China's future stars of science and technology from primary and secondary schools nationwide have gathered in Beijing to show the fruit of their scientific research.

They appeared at the 20th China Adolescents Science and Technology Invention Contest (CASTIC) which opened on Saturday.

More than 500 youngsters showing off 336 projects under the company of their instructors attended. At least 20 other competitors came from abroad.

An annual contest, CASTIC, covering science, engineering and social science, is held by the China Association for Science and Technology and the ministries of education, science and technology. Every year more than 15 million young people take part in the contest but only about 500 enter the final.

Yang Lian, a second-grade student from the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China was just one of the participants. His new technology allows computers to tell different types of music apart, from classical and jazz to pop and rock. The accuracy can reach more than 70 percent, according to Yang.

"Attending the contest is a kind of affirmation of my two-year research into information technology," Yang said. "And it provides me with a chance to communicate with my peers who are also interested in information technology."

Yang's father studies automation technology. "I began to touch on information technology when I was a kid. I like it and my family can also give me support," Yang added.

CASTIC also serves as a way for Chinese students to show off their talent on the international stage. At CASTIC, Intel China Ltd gives out an award for Chinese Young Scientists and recommends that the winners take part in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the following year.

Zhu Yuanchen from Shanghai won the Chinese Young Scientist award at the 2003 CASTIC and attended the ISEF in 2004. In the previous 55 years, no student from Asia had won the prize. Now Zhu is studying at Harvard University in the United States.

Yang Ge won the second prize at the 2005 ISEF. He has just been recruited by Peking University.

Talking of their success, both Yang and Zhu stressed the importance of mastering English and the ability to use the Internet.

"With good English, you can work out the latest developments of fields you are interested in," Zhu said.

"With the fast development of the Internet, you can find almost any document and information about it as long as you are clear about the process," Yang added.

"Interest is the most powerful engine when I invent something," Yang and Zhu said in unison.

As for how to make the best use of their time, considering the importance of preparing for the entrance examination to college, they both said that preparation was the most important thing, and they did their research for their inventions mostly in winter and summer vacations.

Behind every winner is a teacher and many of them also attended CASTIC. "Teachers should focus on guiding and teaching students how to carry out research. Method is the biggest thing teachers can show to students. And teachers should avoid doing the research instead of students," said Teacher Zhang Zhi from Wusong Secondary School in Shanghai.

However, China lacks qualified teachers of science and technology.

"We only have about 30 teachers of science and technology in our school. They teach biology, physics or computers. They only use some of their time to guide students on how to do research," said Wang Zhijian, headmaster at the No 7 Secondary School in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

(China Daily August 8, 2005)