TCM is One of the Key Technology Areas being Boosted Research in Next 10 Year

(Jan. 20, 2002)

China will reorganize its research programs to help the nation catch up in key technology areas, the annual National Conference on Science and Technology was told recently. Science Minister Xu Guanhua said the move was necessary to minimize consequences of the country's entry into the World Trade Organization.

The state would boost research into 12 key technology areas, including high-speed chips, software security systems, electronic administration and finance, functioning gene and bio-chips, electric cars, magnetic levitation trains, new medicines and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

He said China was faced with the threat of foreign companies patenting genes and achieving a monopoly in the field of bio-engineering. He urged researchers to invest more effort in the field and apply for more patents, and raised the prospect of scientists receiving share options in high-technology ventures.

Together with the Intellectual Property Office, the ministry plans to study the world's latest patent trends.

The ministry plans to spend five billion yuan (US600 million) on research into the 12 technologies over the next three years, but also is hoping that hi-tech companies will contribute to the national efforts.

CAS (China Academy of Sciences) was given a 5.4 billion yuan grant, including 600 million yuan to recruit 200 young scholars from abroad, to put China on the path of the "knowledge economy".

Another key scheme, the State Key Basic Research and Development Programme, started in 1999 with a 2.5 billion yuan budget over five years.