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In the future, the
country's researchers will pay greater attention to such issues
as population, health care, environmental protection, and work
place safety in a bid to improve people's living standards,
the Ministry of Science and Technology announced.
One product of this research is expected to be the development
of new technologies to help prevent natural disasters, reduce
the spread of serious diseases and improve safety on work sites.
This increased research and the attendant creation of new technologies
are just part of the science development strategy for the 10th
Five-Year Plan period (2001-05), according to the Minister of
Science and Technology Zhu Lilan, who spoke at a national conference
on science and technology which opened in Beijing.
In the realm of industry, Zhu said further development of information
technology (IT) will be the country's primary focus.
Specific sectors within the general IT industry that will receive
particular attention include micro-electronics, computer software,
communications, electronic business, long distance learning,
and computerized finance, insurance and taxation services.
Other industrial sectors that will continue to be emphasized
are space and aviation technology, bioengineering and new materials.
Zhu added that, in order to restructure and clean up traditional
industries, the country will increasingly promote the employment
of advanced manufacturing techniques, energy conservation measures
and clean production technologies.
"Technological innovation and the subsequent commercialization
of those innovations will be the strategic guidelines for scientific
development during the 10th Five-Year Plan period," she
said.
As for agriculture, the improvement of produce quality and the
cultivation of high-yield crops and animal products will top
the agenda in the next five years.
In order to increase farmers' incomes, the country will try
to develop food processing into a rural pillar industry, said
Zhu.
She added that water-saving technologies will be increasingly
introduced in the countryside to help ease the country's water
shortage.
Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua called for
the nation's research institutes to accelerate reforms on personnel
and management systems in accordance with the market economy.
By the end of next year, all academic institutes attached to
ministries or commissions and regional governmental departments
will either become technological firms, merge with enterprises
or universities, or function as intermediate technology agencies,
he said.
(China Daily10/31/2000)
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