The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) will concentrate its efforts on 40 key research areas in the coming 15 years to help China's ambitious plan of becoming an 'innovative nation'.

The measures were revealed in the Medium and Long-term Development Plan of CAS (2006-20) which was unveiled yesterday at the group's annual meeting in Beijing.

According to the plan its future research will focus on a range of key areas, including the development of the Internet, innovative drugs, biofuel development, nanotechnology, clean energies, carbon dioxide capture technologies and sustainable agriculture.

"With successful implementation of the plans CAS will become among the world's top five research bodies in terms of innovative research output by 2010 and in the world's top three by 2020," said Lu Yongxiang, CAS president and the vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

In order to reach the goals the CAS will keep investment growing by 70 percent in the coming five years over those in the previous five-year term. Between 2011 and 2020 the annual investment in CAS research projects will grow by around 12 percent.

Shi Erwei, vice president of CAS, said with its innovative research designed to meet the social and economic demands of China it hoped to receive investment from both the government and private companies.

The National Middle and Long-term Science and Development Plan issued by the State Council in early February vowed to increase annual investment in research and development to 900 billion yuan (US$112 billion) by 2020. This would boost the proportion of China's gross domestic product spent on research from today's 1.3 to 2.5 percent.

Besides the research programs CAS also propose to educate and develop 500 leading scientists in the coming five years. "We intend to develop our own team of internationally recognized? scientists as China enjoys the world's fastest economic development which has created superb opportunities for Chinese scientists to show their creativity," Lu said.

CAS will reform its management and rules to ensure the realization of its goals. It will increase research on science ethics, reform the election system of academics to make them become the real scientific leaders instead of academic authorities and increase the research autonomy of its 130 institutes and research centers.

On Sunday, CAS revealed its new constitution.

When it was established in 1950 CAS played a role as the science ministry of China. It had a constitution to reflect that status. But after 1955 when the State Commission of Science and Technology--now known as the Ministry of Science and Technology--replaced the CAS role as science administrator they did not prepare a new constitution.

"With this new constitution CAS will clarify its role as the basic and innovative research organ for the country, balance its administrative work and research teams, properly regulate its research resources and ensure the discipline of researchers," said Bai Chunli, vice president of CAS.

(China Daily March 21, 2006)