Chinese state councilor calls for development of basic research

Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong (C, front) attends a forum on basic research in Beijing, capital of China, May 23, 2011. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong has called for further development of basic research to support the country's social and economic development and build an innovative country.

Liu made the remarks while attending a forum held here Monday on basic research, which concerns pure scientific knowledge that is not commercially driven.

China has achieved leapfrog development in basic research in past years, but it is now time for further improving the quality of the research rather than quantitative expansion, in order to enhance China's role in the scientific field, she said.

Liu called for more advanced equipment to improve scientific research, further reform in the system of science and technology, as well as cultivation of more innovative talents.

More efforts should be made to enhance international communication and cooperation in the scientific field, she said.

China should also increase government spending in basic research while encouraging all sectors of the society, including enterprises, to support basic research, she added.

China's annual spending on basic research has jumped by an average of nearly 20 percent each year in the past 10 years, with the assessment of general development of mathematics, physics, chemistry and several other subjects now ranking top five in the world.

Source: Xinhua

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