The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) plans to earmark 26 million yuan ($3.4 million) to promote popular science next year, Mei Yonghong, director of the ministry's department of policy and reform, said.

The fund will be used for three projects - popular science works creation, citizens' scientific literate evaluation and training, and scientific activity building for rural youth.

"Local governments have been required to increase their popular science promotion budget and we are expecting more money from the public," Mei told China Daily.

"Although China has launched laws and regulations to popularize science and technology in recent years, the drive has been held back due to lack of funds," Mei said.

A survey on popular science promotion in 2004 found that 2.4 billion yuan had been invested in dissemination of popular science in the country, 64 percent from the governments at all levels and the rest from public donations.

The annual per capita expense on popular science was only 0.6 yuan, or US$7.8 cents.

"Chinese people's scientific knowledge is very low, and cannot match the country's rapid economic development," Mei said.

"Especially in the rural and western areas, there are almost no funds for the promotion of popular science."

In a recent Beijing street poll conducted by CCTV, most people did not know that a nanometer is unit of length. Some thought it was a time unit and others a new type of rice, because "nano" sounds like na mi in Chinese, similar to da mi which means rice. 

To encourage more firms, organization and individuals to contribute toward promoting popular science and technology, several government organs including the Finance Ministry, Ministry of Science and Technology and the State Administration of Taxation, have offered incentives such as tax cuts for those who invest in popular science.

"Basic science knowledge benefits everybody and improves people's quality of life," a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhang Fuyun, said.

He has also served as science counselor to several middle schools in Beijing.

"Knowledge of health and disaster prevention can help people avoid diseases and injuries," he said.

Xu Lina, a science teacher at a Beijing middle school, visits the laboratories of many renowned universities and institutes in Beijing every May during the National Science Week.

"My students are keen to learn more about science as it is a noble and mysterious subject to them," Xu said.

"A visit to a national lab arouses youngsters' interest in science and could determine their career paths."

(China Daily July 5, 2007)