Premier Stresses Role of Science, Technology and Education

Premier Zhu Rongji has urged the nation to attach strategic importance to the role of science, technology and education, and the fostering of talented professionals.

The premier made the call in his explanation of the Proposal for Formulating the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) for National Economic and Social Development adopted by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last week.

In his explanation made during the CPC session, Zhu listed three key points of development in science and technological fields for the next five-year plan period as follows:

Firstly, strategic hi-tech research should be carried out, focusing on the technology of information, biology, new materials, manufacturing, and aerospace and aviation. China should increase its ability to make independent technological renovations in major fields of national economic and security interest.

Secondly, technological support should be given to the reform and upgrade of traditional industries.

Thirdly, studies on basic and applicable sciences should be strengthened to provide technological foundations for the progress and renovation of science and technology.

Zhu called for further deepening of the restructuring of the country's science and technological sector, to build a new system that is compatible with the requirements of a market economy and law of the development of science and technology.

The state should create a sound environment for the progress and renovation of science and technology, through speeding up the setting-up of a venture investment system, opening a second-board stock exchange, and supporting the industrialization of new and high technology, the premier noted.

"Professionals are the most important and valuable resource," Zhu stressed, "particularly under the current circumstances with the fast-developing new technological revolution."

China needs to promote a large number of professionals in various fields in a bid to meet the requirements of the information revolution and China's upcoming entry into the WTO, he said.

Reform of the education system should be carried out actively so as to improve the mechanism for talent fostering and the overall quality of the labor resources, Zhu said.



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