Science the Driving Force of China's Economy

Home>>Sci-Edu

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, October 21, 2002

Science the Driving Force of China's Economy

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

When years ago some Westerners doubted China's ability to feed its large population, they did not see a great potential of its science and technology, Yuan Longping, a Chinese scientist on hybrid rice, said here recently.

The population of China rose by hundreds of millions in the past two decades, with the per-capita food supplies over the same period climbing from 300 to 400 kilograms.

Prestigious agronomist Yuan, revered as the "father of hybrid rice" in China, said China's progress in science and technology has made it possible for the country to feed a population which accounts for 22 percent of the whole of the world living on only 10 percent of the world's arable land.

Xu Guanhua, Chinese minister of science and technology, said that before the 20th century it was production demand that stimulated and decided the development of science and technology.

"But now the process has been reversed," Xu said. "Science and technology is playing the role of a locomotive. It's no longer a derivate of industries."

"The advance of scientific theory has laid a sound foundation for possible breakthroughs in technology," Xu said. "And the growth of science and technology has become a dominant factor leading to the progress of the Chinese economy."

Official statistics shows that the per-capita production value of the country's handicraft industry is worth about 2,000 yuan (240 US dollars) and traditional industries are worth 20,000 yuan (2,400 US dollars), but in the high-tech sector, that figure soars to at least 200,000 yuan (24,000 US dollars) or even as high as millions.

Both officials with the Ministry of Science and Technology and leaders of China's oil industry attributed the development of the sector to the country's progress in science and technology.

China launched a program to speed up its social and economic development with the power of science and technology back in 1982,the first year of its sixth "Five-Year Plan."

Since the launch of the program, the annual increase of prospected natural gas deposits doubles every five years. Currently, China has some 3 trillion cubic meters of these deposits and its annual output has climbed to 30 billion cubic meters.

Before 1982, the prospected deposit of natural gas in China was only 261.7 billion cubic meters and the yearly output was only 14.3 billion cubic meters.

China launches major science and technology projects

China has launched 12 special major science and technology projects this year, aiming to gain the upper hand in global science and technology trends in the 21st century.

The projects cover such fields as super large-scale integrated circuits and software, information security, e-administration and electric-powered automobiles.

By investing 20 billion yuan (2.4 billion US dollars), the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) expects to obtain more than 2,000 patent rights, make major technological breakthroughs in several of those fields and achieve industrialization in three to five years.

These special projects are a top priority in China's 10th Five-year Plan (2001-2005).

According to MOST, the projects are intended to solve major technological problems affecting the country's economic and social development, such as technical weaknesses in processing farm produce and hidden problems with food security.

The 12 special projects cover strategic issues which require the government's support and promotion, such as super integrated circuits and software and research on leading technical standards.

In an effort to promote a support base for scientific innovation and boost China's competitiveness, such projects have been launched as information security, e-administration, new medicines and modernized production of traditional Chinese medicines.

Projects like electric-powered automobiles which help create technological breakthroughs and encourage new industries to emerge, should lead to China gaining patents and intellectual property rights of global commercial value and extending its markets.

According to MOST, the special projects are being carried out under the government guidance and market promotion, with firms mainly responsible for the actual work. Those firms undertaking the projects are being appointed through a public bidding process.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Historic Achievements Gained in China's Science and Technology

China's Oil Security Faces Tests of War ( 4 Messages)

Historic Achievements Gained in China's Science and Technology ( 5 Messages)

Why Does India Withdraw Troops from Pakistan ( 2 Messages)

Economist on China's Sustainable Economic Growth ( 2 Messages)

Powell Expects Improvement of US-China Relations ( 6 Messages)