China’s Ministry of Science and Technology has played an important role in China’s efforts to build a moderately prosperous society. China has taken a host of practical measures to promote science and technology in socio-economic development, foster innovation, support the transfer and industrialisation of research results, and encourage more investment in scientific and technological infrastructure.
China used science and technology in helping to eliminate absolute poverty, advance rural vitalisation, and overcome obstacles in the fight against air, water and soil pollution. New technologies have been widely used in community management and helped greatly in suppressing COVID-19.
The ministry has also made breakthroughs in its reform of the research system, created a better environment for innovation, improved the resource allocation system and has inspired creativity in science and technology workers.
Without the advances to the scientific and technological capability, it would have been very difficult to rapidly identify the DNA sequence of the novel coronavirus, and develop test reagents and high-quality domestic vaccines.
The ministry has also worked with multiple provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions to encourage institutes in economically thriving areas to cooperate with their counterparts in less-developed western regions, and has also helped technology-intensive east coast enterprises establish presences in the west. The introduction of investment, business and talented people has helped less-developed areas build their own high-tech industries, train local professionals, and create more jobs.
China encouraged and supported the collaboration between the Tibet autonomous region and high-tech companies in breeding new types of highland barley. A total of 38 new varieties were created and promoted, creating an overall market value of 320 million yuan ($49 million).
Regarding the ministry’s targets in core technologies, the ministry will continue concentrating on basic materials, essential manufacturing techniques and high-end chips as well as industrial software so these fields can catch up with current world leaders.
In addition, cutting-edge disciplines like Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum information, advanced manufacturing, brain sciences and aerospace technology will remain at the top of the ministry’s support list.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, China has dedicated growing resources to basic research and original innovation in recent years. Their efforts aim to cultivate a driving force for economic growth and improving people’s living standards. Chinese researchers, hi-tech enterprises and local governments are together actively striving to strengthen original innovation.
A hi-tech university laboratory has been making plans for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) research institution to explore the frontiers of AI research and make breakthroughs in key technologies. The Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences has also been established with the aim to be at the global forefront of quantum physics and quantum information science. The superconducting quantum computing team made a major breakthrough by improving the decoherence time of superconducting qubits.
China has attached great importance to institutional innovation and high-level engineer and research team building. By taking a problem-oriented approach, they set up teams to overcome challenges. Science and technology development, cultivation of major talent resources, and innovation are crucial driving forces. The combination of the three can help achieve sci-tech self-reliance and self-improvement at higher levels.
China will work with research institutions and enterprises upstream and downstream to strengthen weak parts of industry chains and achieve breakthroughs in photosensitive chips, core algorithms, sensors and other key technologies.
The Chinese leadership has called for enhancing the overall efficacy of the national innovation system. The reformation of the sci-tech system is designed to work toward a basic system supporting innovation in all aspects. The combination of concentration on basic research, innovation and industrial application is crucial to developing robust and innovative industries.