Vice-Premier Visits Nation's Genome Information Center

Li Lanqing Visits Beijing Science and Technology Hall

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Vice-Premier Li Lanqing visited Monday the Genome Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Huada Gene Research Center and the China Science and Technology Museum.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, pointed out that biological science and technology is a major field concerning the development of the country in the 21st century.

Noting that bio-science can also help push ahead economic development, Li urged the CAS, China's top scientific research organ, to gather more personnel to speed up the development of major gene research programs.

He called for rapid industrialization of discoveries in the bio- science field.


Li Lanqing Inspects CAS Human Gene Project

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The vice-premier also stressed the important role of science and technology museums in spreading popular science and technology.

Chinese scientists have completed one percent of the sequencing of the human genome and built an advanced genome information center which has attracted a number of outstanding returned overseas scholars.

Now the scientists are engaged in over a dozen genome research programs, including programs for the super hybrid rice genome, the pig genome and disease-related genes.

The vice-premier praised their work and urged them to make@discoveries to improve the health conditions of the Chinese people and to promote agricultural development.

Li stressed the importance of introducing more outstanding scientists from both at home and abroad to join China's genome research programs and raising social funds for supporting the genome programs.