Two Chinese scientists in Beijing Saturday became the first to be awarded the CAS-Bayer Young Chinese Scientist Award and CAS-Bayer Start-up Fund.
Zhao Jincai, a researcher from the Chemicals Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was given US$10,000 for his study into the degradation of pollutants from the dyeing industry.
Liu Jikai, a scientist with the CAS Kunming Plant Institute, won US$25,000 for his efforts in researching substances and drugs which could be used in chemical preparations for farm-use.
Last April, the two funds were set up by the CAS and the German chemical giant. The latter donated US$500,000 to the funds from 2001-2005, in order to boost research cooperation between the two sides.
Bayer entered China in the 1800s. Since 1993, Bayer has spent US$300 million setting up 10 joint ventures in China.
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2002)