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Science and Technology Cooperation Mme.
Zhu Lilan |
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The present science and technology development is progressing ahead and bringing about changes day by day in the world. New discoveries and innovations are made one after another and have greatly enhanced the development of world productivity and progress of the human society. Science and technology has been developed through joint efforts and exchanges with each other. Now academic disciplines are penetrated in each other, which has made the science and technology fields expand day by day. The worldwide mega-projects of science research, such as those on environment, atmosphere, oceanography and human health need the scientists of the different countries to join in and jointly carry them out. For the past 20 years since China adopted the reform and opening policy, the reform has been continuously enhanced and intensified, while the socialist market economic system has been continuously improved. The progress of our entering into the "WTO" is accelerated. Environment of opening to the world becomes more and more friendly, which has greatly promoted the international science and technology cooperation and made the international science cooperation and exchange much more active than ever. Our cause is advancing continuously in both depth and scope. 1. Large scale, multi-mode and wide fields of the cooperation and exchange The number of countries and regions which have established science cooperation and exchange ties with China now reached 152, of which 96 countries have signed bilateral agreement on science and technology cooperation or agreement on economy, trade and science and technology cooperation. Under the frame of scientific and technical agreement between the governments, all the professional departments have also signed scientific and technical agreements between the departments with their foreign counterparts. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture has established scientific and technical cooperation and exchange relationship with agriculture departments in over 100 countries and with the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as well as other international agricultural organizations. The Ministry has signed agricultural scientific and technological agreement with 20 countries. The non-governmental scientific and technical cooperation and exchange has been carried out in wider range. The exchange among research organizations, universities, academic organizations, enterprises, municipalities and scientists is very active. The local international science and technology cooperation has been fully developed and is moving towards a practical mode. Enthusiasm from students who studied abroad to open their own business and serve their motherland is very high. Cooperation and exchange mode has been developed from bilateral visits and attending academic meetings to cooperative research, jointly establishing labs, research institute and even establishing research center in China or abroad with our own investment. The Microsoft company of USA has invested US$80 millions in China to establish China (Microsoft) research institute. In the cooperation and exchange fields, besides the projects like general traditional technology, basic study and fundamental disciplines, our country has already developed multi-channel and multi-level science and technology cooperation and exchange with foreign countries in the field of biological technology, space technology, information technology, automation technology, laser technology, new material and new energy, etc. Our scientists have already taken part in some international mega-projects of scientific research in EU R&D plan, while our 973 Basic Research Plan has also been opened to the outside world and attracted foreign scientists to join in. 2. Role of scientific and technological cooperation in diplomacy has become more outstanding. The leaders of the Party and the State are very concerned with the international scientific and technological cooperation in the international exchanges. Since 1994, H.E. President JIANG Zemin, raised proposal to enhance scientific and technological cooperation among APEC members at the annual APEC Leaders' Meeting. In summer of this year, when President Jiang received an interview from "Science" magazine and met 6 world famous scientists, foreign academicians of China Academy of Sciences, Nobel Laureate Prof. Yang Zhenning and Prof. Li Zhengdao, he stressed the significance of the cooperation and exchange between the Chinese scientists and foreign scientists. Under the proposal to strengthen Asia and Europe science and technology cooperation by H.E. Premier ZHU Rongji, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Foreign Affaires organized Asia-Europe Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting in Oct. 1999. Two documents, the "Ministerial Communiqu¨¦" and " Chairman's Statement" were approved at the meeting, which have had active influence on Asian-European economic and technological cooperation. When Premier Zhu visited the four ASEAN nations, he repeatedly stressed the significance of science and technology cooperation between China and ASEAN, and the role of science and technology cooperation and exchange should be enhanced between China and science and technology cooperation committee of ASEAN. During the visit of Chinese leaders to Russia and the United States, science and technology cooperation was also a major component of the visits. 3. International and regional cooperation has been strengthened while technology and trade combination has made new progress. China has enhanced the international and regional science and technology cooperation. We have organized a series of international conference and exhibitions. For the peripheral regional cooperation, our country has taken part in the joint development of Lancangjiang river -Mekong river, Tumenjiang river and joint development of Yellow sea and Bohai sea trans-national economic region. In November 1996, President JIANG Zemin raised proposal to enhance scientific and technological cooperation of Science and Technology Industrial Parks at the annual APEC Leaders' Meeting. The State Council has ever since approved totally 10 High-tech Industry Development Zones in Beijing, Suzhou, Hefei, Xi'an, Yantai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Yangling and Wuhan opening to APEC. Our government pays great attention to the internationalization of High-tech Industry Development Zone. At present, we have 53 national-level High-tech Industry Development Zones which spread over 28 provinces, regions and cities. In 1999, there existed 150,000 enterprises in the Development Zones where the foreign investment and technology have been introduced and product export and technology export channel have been developed. In 1999, the earning of foreign exchanges from export was 11.9 billion US dollars, which was 40% higher than the previous year. To implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education and to promote exports of high-tech products, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation have jointly worked out and implemented the "Action Plan on Developing Trade through Science and Technology", and jointly compiled the "List of China's High -tech Exporting Products" with 5 ministries and commissions such as the General Administration of Customs, Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation, etc. 4. Promotion of science and technology progress and development of economy and society As a developing country, our science and technology and economic level are generally behind those of the developed countries. Our international science and technology cooperation follows the basic policy that " Economic construction must rely on science and technology, and science and technology must contribute to economic construction", which has played an active role in promotion of science and technology, economic and social development. We have learned the advanced foreign theory, concept and scientific management method, mastered advanced foreign technology and designing concepts, trained a lot of management and technological talents through the international science and technology cooperation. With the cooperation and research, joint investigation or jointly establishing research center and lab, our research and development capacity has been increased and China's influence has been expanded, and the international status of our scientists and researchers has been increased. The development of international science and technology cooperation, including introducing plant varieties, has enriched our resources. The import of technology and equipment has increased our technological level in industries. The introduction of talents serves our science and technology progress and economic construction. The international science and technology cooperation has greatly promoted our science and technology system reform and the adjustment of our economic structure, city construction and the modernization of state-owned enterprises, from all of which we achieved obvious social benefits. Since the reform and opening to the world, rapid development of our international science and technology cooperation has made great contribution to a sustainable, fast and healthy development of the national economy and science and technology progress. It has also won many important achievements. For instance, Beijing Electron and Positron Collider, China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite, China-Russia cooperation on research and development of Robot 6,000m under sea, meteorological satellite and satellite meteorology, China Digital Seismology station net, "human genome plan" (HGP) and "1%" project of our country, etc. The "Human genome plan" (HGP) is one of the greatest innovations in natural science, of which the essential core is construction of DNA serial diagram, i.e. analysis of up to 3000Mb DNA molecular composition of HGP (nucleotide or base sequence). Our scientists have undertaken and finished 1% sequence measurement task. Our involvement in HGP has changed the research structure of HGP and increased the image of international cooperation of HGP. It has been admired and welcomed by the international colleagues. The "spirit of HGP" characterized by "global cooperation and free-sharing of achievements" has become an international cooperation model in the natural science history of human kind. 5. Mutual benefit and joint development The international science and technology cooperation is a mutually beneficial cause. During the international science and technology cooperation and exchange, our country always follows the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. The science and technology cooperation is a win-win and mutually beneficial cause. Many western partners have admitted that they have also gained great benefit through science and technology cooperation and exchange with China. In June, 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton also admitted that during the past 20 years, Sino-U.S. bilateral science and technology cooperation and exchange is one of the successful fields between two countries when he was interviewed by the journalist. In the future both sides will continuously strengthen science and technology cooperation in biology and medical field which will have great potential value for China and United States as well as for other countries in the world. For instance, through the cooperative research of cardiopulmonary disease epidemiology between China and USA, the United States has obtained cardiovascular data and scientific analysis report of relatively low incidence of cardiovascular disease of Chinese people group from database of ten thousand Chinese people, and this has very important reference value for research and making preventive strategy and measures against the cardiovascular disease of American people group (high incidence of cardiovascular disease of people group). Through China-U.S. agricultural cooperation, American side has obtained a lot of germ plasm resources of crops, some of which are valuable wild plant germ plasm. Those plasm are very important for breeding the disease and insects prevention plant for the United States. Germany uses our rich alloy ore resources and their technology to jointly develop cooperation research of the projects such as ore deposit exploration, ore dressing, metal melting and metal material recovery etc. and have realized good benefits. Japan utilizes features of iron ore containing high niobium in Inner Mongolia and the experience of our scientific research people in researching niobium iron ore to carry out the cooperative research of niobium extraction technology from the hot metal and obtained the patents of China and Japan. Through the cooperative research of oceanography, atmosphere, geology, earthquake and cancer, etc., foreign countries have got a lot of data and information. They admit that the information is very valuable and helpful for their further research work in these fields. Developing our own advantages and learning from other's strong points to offset our weaknesses will benefit both sides. For example, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer carried by the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery has been designed and constructed by 37 research organizations of over 10 countries and regions such as the United States, China, Russia, France and Italy, etc. The core part of the particle detector is the huge permanent magnet made by China. The two satellite projects of natural resources jointly researched by China and Brazil are the biggest projects of China in cooperation with South American countries. The project has been developed and invested jointly by both sides. The first satellite was successfully launched in October 1999 and has become an example of South-South science and technology cooperation. Traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology are a great treasure-house of China and have functions that can not be replaced by the modern medicine in the pharmaceutical industry. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already set up 7 traditional medicine cooperation centers in China. A lot of Chinese medicine professional technicians from abroad have been trained. The research achievements of burn, fracture with splinting, replantation of severed finger, microsurgical technique, principle of acupuncture analgesia and villous duct cancer, etc., have attracted worldwide attention. Many countries send graduate students to study in China. Besides, Our medical team sent abroad has trained a lot of professional technical talents for the developing countries. 6. Science and technology cooperation has become an important component in China's aid towards other countries Bringing the benefits of science and technology to the developing countries has played an essential role in strengthening the friendly relations with neighboring countries and in consolidating friendship with developing countries. For example, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Yunnan Drug Banning Committee have supported the "Green Drug Banning Project" carried out by Yunnan province and Burma from 1995, which is highly praized by the UN Drug Control Programme. It has provided convincing arguments for working out new strategy of world wide drug control of the United Nations' Special General Assembly. China has aided Albania to construct computer center, electronic micro center and earthquake research center with the best equipment produced by China. To meet the demand of African countries, China has sent specialists to Zimbabwe to build demonstration projects of solar energy and electric generation project with biological energy. China supported Kenya to build malaria prevention and cure center. China helped Senegal, Guinea and Burundi, etc., to build Chinese type methane-generating pits. The training of professional technical talents for the developing countries is an important content in the international science and technology cooperation of China. In the 11 years during 1989-1999, the State Science and Technology Commission (renamed as the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1998) organized 153 professional training courses for the developing countries and certain areas of the developed countries to train 2,360 man/times for about 103 countries and regions. They covered agriculture and forestry, energy, environmental protection, biology, information, enterprise incubator, policy of science and technology and management, etc. Outstanding results have been achieved. The Ministry of Agriculture cooperated with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to open training courses of methane, freshwater fish culture, sericulture, hybrid rice and veterinary surgeon acupuncture, etc., which are welcomed by the developing countries. By reviewing the development history of science and technology cooperation and exchange with foreign countries, international science and technology cooperation activities have demonstrated thriving and flourishing trend. With the continuous development of economic globalization, with China's strategy of "rejuvenating the country through science and education" and implementation of the "sustainable development" strategy, international science and technology cooperation of our country will be greatly developed in the 21st century and will make further contributions towards the sustainable, healthy and rapid development of the national economy China. (END)
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