Chinese Science and Technology Minister Xu Guanhua pledged to
increase public welfare research Thursday.
Currently, China's public welfare research is comparatively
weak. "The Chinese government will substantially increase all
aspects of its public welfare research effort, including research
projects, talents and bases," Xu said.
At the meeting of directors of scientific and technological
bureaus, Xu listed other leading focuses of scientific and
technological research during the 11th Five-Year-Plan period
(2006-2010), including upgrading overall innovation capabilities by
making breakthroughs in key fields.
`China will very significantly upscale its efforts in basic
science and cutting-edge science.
China's National Conference on Science and Technology, which
ended Wednesday, drew the strategic outline for building an
innovation-oriented nation.
Xu urged scientific and technological departments at various
levels to give priority to enhancing the capacity for
innovation.
(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2006)