The State Council?approved three national technological
projects in the fields of telecommunications, water pollution
control, and pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation, during
yesterday's meeting.
Premier Wen Jiabao presided over the executive meeting
that deliberated the three projects. The three are a
next-generation broadband wireless mobile communication network,
water pollution control and treatment, and the manufacture and
innovation of key new drugs.
"These technological projects, all set in the national medium-
and long-term science and technology development plan, are of great
significance to boosting China's independent innovation capability
and industrial competitiveness," the meeting pointed out.
It said that "after a scientific, democratic and strict
demonstration", the three schemes had become ripe for
inauguration.
The next-generation communication network represents the main
direction of communications development. Applying it will greatly
enhance the overall competitiveness and innovative capacity of
China's wireless mobile communication, and lift the industry to a
more advanced world level, according to the meeting.
It said that the water pollution control project would provide
solid technological support to address environmental woes of major
water sources including the Yangtze River and Yellow River, to
achieve an "energy saving and emission reduction" goal.
The drug innovation project would target the treatment and
prevention of serious diseases and innovation of key drugs so as to
offer the public safe, effective and cheap medical products, the
meeting said.
The meeting also heard a report on the inspection and
supervision of central enterprises, made by the State-owned Assets
Supervision and Administration Commission, which was directly under
the cabinet.
"Central enterprises have deepened the reform, accelerated
restructuring and maintained a sound momentum of sustainable and
fast development," it said.
However, violation of laws and regulations occasionally occurred
due to relatively high debt and poor profits.
The meeting said that greater attention should be paid to SOE
reform and management and supervision of state assets to promote
sound development. It also asked enterprises to invest more in
innovation, deepen SOEs' shareholding reform, and safeguard state
asset security.
China's first state asset law, designed to protect state-owned
assets from being illegally seized and to maintain the country's
basic economic system, was submitted last Sunday and is being given
initial consideration by the top legislature.
(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2007)
