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)