Strategy
of Rejuvenating the Nation by Relying on Science and Education
Since 1979,
Chinese economy has developed at an impressive rate. However, this
growth has depended on extensive development propelled by resources,
capital and cheap labor. The period from now to the middle of the
21st century is a key historical period for realizing the three-step
strategic objectives of the country’s modernization drive. Only
by relying on scientific and technological progress can a sustained,
rapid and sound development of the national economy be realized.
In this way, many problems can be effectively solved, e.g., the
irrational industrial structure, backward technological level, low
labor productivity and low quality of economic growth, thus accelerating
the strategic shift of national economic growth from the extensive
to the intensive mode. Therefore, in 1995 China decided to carry
out the strategy of rejuvenating the nation by relying on science
and education.
The main
contents of the strategy are: Under the guidance of the idea that
science and technology are the No. 1 productive forces and sticking
to the principle that education is the foundation of the nation,
giving priority to science, technology and education in economic
and social development; strengthening the national capabilities
in science and technology and the ability to transfer scientific
and technological findings into actual productivity; improving the
quality of the whole nation in the spheres of science, technology
and culture; setting economic construction on the road to relying
on scientific and technological progress and the improvement of
the quality of the workforce; and accelerating the pace toward the
realization of national prosperity.
The strategy
of rejuvenating the nation by relying on science and education raises
the following requirements regarding the objectives of China’s scientific
and technological development:
Objectives
to be achieved by the year 2000: Basically establishing a scientific
and technological system that fits in with the socialist market
economy system and the law of the development of science and technology;
making considerable progress in scientific research and technological
development in industry and agriculture, basic research and high-tech
research; markedly improving the contribution rate of science and
technology to economic development; and moving economic construction
and social development basically in the direction of relying on
scientific and technological progress, and improving the quality
of the workforce.
