China has laid out plans for many national scientific and technological projects for the five-year period, beginning 2001, in a bid to upgrade the country's overall innovative ability, Ma Song-de, vice minister of science and technology, said in Beijing yesterday.
The projects include a program to promote high technologies initiated by well-known scientists in March 1986, or the 863 Program; a program to tackle key problems in the national economy launched in March 1997, or nicknamed the 973 Program; and a basic research program, Xinhua news agency reported.
Until 2005, Ma said, the country will invest 15 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion) and 5 billion yuan into the 863 and 973 programs respectively.
The ministry has begun financing 10 target-oriented projects, including research and development on super-massive integrated circuits, electric automobiles and innovative medicines.
The 863 Program encou-rages research organs and firms to boost key techno-logies in manufacturing or farming.
As for the 973 Program, Ma elaborated on 29 target-oriented projects, 64 projects linked to key technologies and 60 guiding projects.
(eastday.com November 26, 2001)
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