Deputy President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Bai Chunli said  Monday that his academy aims to become one of the top three research entities in world in the next 15 years.

"We need to further cultivate our competitiveness in scientific research and build an open platform for the country's overall innovation," Bai said at the CAS annual work conference that began Monday morning.

"The CAS's target is to create top-notch achievements, build top-notch efficiency, implement top-notch management and cultivate top-notch scientists," said Bai, who himself is a recognized chemist.

According to its development plan, the CAS strives to be among the world's five most innovative research academies by 2010.

The development plan explained top-notch achievements as innovative and systematic scientific breakthroughs in basic research, key strategic technologies and integrated high technologies, as well as making a significant research contribution to the country's sustained economic and social development.

Top-notch efficiency means providing social and economic returns on scientific research and technological development and smooth commercialization of marketable technologies that have incubated in labs.

Top-notch management includes scientific decision-making procedures, policy-planning mechanisms, effective command and control and good appraisal systems.

Top-notch scientists include visionary strategists, management experts and lab researchers.

According to the Guidelines on National Medium- and Long-term Program for Science and Technology Development (2006-2020) which was released last month, China will put roughly 900 billion yuan (US$111.8 billion) into research and development by 2020, accounting for 2.5 percent of the expected gross domestic product.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2006)