China plans to increase the proportion of funds for scientific and technological research and development from 1.44 percent of its GDP in 2004 to 2.5 percent in 2020, said a white paper released on Thursday.

"China must rely on itself to solve the problems in its development," and "it is an important principle that guarantees that China will follow the road of peaceful development," said the white paper, titled "China's Peaceful Development Road" and published by the Information Office of the State Council, China's cabinet.

In promoting scientific and technological progress and strengthening the ability of independent innovation, China has made medium and long-term plans, setting forth the objectives and tasks for the next 15 years, the white paper said.

Meanwhile, the paper said China will unswervingly push forward reform in all aspects, enhance marketization of its national economy and establish institutions and mechanisms conducive to an overall, coordinated and sustainable economic and social development.

China keeps up its driving force to maintain sustained economic development through its huge domestic demand and domestic market, which has "determined that China should, and most likely, rely mainly on domestic demand for its development," said the white paper.

As for strengthening the human resources, the paper said, from 2006 to 2010, the secondary vocational schools will train 25 million graduates, and the higher vocational schools, 11 million. The enrollment rate of China's institutions of higher learning will reach 40 percent by 2020.

"China is not only a big energy consuming country, but also a big energy producing one," said the paper. Since the 1990s, China has obtained 90 percent or more of its energy from domestic sources.

In its environmental protection efforts, China persists in putting precautionary measures first in its development, the paper said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2005)