The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) plans to earmark
26 million yuan ($3.4 million) to promote popular science next
year, Mei Yonghong, director of the ministry's department of policy
and reform, said.
The fund will be used for three projects - popular science works
creation, citizens' scientific literate evaluation and training,
and scientific activity building for rural youth.
"Local governments have been required to increase their popular
science promotion budget and we are expecting more money from the
public," Mei told China Daily.
"Although China has launched laws and regulations to popularize
science and technology in recent years, the drive has been held
back due to lack of funds," Mei said.
A survey on popular science promotion in 2004 found that 2.4
billion yuan had been invested in dissemination of popular science
in the country, 64 percent from the governments at all levels and
the rest from public donations.
The annual per capita expense on popular science was only 0.6
yuan, or US$7.8 cents.
"Chinese people's scientific knowledge is very low, and cannot
match the country's rapid economic development," Mei said.
"Especially in the rural and western areas, there are almost no
funds for the promotion of popular science."
In a recent Beijing street poll conducted by CCTV, most people
did not know that a nanometer is unit of length. Some thought it
was a time unit and others a new type of rice, because "nano"
sounds like na mi in Chinese, similar to da mi which means
rice.
To encourage more firms, organization and individuals to
contribute toward promoting popular science and technology, several
government organs including the Finance Ministry, Ministry of
Science and Technology and the State Administration of Taxation,
have offered incentives such as tax cuts for those who invest in
popular science.
"Basic science knowledge benefits everybody and improves
people's quality of life," a researcher with the Chinese Academy of
Forestry, Zhang Fuyun, said.
He has also served as science counselor to several middle
schools in Beijing.
"Knowledge of health and disaster prevention can help people
avoid diseases and injuries," he said.
Xu Lina, a science teacher at a Beijing middle school, visits
the laboratories of many renowned universities and institutes in
Beijing every May during the National Science Week.
"My students are keen to learn more about science as it is a
noble and mysterious subject to them," Xu said.
"A visit to a national lab arouses youngsters' interest in
science and could determine their career paths."
(China Daily July 5, 2007)