China will award permits to competent private institutes and enterprises to research and develop weaponry and equipment, national defense authorities announced on Friday.
   
The historic move comes as the country opens its defense industry to the public once a landmark weaponry production licensing statute takes effect from June 15.
   
"We plan to examine around 300 institutes and companies, including private entities, for permit issuance in the second half of this year," Liu Dongkui, a division director of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, told reporters in Beijing.
   
"A substantial breakthrough will be made in giving access of national defense sector to non-public segments of the economy."
   
Such privilege used to be a monopoly of state-owned entities within the military industry, according to commission sources.
   
During the past six years, the commission has issued 540 permits to core weaponry and equipment researchers and producers, Liu said.
   
Under the new implementation methods, qualified institutes and firms, public or private, may apply for permits to do research and development on specific weaponry listed in a special catalogue, Liu said.
   
(China Daily May 28, 2005)