduction, digestion and absorption of technology in the communications field. An industry of certain scale has been quickly formed, laying a sound R&D foundation. Much technology including next generation Internet systems structure, MANs (Metropolitan Area Network) platform technology, broadband connection technology, TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access), and enhanced 3G (third-generation) technology have reached internationally advanced level.

In regard to communication manufacturing, a batch of hi-tech communication manufacturing companies represented by China Putian Group, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, Shaanxi Fenghuo Communication Group Co. Ltd, Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group, Great Dragon Information Technology Corporation Ltd, Golden Palm Science & Technology Co. Ltd, Beijing Harbor Networks Limited have emerged successively, breaking down the monopoly of foreign-owned companies in the hi-tech communication equipment sector. They have not only owned all communication products, but have also started to hold an advantageous position in some key fields including program-controlled exchange (including mobile exchange), SDH/DWDM transport equipment and cellular mobile communication equipment.

China has more and more engaged in the formulation of international communication standards in technology, ranging from 3G mobile communication equipment, optical networks, and core exchange routers to NGNs (next generation network). China has proposed TD-SCDMA international standards, providing great opportunity for China to realize the technological and industrial advancements in the field of 3G mobile communications.

In optical communications, China has become one of the few countries in the world which are able to develop and produce a full range of optical communication products, according to the report.

Agricultural biotechnology at high level

In the past ten years, great achievements have been made in the application and popularization of biotechnology in agriculture. The general level of China's agricultural biotechnology is in the lead compared with developing countries. Some technology such as GM plants, molecular markers of main crops, new varieties of biotechnology and superior and high-yielding GM crops are at the same level as developed countries.

The report points out that currently, high consumption of resources and energies as well as severe environmental pollution have become the biggest barriers in sustainable development of China's economy. Industrial biotechnology is the key to tackling these problems. The technology China has used to produce Acrylamide with a microbiological method leads in the world no matter in scale or at what level. China is now conducting an alcohol fuel plan in order to solve energy shortages and the periodical oversupply of grain.

Computer information security lags behind

The successful development of a series of high-performance computers such as Yinhe, Shuguang and Shenwei has enabled China to maintain a position in the world high-performance computer field. However, experts think that China still falls far behind in the key technology and application used by giant computers. By far, the core technology and main components used in China's PC manufacturing almost are all imported from abroad, most from the United States. This leads to the low additional value of products as well as potential risks in security due to other countries' manufacture control.

In regard to software, experts think that basic software in China is very weak, lacking competitive core technology. The teams for basic research are scattered without forming any integral strength. Industrial software is of low technical content. Such a small-scale software industry is uncompetitive to international counterparts.

According to statistics, the total volume of China's software industry only accounted for 1.2 percent of the total volume of global software industry in 2000, equal to one fortieth of the US, one fifteenth of India and one eighth of Japan. Although there are 5,000 software enterprises in China, enterprises with over 1,000 staff are less than one percent.

In Internet technology, China has been following other countries and made quiet a few detours. Currently, it still lags far behind many countries because of lacking Internet core technology and innovation such as web transport speed, Internet security technology, service quality and Internet communication.

Audio and video core technology monopolized by foreign countries

At present, China's audio and video industries have basically mastered the design and manufacture of product technology and are able to independently design and manufacture middle and low-grade products. Rapid developments in this area have promoted the development of relevant industries, such as mould manufacture technology, precision mechanical technology, microelectronic technology, optical electromechanical technology, metallurgy technology, chemical industry technology.

However, China masters few technology patents of most sophisticated products. Products made in China make very limited profits in international markets since key technology is controlled by large companies from foreign countries. For instance,  DVDs made in China have very low profit levels. High-grade color TV sets also face the similar desire to hold their own patent.

Secondly, key components of audio and video products still depend on imports, especially super large-scale integrated circuits (IC) of special purpose, key display parts (such as PDP and LCD display), which China is still unable to develop and produce independently. Ninety percent of special ICs depend on imports. Foreign countries also monopolize PDP and LCD display technology.

Rapid Development in medical biotechnology

According to statistics, the total sales volume of China's biotechnology products was about 20 billion yuan (US$2.42 billion) in 2000, among which the sales volume of medicine and health-care products including medicine of gene projects, vaccines, diagnosis reagents, some antibiotics, amino acids for medical use, vitamins, blood products, bio-chemical medicines and some functional food was 9 billion yuan (US$1.09 billion), accounting for 45 percent of the total sales volume.

Thirteen categories (19 varieties) of medicines for gene projects and vaccines have gained permission to come onto the market. Of them, eight medicines of gene projects have ranked in the top ten in global sales. In addition, the sales volume of diagnosis reagent products was 3 billion yuan (US$0.36 billion). Although the current sales volume of products of medical biotechnology only accounts for six percent of the total sales volume of the medical industry, the growth speed of medical biotechnology is much faster than the general development speed in the medical industry, showing its strong vitality.

China has clear advantage in the R&D of traditional Chinese medicines. After many years' effort, the material preparation of natural medicine has reached an internationally advanced level. During the anti-SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) campaign, fast checking and testing as well diagnosis of severe and infectious diseases developed rapidly.

In recent years, advanced bio-medical materials of good compatibility such as implants for the human body have seen a rapid development in developed countries and have a huge market. The technology concerning biological sensors which can be widely applied in biological medical projects, clinical diagnosis, and environmental monitor, military and military medicines have been developed in China only for a short time period. Few products have a Chinese owned patent, again far behind international counterparts.

Low R&D ability in integrated circuits

Currently, most microchips made in China are using low-grade technology, five years behind the world's main stream technology. According to statistics, in 2001, over 70 percent of companies in China used 0.35 micron processing technology, one grade lower compared with the world's main stream, 0.18 micron process technology.

According to this report, the IC industry of China is still small in scale. The total sales volume of domestic chips only accounted for 1.5 percent of the total volume of the international market and made up for 20 percent in the domestic market in 2000. The figure has kept decreasing in the past two years.

Poor technological innovation, low design ability technique, equipment, materials, application and market developments have led to the result that many parts remain under other countries' control. The shortage of IC expertise has become a very serious problem. For example, there are 400,000 IC professionals in the United States, while China only has 3,000 to 4,000 IC professionals. The R&D technology of nano IC, which is experiencing rapid development recently, including the development, design and processing platform of sub-100 nano IC, 10 nano-CMOS technology, and manufacture technology of IC such as high consistency IC packing, preparation of semiconductor material, have always been the weak parts of the process in China.

China has made some achievements though in R&D of CPUs. The development of the "dragon chip" in 2002 is a significant step in changing the situation by providing a home made chip for China's information industry. The successful development of Shenwei I -- a high performance inserted 32-bit micro processor has promoted the technical level of domestic processors. However, experts still consider that the independent R&D ability of China in core CPU technology is six to ten years behind international levels.

Astronautic material R&D needs enhancement

Low cost and high-performance materials used in China's national defense, aviation and spaceflight and advanced transport facilities are six to ten years behind advanced countries. The low cost, high-performance, metal-complex materials and resin-complex materials, ultra high-temperature advanced materials, high-performance special fiber, special project plastics, light alloy (aluminum, magnesium) are indispensable materials in high-tech areas such as aviation, spaceflight, electronic information, advanced transport facilities and national defense. R&D ability in these areas should be enhanced.

Environment-friendly new construction materials needed 

Technology which can satisfy the requirements of environmental protection and sustainable development fall behind developed countries. Waste reclamation and recycle technology catch greater attention around the world. Currently, domestic industrial enterprise lacks the awareness of environmental protection. Residents have inadequate knowledge and understanding towards recycle projects. The level of recycle technology lags very far behind foreign countries.

In addition, new construction materials which are closely connected with national economic development are six to ten years behind advanced countries. China plans to make a breakthrough with core technology including high-performance, low-cost and low-consumption new construction materials and preparation technology; the reclamation, recycling and utilization of materials based on solid waste and waste construction materials, repair and consolidation technology of large buildings. This technology has a far-reaching significance for China's sustainable development.

According to the report, the R&D base of China's technology is very weak, and experts think the general level of China's R&D in high and new technology areas is five years behind that of advanced countries. 

As to the question of what approach China  should choose in its future development, experts said that independent and joint development will be the main channel for China's technological development. Among 218 projects under appraisal, 124 projects should be developed independently by China. Another 94 projects should be jointly developed.
 
(Science and Technology Daily, translated by Wang Qian for China.org.cn August 31, 2003)