Three strategies are needed to ensure the fulfillment of the three-step objective for China's science and technology, said Bai Chunli, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Association of Science and Technology, at the 2004 academic annual meeting held by the association.
China aims to be one of the frontrunners among developing countries around 2010, to the medium level among world giants in science and technology 11 years later and squeeze into the top rankings among those giants around 2049.
The three strategies are:
First, make full use of the global innovative resources, participate widely in bilateral, multilateral and global competition and cooperation and greatly enhance China's capability in innovation and industrialization level in science and technology.
Make improvement in digesting, integrating and re-innovating the imported technologies in order to realize the localization as soon as possible;
In some industries where conditions are available, or certain phases of development, strengthen innovation and system integration of key techniques for a leap-forward development;
Cultivate core capability with independent intellectual property rights, and seize the superiority in the sciences, technologies and industries crucial for the nation's development in key fields concerning the national interest and people's livelihood, and in several pioneering of the development of science and technology.
Second, strive to boost the foundation and stamina of science and technology.
Improve foreseeing arrangement in the frontiers of basic research and important hi-tech fields, enhance original scientific innovation;
Put key fields, such as developing information, life, material sciences and important interdisciplinary sciences, in priority, strive to realize breakthrough and leap forward in selected key technologies in which China has certain advantage.
Third, exert special efforts to solve some important problems affecting the development of science and technology.
Deepen reform in the system, strengthen the construction of the national innovation system;
Strengthen reform on marketization, promote the close combination of science and technology, with economic and social development, also with national security;
Reform and develop the educational system for the nationals and transform the heavy load of population to abundant human resources;
Promote scientific spirit, build up the culture of innovation, and create a social atmosphere of respecting science, talents and innovation;
Ensure the steady increase of input into science and technology and education, and construct a rational structure and mechanism of funding.
According to Bai, despite the short development of China's modern science and technology, and the wide gap with developed countries, there is absolutely probability for China, making use of its "latecomer's advantage", to rejuvenate the nation with science and education against the backdrop of the rapid development of science and technology nowadays.
(People's Daily November 26, 2004)
