09/11/2000
China Daily

Genetic therapy, intelligent robots, high-yield crops ... the discoveries of high-tech and basic sciences have greatly contributed to China's economic growth and the improvement of people's living standards.

In 1987, scientists began to cultivate two-parenting-species hybrid rice. It has become popular with farmers for its simpler seed processing and cheaper costs, according to Lu Xinggui, an expert of the "863 Project" and a researcher at the Agricultural Science Institute in Hubei Province.

To date, a total of 3.3 million hectares of two-parent-species hybrid rice have been grown in 20 provinces and autonomous regions, yielding 3.5 billion kilogrammes of rice, statistics from the Ministry of Science and Technology have indicated.

The "863 Plan," so-called because it was launched in March of 1986 in an effort to advance China's economic and social progress through high technology, has become a symbol for developing and applying new technologies, sources from the ministry said.

At the suggestion of four senior scientists, the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping approved the launch of the "863 Project" in 1986.

The plan incorporated biology, aviation, information, lasers, automation, energy and new materials.

So far, research in civil areas under the plan has produced 1,860 results.

Half of the findings, in areas such as genetic modification in cattle and sheep, are comparable with world levels, according to the ministry's statistics.

Chinese scientists have also made great headway in medical science.

Chongqing Municipality of Southwest China has successfully developed a high-intensity focusing ultra-sound (HIFU) treatment to remove tumors.

HIFU can remove tumors without leaving scars and without producing side-effects. It can also lower the chances of tumors growing.

HIFU treatment, developed by the Chongqing Medical Science University through 11 years of research, has been used to treat 110 cancer patients in Chongqing, according to Wang Zhibiao, a professor of the university in charge of HIFU development.

Many developed countries have invested heavily in HIFU research, but have not been able to do more than experiment on lab animals, said Wang.

Over the past few decades, Chinese scientists have chalked up a string of successes in basic sciences and high-tech fields, thanks to the scientific development strategies adopted by three generations of central government leaders.

In 1956, the first generation of leaders called on the whole country to "march towards science." Guided by the first scientific development plan drafted in the year, China made considerable progress in atomic energy, electronics, semi-conductors, automation, computing and rocket-launching technology.

In 1978, the second generation of Chinese leaders held a national science conference and mapped out scientific development strategies for a new period of reform and opening-up policies. The conference was considered by Chinese scientists to be "the renaissance of science" after the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

Today, the third generation of leaders has implemented the strategy of "revitalizing the country through science and education."

"Basic sciences research is very important... in view of the long-term economic and social development, basic sciences research must be further enhanced," President Jiang Zemin once said.

Sources from the Ministry of Science and Technology said the State had mapped out the blueprint for basic science research for the next 10 years: to conduct massive research in such fields as agriculture, energy, information technology, the environment, population and health and new materials.

With regard to high-tech development, or the "863 Project," the State encourages high-tech firms, universities and research institutes to compete for key State scientific projects.

It also allows various companies to run high-tech firms and commercialize technological findings, according to the ministry.