China plans to become a innovative nation in the next 15 years
and a world power in science and technology field by the middle of
the 21st century, says the national guideline on medium- and
long-term program for science and technology development
(2006-2020), which was published by the State Council Thursday.
By 2020, China's entire investment in research and development
is expected to top 2.5 percent of the GDP, while progress of
science and technology will contribute 60 percent and above to the
country's development.
Meanwhile, the country's reliance on foreign technology will
decline to 30 percent and below. The number of patents granted to
Chinese nationals and the introduction of their academic essays are
expected to rank among the first five in the world.
After 15 years of efforts, China will reach eight targets in the
field of science and technology as follows:
-- Manufacturing and information industries are
expected to master a number of core technologies that have a
bearing on the country's national competitiveness, with its
technological level of manufacturing and information sectors
reaching world class.
-- Agricultural science and technology sector
as a whole becomes one of the most advanced in the world, so as to
promote the comprehensive productive capabilities of agriculture
and ensure food safety for the country, efficiently.
-- There will be breakthroughs in energy
exploration, energy-saving technology and clean energy technology,
which may promote the structural optimization of energy, with
energy consumption of major industrial products reaching or
approaching world level.
-- Major industries and key cities will set up
a technological development mode of recycled economy, providing
scientific and technological support to the building of a
resource-efficient and environment-friendly society.
-- Remarkable improvement will be achieved in
the prevention and control of major diseases and epidemics, with
serious diseases like AIDS and hepatitis well under control, while
there will be breakthroughs in the development and manufacturing of
new pharmacy and medical equipment and apparatus, with sufficient
technological capabilities for industrialization.
-- The development of defense technology will
be able to meet the fundamental demands of self-reliant research
and development of modern weapons and informationization of the
Army, to provide assurance for the safeguarding of national
security.
-- A large number of world-class scientists and
research teams will emerge in the country, who will be able to make
a number of innovative achievements of great importance in the
mainstream academic research, when China reaches world level in
edge-cutting technologies in the fields of information, biology,
materials and space.
-- There will emerge a couple of world-class
research institutions and universities as well as
internationally-competitive research and development centers owned
by companies, which will form a relatively complete innovation
system with China's own characteristics.
(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2006)