Chinese President on Development of Science & Technology
Jiang, who is also the general-secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Ellis Rubinstein, editor of US "Science " magazine, on May 17. "Science", an internationally recognized magazine on science and technology, published the interview in its latest issue of June 16. Science and Technology Jiang said that people in China attach great importance to science and technology. "China has a long history with splendid achievements in science and technology," he said. However, "Starting from the last years in the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644), it began to lag behind other countries in terms of science and technology," he said. "From Newton's dynamics to Einstein's theory of relativity and to the latest development of the Internet, science and technology in the world has developed by leaps and bounds, so I often ask myself why China began to lag behind after that?" Jiang said. "Generally speaking, the reason lies with the feudal system in China," he said. "In the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall was renovated and strengthened. The feudal rulers forbade traveling aboard and later imposed restrictions on entry into and exit from China via sea. That closed the door to external exchanges between China and the rest of the world," he added. The situation changed since the founding of new China, according to Jiang. The Chinese government always attaches great importance to the development of science and technology. Now, China is implementing a strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and technology and education in a bid to promote the construction and development of China, he said. The president noted that China has put the construction of large research facilities high on the agenda to propel scientific advances. "In recent years we have already built a number of large research facilities," he said. The facilities mentioned by Jiang included Beijing Electron-Positron Collider, Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerator, Hefei Tokmak Facility, and Qinghua Low-Temperature Nuclear Reactor. "Construction and operation of these facilities have enhanced our research capability and broadened our capacity to probe the unexplored world," Jiang pointed out. According to Jiang, a number of large research facilities are still under construction. The Chinese government will intensify its efforts for the construction of large scientific facilities in the Tenth Five-Year plan (2001-2005) to improve the country's basic research capabilities, the president said. "We hope to expand the channels for scientific collaboration with other countries and take an active part in international collaborations with large research facilities," he said. International Cooperation in Science and Technology As for international cooperation in science and technology, President Jiang Zemin said that China would not stop learning from all the fine traditions of the world. Such learning should not stop "even for a single day," Jiang told Ellis Rubinstein. Meanwhile, Jiang said that "the Chinese people have every reason to be proud about their ancient tradition of civilization." China has carried out international cooperation in the area of science and technology in line with the principles of equality, mutual benefit, sharing achievements and respecting intellectual property rights, he said. Jiang said that international collaborations, including exchange of scientists, and sharing of resources, information and research instruments, not only promote the advance of science and technology, but also propel economic and trade cooperation and exchanges. He cited two Confucius sayings that "Whenever there are three people walking together, one of them is bound to be able to teach you something," and "To say you know when you know, and to say you do not when you do not, that is knowledge." Through international cooperation, the Chinese scientific community has learned modern theory and management expertise, upgraded research and development capabilities, improved engineering and product quality, and produced good economic and social results, he said, adding that Chinese scientists at the same time have made their great contributions to modern scientific progress. Jiang in the interview expressed the hope that Chinese scientists will become more actively involved in international cooperation and in more research programs. On measures to be adopted by the Chinese government to strengthen international cooperation in science and technology, Jiang said that the Chinese government will fully support the development of worldwide and cross-region cooperation networks of scientific research and high-tech industry with such similar projects as the setting up of the Sino-Israeli, Sino-Australian, Sino-APEC scientific collaboration funds. China will not only "encourage Chinese scientists to participate in the Fifth Research Framework of the European Union and in other major international collaborations on a selective basis," but also "open state-level scientific programs and research centers to foreign research institutions and scientists and they are welcome to participate in China's basic research and high-tech programs," Jiang said. Research Capacity As to China's research capacity, the President said that China has put the construction of large research facilities high on the agenda to propel scientific advances. "In recent years we have already built a number of large research facilities," he said. The facilities mentioned by Jiang included Beijing Electron-Positron Collider, Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerator, Hefei Tokmak Facility, and Qinghua Low-Temperature Nuclear Reactor. "Construction and operation of these facilities have enhanced our research capability and broadened our capacity to probe the unexplored world," Jiang pointed out. According to Jiang, a number of large research facilities are still under construction. The Chinese government will intensify its efforts for the construction of large scientific facilities in the Tenth Five-Year plan (2001-2005) to improve the country's basic research capabilities, the president said. "We hope to expand the channels for scientific collaboration with other countries and take an active part in international collaborations with large research facilities," he said. Basic, Applied Research President Jiang Zemin said in the interview that the Chinese Government will continue to increase investment in the basic research and encourage the relevant agencies to support the basic research. Jiang that China will create a more favorable research environment for scientists, and encourage scientists to choose research subjects on their own and research institutes to institute new mechanisms that suit the law of scientific development. "The Government will continue to increase investment in the basic research and encourage the relevant agencies, local governments, enterprises and the private sector to support and basic research in various ways," Jiang said. He added that China will engage itself in extensive international exchanges and cooperation in the basic research. The Chinese president stressed the importance of basic research. "Looking at the history of science and technology development, we know that the outcome of the basic research has brought tremendous breakthroughs and progress for the whole human society and promoted progress in the applied research, whereas the continuous advancements in the applied research will inevitably call for further development in the basic research," he said. In the view of the Chinese president, without the quantum theory, there would be no microelectronics technology and likewise, without the relativity theory, there would be no nuclear bombs, nor would there be any nuclear power stations. Sometimes people may not know in what specific areas a breakthrough in the basic research may be applied, he said. The scientists who had established quantum theory, for instance, would not be able to tell or predict how the microelectronics technology would develop. "So our efforts should be rationally divided between the basic research, the applied research and the development of technologies," he said. "Of course, one has to consider the level of economic development and the realities of an individual country. Personally, I hope that an economically strong country like the United States will give more input to the basic research," Jiang said. When asked about what fields of scientific research are most likely to provide high payoffs for China's future well-being, Jiang said that research results in many new interdisciplinary areas all may significantly influence China's future well-being. He said that he personally thought that information science, life science, materials science, and resources and environment studies will be crucial to China's sustained development in the future. High-Tech The President said the prevention of the gene-based discrimination, the protection of privacy, the right to information and justice are all issues of concern to China. "It is important to uphold the principle of the freedom of science. But, advancements in science must serve, not harm humankind," Jiang was quoted as saying in the latest issue of the American magazine "Science" which interviewed the Chinese president in Beijing in May. Jiang said that the Chinese government is now mulling over new rules and regulations to guide, promote, regulate and guarantee a healthy development of science. biotechnology, especially gene research, will bring good to humanity, adding that telecommunications and nanotechnology advances will have profound, positive impacts on the future of the society. "We should respect the intellectual property right of others and know how to protect our own," Jiang said. Carrying out International collaborations according to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit will be good to all. As far as the genetic resources are concerned, he said that China issued in June 1998 the Provisional Rules on the Management of Human Genetic Resources designed to promote the international cooperation and exchanges under these principles. The Chinese government encourages collaboration between Chinese scientists and their foreign counterparts in the field, he said, adding that what is discouraged is nothing but collection of samples by individuals or companies for commercial purpose in the name of scientific research. Since the provisional rules took effect, collaborations between Chinese research institutions and their foreign counterparts have been going on smoothly, Jiang said. Talents From Abroad As to policy of attracting talents from abroad, Jiang Zemin said that China is making various measures to create better working and living conditions, and create a more flexible mechanism to attract Chinese talents studying abroad to come back. "Competition in scientific research is competition for talents," he said. "The Chinese Government has implemented the policy of supporting scholars to study abroad, encouraging them to return and ensuring them the freedom to come and go." Between 1978 and 1999, nearly 320,000 Chinese students and scholars had gone abroad to study. The number more than doubled that in more than 100 years from 1872 to 1978 (about 130,000). Over the past 20 years of reform and opening up, China has received more than 340,000 students and scholars from 160 countries and regions. Jiang said that since 1978, about 110,000 of the 320,000 Chinese who have gone abroad to study have been back and played their due role to the country. He added that it is understandable that for various reasons, quite a number of them have decided not to -- at least for the moment -- come back. "The competent departments of the Chinese Government are taking measures to attract them back, including introducing more favorable policies and more flexible mechanisms and creating better working and living conditions for them," he said. In addition, all sorts of technology-or-business-development parks for returned scholars or students set up by local governments at all levels have served as incubators for their scientific and technological development and for turning research results into products, he said. "I believe that more and more people will come back as our economy develops and research conditions improve," he said. Internet Development With regard to rapid development of the Internent in China today, President Jiang said that he hopes all young people, both Chinese and foreign, and all scientists and scholars around the world will make the best use of the Internet, but should guard against negative impacts of the net. Jiang noted that the development of the Internet has nowadays afforded people an easier access to a whole wealth of information throughout the world. He said that China has a huge number of Internet users and most of them are people aged between 24 and 35. "I'd like to point out that the added value of information is reflected by the fact that it is open to all and shared by all," he said. "So I hope all young people, both Chinese and foreign, and all scientists and scholars around the world will make the best use of the Internet and other means of communication." But the president warned that people should guard against the negative impacts of the net. All countries in the world share concerns on how to protect our young people from the negative impact of the Internet, he said. The media have been developing very rapidly, and people are now open to opinions and suggestions from other people of all walks of life. "One thing must be ensured that facts should not be distorted," he stressed. "And I think this should also apply to the Internet. Otherwise people would ask how to tell truth from distortion on the Internet?" Educational Reform and Scientific Popularity President Jiang Zemin said that there are many good things in China's traditional education system, and the basic education in the country has produced a great number of world-renowned prominent scientists and engineers who have made important contributions to the world civilization and progress. Jiang said that the accumulation of scientific knowledge should be encouraged, and of course, it is even more important to encourage creativity based on predecessors' achievements. We are reforming the educational system by promoting education for students of all-round development, combining education with scientific research and cultivating creative and innovative people. To improve people's overall quality and cultivate talents is a long-term system engineering, Jiang said, adding that as a Chinese saying goes, it takes a decade to grow a tree and a century to cultivate people. China, as a developing country, should keep improving the scientific literacy of all its citizens. On the one hand, efforts should be made redoubled to publicize the popular science, encourage people to learn science, love science and carry forward the spirit of scientific research and innovation, and advocate scientific methods, Jiang said. On the other, the nine-year compulsory education should be promoted in a comprehensive manner. Reform of curricula should be deepened and efforts should be made to set up extracurricular activity bases and science museums to enhance the students' creative capabilities and promote education for students of all-round development, he said. | |
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