According to a ministry official, 14 of the projects will cover agriculture, energy, information, resources and the environment, population and health as well as materials. Frontier sciences will be the theme of eight of the programs.

The programs include genetic breeding and cloning of domestic animals for farming; prevention of major blight; photoelectron integration for support high-speed and large volume information networks; new techniques for chips manufacturing; the biological diversity in the Yangtze River basin areas; and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The official said the research programs also include space observation and research such as high-energy radiation of celestial bodies, molecular engineering for creating new material and basic research for desertification prevention and control.

The official said the programs are necessary for boosting social and economic growth.

The Ministry of Science and Technology declared earlier this year that China welcomed foreign research institutions and highly-qualified overseas scientists to participate in China's major scientific research programs.

(People's Daily 10/11/2000)