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(2001-2010) |
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This Framework is a guiding document intended to guide science and technology
work for sustainable development across the country. 1. Background Since the promulgation of Agenda 21 by the United Nations in 1992, nations around the world have taken actions to promote sustainable development. Indeed, it has become the common aspiration of the whole international community. In August 2002, the United Nations will hold the World Summit for Sustainable Development to further explore the next steps to enhance sustainable development on a global basis. This is evidence of sustained interest on the part of the international community and governments of countries in the subject. To ensure coordinated development of humankind and nature, maintain the ecological balance, improve the living environment for human beings, ease pressure of population growth, increase living standard of the people, and meet growing needs for socio-economic development in the 21st century, nations around the world are paying great attention to science and technology as a major means to achieve sustainable development. Rapid advances in science and technology have played an extremely important role in promoting the implementation of sustainable development strategy, particularly in the areas of information technology, biotechnology, new materials technology, new energy and renewable energy technology, advanced manufacturing technology, aerospace technology, oceanic technology and environmental technology, have provided effective means to ease resources shortages, curb environmental degradation, improve the human health condition, and, above all, achieve coordinated development of society, economy and environment. In 1994, China formulated and adopted China's Agenda 21: White Paper
on China's Population, Environment and Development in the 21st Century,
the first country in the world to do so. Science and technology have played
a pivotal role in carrying out China's Agenda 21 and the sustainable development
strategy. This is most amply demonstrated in the following areas: In the next decade, China will face a host of severe challenges in its quest for sustainable development. It has to deal with long-standing problems related to population, resources and environment while coping with newly emerging problems in the course of development. A central task facing the country will be how to leverage science and technology to provide a stronger support and guarantee for sustainable development. (1) Deep-rooted problems such as a huge population base, resources shortages and ecological degradation remain unresolved. People's health and quality of life are threatened by an excessive quantity of population, aging and major diseases. Shortages of strategic resources such as oil and natural gas directly affect national security; the water resources crisis even threatens the future survival of the Chinese nation. Furthermore, in resources exploitation, problems such as underutilization, low efficiency, high energy consumption and irrational usage continue to persist. Ecological and environmental system is severely overloaded. Soil erosion and desertification continue unabated, and water, air and solid-waste pollution is deteriorating. Biodiversity is shrinking rapidly and natural disasters occur frequently. In the new century, China has moved beyond the second phase strategic goal of feeding and clothing its people and the country's economy is transitioning to a market system. Great changes have taken place in the country's society and economy, leading to a series of new problems and challenges. Science and technology are needed to address those problems and challenges. (2) Economic globalization and the global environmental problem pose
fresh challenges to China. China's WTO accession will integrate the country
more deeply into the global economy. This presents unique opportunities
for China to readjust its economic structure and upgrade its technologies;
at the same time, however, it will also expose the country's traditional
industries to severe competition and call into question the country's
environmental protection regime. Environmental issues are increasingly
getting intertwined with global political, economic, trade and foreign
affairs issues; they are gradually becoming an important factor affecting
a nation's long-term development. Likewise, they will have a profound
and far-reaching impact on China's sustainable development. Economic globalization
and global environmental issues have constituted an important international
context for sustainable development in China in the new century. This
means China will implement its strategy of sustainable development in
a much more complicated external environment and under more stringent
external constraints. Only by vigorously promoting progress in science
and technology can it be possible to overcome these constraints and ensure
the smooth unfolding of the sustainable development strategy.
The population, resources and environment work bears on the economic
and social security of the country, on the improvement of the quality
of life for Chinese people, and on the survival and development of the
Chinese nation. Given its huge population base, relatively short resources
and fragile ecosystem, it will be a long-term and arduous task to realize
sustainable development in China. It is essential to rely on progress
in science and technology and integrate economic growth with work on the
population, resources and environment front. The work of science and technology for sustainable development should
be guided by the important theory of "Three Represents" (i.e.
the Chinese Communist Party must represent the most advanced productive
force, the direction of the most advanced culture,and the interests of
the overwhelming majority of the people), geared toward a resolution of
major issues surrounding population, resources and environment. They should
aim at improving the living standard for the people and be driven by technological
and institutional innovation. Above all, they should provide strong technical
support to sustainable development and promote the coordinated development
of the economy, society and environment (i.e. Innovation and Coordinated
Development Guideline). Based on the above-mentioned guideline of innovation and coordinated
development, China should plan its scientific and technological projects
for sustainable development in accordance with the following principles: China's objectives for advancing science and technology for sustainable
development by 2005 are: By 2010, China should have: In anticipation of China's socio-economic development over the next decade
and its requirements for sustainable development, the science and technology
program should focus on improvement of people's quality of life and their
own quality, rational development and exploitation of resources, construction
and preservation of the ecological environment, and promotion of the environmental
industry. To this end, research, technological development and other activities
should be conducted to promote the coordinated development of the country's
economy, society, population, resources and environment. We should conduct forward-looking and strategic studies on key issues
such as population, resources and environment that are facing China over
the next decade to advise central government decision-making. Studies
should focus on relevant laws, regulations and policies as well as index
systems for sustainable development; national and regional resources development,
environmental protection, population and health; water resources, mineral
resources and food security; and global environmental issues and ways
to address those issues. We should pool our resources to develop proprietary technologies and
systems that related to population, resources and environmental in order
to build up our technical support capacities for sustainable development
and participate in international competition. Priority areas include reproductive
health and birth control, major disease control, environment and health,
food safety; exploitation and preservation of water resources, exploration,
exploitation and recycling of mineral resources, new energy and clean
energy; marine monitoring and forecasting, marine resources development
and protection; environmental pollution monitoring and control, clean
production, ecosystem rehabilitation and environmental cleanup; disaster
monitoring and forecast, disaster prevention and alleviation; small-town
building. Piloting should proceed at three different levels: regional development,
community development, and science and technology comprehensive modeling.
The model zones can be different regions with different ecological environments
and resources types. Piloting should revolve around rational exploitation
of resources and preservation of ecological environment in order to enhance
the sustainability of the localities and guide locals to eradicate poverty.
In addition, a number of typical, representative towns will also be selected
as experimental zones at the national and local levels to pilot sustainable
development, to explore paths for local sustainable development. We should
seize the opportunity presented by the migration of the mode of economic
growth and industrial restructuring to implement a comprehensive modeling
program. That is, we will implement a series of programs to pilot and
commercialize technologies pertaining to sustainable development. Steps to be taken in this direction include: multi-disciplinary studies
on major issues involving population, resources and environment; discipline-building
regarding sustainable development; data collection regarding population
and health, resources and environment, social security, urban construction;
buildup of monitoring networks, databanks and related information systems;
information sharing and utilization; collection, sorting and preservation
of idioplasm resources and specimen; technical policy and standard development
in the area of sustainable development; creation of engineering and technological
research centers, key laboratories and R&D bases. Promote industrial restructuring of sectors such as pharmaceuticals, health, resources, environmental and marine industries, step up application of R&D results, and transform traditional industries with high and practical technologies, and shift the mode of economic development from one of quantitative growth to another of qualitative and efficiency improvement; focus on Chinese medicine, innovative pharmaceuticals, localization of environmental equipment, eco-industry, resources recycling industries, and the marine industry; foster the development of a number of new industries. 3.1.6 Deepen reform of the science and technology regime and establish a sustainable, pro-innovation system. We should further improve the scientific research system, the technological development system, and the service system, so that industry, the academic and researchers will join hands with each other and form an interactive pro-innovation mechanism between research institutes, universities, intermediary organizations, enterprises and the government. The administrative system for science and technology in the area of sustainable development should be further reformed according to the classifying reform principle so that existing resources will be integrated to facilitate development. 3.2 Priority Areas ， Conduct research and innovation in the area of population and family
planning, in particular develop new-generation contraceptives for the
rural population and increase the application and effectiveness of new
technologies ， Develop preventive and therapeutic technology for major diseases such
as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, malignant tumors, diabetes,
and infectious diseases ， Conduct food monitoring and assessment studies and develop WTO-consistent
measures ， Study rational allocation, preservation, regulation and administration
of water resources ， Conduct oil and natural gas resources evaluation studies ， Study and assess the degree of security of solid mineral resources ， Improve the exploitation of maritime resources and the preservation
of maritime environment and promoting marine economic development by developing:
marine environment monitoring technology, marine environment forecast
technology, marine information technology, maritime bio technology, marine
aquacultural technology, technology to develop and utilize maritime active
substance, desalination of sea water, direct utilization of sea water
and maritime chemical resources, development of near-shore shoals, high-efficiency
exploration and development of offshore oil and gas, exploration and development
of deep-sea resources, cleanup and development technology for river mouths
and coastlines, marine engineering technology, marine installation monitoring
and repair technology and marine environmental protection technology ， Develop advanced and applicable technology for clean coal use ， Develop technology and equipment to monitor the discharge of major
pollutants ， Develop new technology and instruments/equipment to monitor natural
disasters and increase the application of high technology in the area
of disaster monitoring, further improve natural disaster monitoring system
First, local governments and central government departments must further enhance their awareness of sustainable development and the role of science and technology in promoting sustainable development, and attach great importance to the science and technology work for that. They should follow up with implementation of the Framework and clarify what government agency they report to regarding this. Inter-agency coordination should be improved and services bettered. An index system should be established to measure work in this field and review performance of leading officials at all levels in promoting sustainable development. Second, to promote the implementation of the Framework, the Ministry of Science and Technology will formulate relevant plans to implement a number of major projects. Localities should formulate their own plans to promote sustainable development in line with the basic requirements and objectives of this Framework and taking into account local conditions. Furthermore, they should incorporate those plans into local science and technology plans and socio-economic development plans. All central government departments should, in line with characteristics of their own industry, formulate their own plans for sustainable development. Third, local governments and central government departments should establish
different levels of expert advisory bodies to advise the drafting of socio-economic
plans and construction of major engineering projects. Inter-disciplinary
consulting should also be required for the R&D of new technology and
the promotion and application of imported technology. Ultimately, a scientific
and integrated decision-making mechanism should be created for the sustainable
development of all the sectors. First, government input is the primary source of funding for science and technology related to sustainable development. In particular, for projects that have a long-term bearing on local development, government should spend as much as they can. While increasing spending on science and technology in general, governments at all levels should also increase the share of spending on sustainable development. They should set up special funds to finance science and technology projects for sustainable development. Second, science and technology should be more closely integrated with the banking and capital market. Governments at all levels, while implementing projects, should attract capital to flow into projects that seek to commercialize research findings. A venture capital investment mechanism should be created as the earliest date possible and a venture capital fund should also be set up at an appropriate time. Third, new operational mechanisms should also be pioneered to raise money
from a multitude of sources, in particular from the private sector and
the business community. First, we should create a fair and open academic environment and a cooperative yet competitive mechanism to facilitate the training of talents for different disciplines. Top talents, particularly young ones, should be given the opportunity to stand out through the implementation of major research projects. Emphasis should be placed on the training of talents for technological innovation, scientific research, science and technology entrepreneurs, business management and intermediary service. Second, effective measures should be taken to encourage and attract overseas talents to return to China to work or contribute to China's economic development in other forms. The policy should be: "support studying abroad, encourage returning home, and freedom of movement in and out of the country." Third, multiple forms of training centers should be established on the
basis of the existing educational system and mass media to provide educational,
training and awareness services, in order to raise public awareness of
sustainable development. 4.4 Deepen reform of the science and research regime and create a pro-innovation system for sustainable development Reform of existing research institutes related to sustainable development
should be advanced in an active and prudent manner, in line with the guidelines
and overall plan of the central government for the entire scientific and
technological sector. Over time, a crop of highly efficient and innovative
research institutes and researchers that are adept at the market economy
will have emerged. During the next five years, reform of non-profit research
institutes should be accelerated and expanded and spending in them increased.
In addition, construction and management of basic facilities such as engineering
technology research centers, major labs and monitoring stations should
be improved. Finally, great efforts should be devoted to the development
of consulting services to form a new industry. First, central government departments and local governments should be fully mobilized and positions of different departments, local governments and industries integrated and coordinated. That way, R&D will be organically integrated with promotions, technical upgrading at enterprises, construction of major projects, and the acquisition, assimilation and absorption of major technologies. Eventually, a four-tiered, interconnected regulatory system consisting of the state, central government departments, local governments and enterprises will have been established. Second, we should create an "open, fluid, competitive and collaborative"
operational mechanism and uphold the principles of "openness, fairness
and impartiality", opening major projects to public bidding. The
fund management system for state-planned projects should be reformed,
and a research-subject system should be fully implemented. In addition,
a scientific evaluation system should be established and independent intermediary
evaluation agencies should be supported, so that a credit system can be
established for undertakers of research projects. Ultimately, all the
research projects will be administered in a scientific, institutionalized
and rules-based manner. First, sustainable development has become a major cause of universal concern to the international community. We should seize this opportunity, and through extensive publicity, expand our channels of cooperation with the international community, seek international aid, attract foreign investment, and advance science and technology for sustainable development. Second, China should actively participate in all global and regional international programs in the area of resources and environment and keep a seat in these international forums.
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