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Development
In 1949, there were no more than
50,000 scientific and technical personnel in China, of whom just
over 500 were engaged in scientific research, and there were only
40-odd scientific research institutions. However, just one month
after the founding of the PRC, the Chinese Academy of Sciences was
established. Thereafter, a wide-ranging group of research institutes
was established covering various industrial sectors nationwide.
By 1955, a total of 840 scientific and technological research institutes
had been set up, and the number of scientific and technical personnel
had increased to over 400,000.
In 1956, the State Council set
up the Science Planning Commission, which started to work out the
first long-term program, the 12-Year Program for Scientific and
Technological Development (1956-67). Many items of new technology
were developed, and many new industries and enterprises emerged,
one after the other, and grew steadily.
In October 1964, China successfully
conducted its first nuclear test, which showed the high level of attainments
of Chinese scientific and technical personnel, that China’s science
and technology in these fields had
reached fairly high levels and that China basically had the capability
to conduct advanced scientific research independently.
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China's
first pilot center for testing new energy sources was established
in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The ball-like
structure in this picture
is the major project
of the center.
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| However, during the “cultural
revolution” (1966 to 1976), China’s vigorously developing scientific
and technical undertakings were seriously damaged, and scientific
and technical work was paralyzed.
After the ten-year chaos, the
state transferred its focus of work to the modernization drive.
Within a fairly short period of time, a group of academic, scientific
and technological administration and scientific research institutes
were restored or reestablished. The State Science and Technology
Commission took charge of working out a new program—the National
Compendium on Scientific and Technological Development (1978-1985)
(Draft). In the Compendium, from the major projects, eight comprehensive
areas of research were singled out as the key ones. The eight areas
of research are agriculture, energy, materials, computers, lasers,
space science, high-energy physics and genetic engineering. According
to statistics, the main scientific and technological achievements
of 1979 were greater than those of the previous ten years.
In 1995, the National Science
and Technology Conference was held, and China began to carry out
the development strategy of “rejuvenating the nation by relying
on science and education.” In the 20 years since 1980, China’s science
and technology undertakings, aiming at the world’s advanced levels,
have developed rapidly along a wholesome road and made the following
striking achievements: 1) Solving a batch of key technical problems
arising in the course of national economic construction; 2) Making
considerable progress in high-tech research and the industrial application
of new and high technologies; 3) Attaining marked successes in transferring
scientific and technological findings to production; 4) Gradually
deepening the reform of the overall scientific and technological
system; 5) Contributing to international progress in research into
basic science; 6) Continuously expanding the scope of opening science
and technology to the outside world; 7) Basically setting up a team
of trans-century scientific and technical workers; and 8) Continuously
improving the system of scientific and technological laws, rules
and regulations.
During half a century of development,
a large number of outstanding Chinese scientific and technical experts
have created wealth for the country by applying their wisdom and
talents. Of them, the most notable representatives are Li Siguang,
who helped China remove the label of being an oil-poor country;
Qian Xuesen, who was the “father of Chinese missile”; Qian Sanqiang,
who took charge of establishing the Institute of Atomic Energy;
Tang Aoqing, who was the pioneer of quantum chemistry in China;
Yan Longping, who made great contributions to developing hybrid
rice; and Wang Xuan, who is leading the technical revolution in
the Chinese newspaper and printing industries.
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