China's Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua said Monday that the central government will take a series measures to enhance science and technological development in 2003.
Xu said at the National Sci-Tech Conference in Beijing that encouraging scientific research and technological innovations is essential to building a well-off society.
He said that 2003 will be a key year for China to decentralize management of research institutions and will see better cooperation between different scientific organizations.
In 2003, the ministry will launch a middle and long-term program for scientific research and technological development.
Xu also said the ministry plans to focus on strengthening weak links, including public research and scientific media organizations.
Nurturing more talents and having more patents and technological standards are of strategic importance to promoting the development of science and technology, and the government will further improve the work in these fields, Xu said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2003)
