The projects represent the first batch of the scientific plan for the nation's 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-05).

Ten of the 39 projects, including large-scale integrated circuitry, electricity-powered automobiles and herbal medicine development, are being implemented under the "863 Programme." It is a high-tech development plan started in March 1986 to reinforce the country's comprehensive competitiveness, said Ma Songde, vice-minister of science and technology.

Over the next five years, 15 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion) will be poured into the 10 projects related to the fields of information technology, biology, agriculture, industry, new materials, manufacturing and automation technologies, energy and environment.

The remaining 29 projects, including electronic administration, food security and high-quality milk industry, are being carried out under the National Key Technologies Research and Development Programme, a scientific plan kicked off in 1982 to upgrade old industrial and agricultural sectors with the latest techniques.

More than 5 billion yuan (US$602 million) will be allocated for these projects, Ma said.

"Most of the 39 projects will be undertaken by universities, research institutes and especially enterprises via open bids to ensure fair competitions and efficient technological development," Ma said. "Enterprises are particularly encouraged to engage in scientific research since they must sharpen their competitiveness after the country officially joins the World Trade Organization (WTO)."

He said overseas scientists, academic institutions and enterprises are welcome to join these projects.

Ma said Chinese and overseas partners should work out intellectual property rights protection agreements to define respective patented inventions and avoid intellectual property rights disputes. Doing so is not only important for Chinese and overseas scientists who collaborate, but also brings China in line with WTO rules, he said.

Shi Dinghuan, secretary-general of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said his ministry will work with the State Intellectual Property Office to guarantee effective patent applications and examinations for the 39 scientific projects.

Officials with the ministry's Planning Department said that to boost the economy in the western regions, the State has invested 2.6 billion yuan (US$313 million) in promoting water-saving agriculture, controlling soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers and preventing sandstorms and desertification.

Shi said the State will speed up the development of high-tech industrial parks in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality so as to mobilize adjacent provinces and autonomous regions to cultivate information technology and other high-tech industries.

(China Daily November 27, 2001)