There will be no number limit on foreign academicians and the final number selected will depend on the applications from the foreign scientists and engineers, said CAE Vice-President Wang Dianzuo, at a press conference Thursday in Beijing.

The academy will also select 87 domestic scientists and engineers as new members.

The 87 domestic members will include people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, said Wang.

Both domestic and overseas candidates are required to submit their resumes to the CAE before May 25.

They should have backgrounds in such sectors as machinery, electronics, information technology, the metallurgical and materials industries, energy, water conservancy, the building industry, agriculture, the textile industry, the environment, health and medicine.

The CAE, which was set up in 1994 and is under the State Council, has already designated 18 foreign scientists and engineers as members.

These academicians, who come from Russia, Europe and the United States, have played an important role in promoting engineering science exchanges between China and other countries, said Wang.

This year, the CAE will choose another seven scientists specialized in human resources research and technology management to improve the efficiency of the application of engineering science, said its president Song Jian.

"China will undertake massive infrastructure construction in this new century. Higher-level engineers are expected to play a vital part in providing scientific consulting services for policy-makers," said Song.

Currently, the CAE has 542 domestic academicians who work in industrial sectors, research institutes and institutions of higher learning.

(China Daily 01/05/2001)