China launched a campaign in Beijing Thursday to select 10 eminent giants who made special contributions to the year's great attainments made in its science and technology sphere.

Song Nanping, member of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology, said at a press conference on Thursday that through the selection, China will show to the world the attainments it had made in the scientific, technological fields and would further promote the popularization of science and technology nationwide.

The 10 winners will be selected from among 20 candidates through public votes across the nation, said Song, adding that both professional experts and common workers were on the list for their remarkable contributions in such fields as high-tech, space technology, medical research and battling the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) disease.

The campaign, jointly sponsored by the China Association for Science and Technology and China Central Television, was the first of its kind in China and will be held once a year from now.

The outcome is expected to be released on Jan. 14, 2004, Song said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2003)