A senior official says China's National High Tech Research and Development Program, also known as the "863 Program," should be subjected to social supervision. 

Ma Songde, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, believes that improvements in supervision and management are needed in order to make the program more open and also fairer.

He told reporters that that the ministry is establishing an expert board to help deal with complaints directed at the high number of aging experts involved in the program, and at officials who are interfering with academic research.

Total investment in the "863 program" has reached 15 billion yuan, or US$1.8 billion, since the government launched it in March 1986. The program aims to improve China's international competitiveness and overall capability of research and development in high technology.

(CRI August 26, 2004)