As early as 1955 the Chinese government promulgated Interim Regulations of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Awards for Science, establishing awards for important scientific and technological achievements. In 1984, the government set up the Awards for Scientific and Technological Progress. Five national awards were established in May 1999, covering science and technology, natural sciences, technical invention, scientific and technological progress, international cooperation in science and technology. These are presented by the President of China at the annual National Science and Technology Awards Ceremony. 

In February 2004, CAS academician and global environment expert Liu Dongsheng and CAE academician and spaceflight technology expert Wang Yongzhi won the National Top Science and Technology Award. The manned spaceflight project, a national key project and the largest, most complex and technically demanding project in China's spaceflight history, took the Special National Award for Scientific and Technological Progress. Nineteen national awards were given for natural sciences, 19 for technical invention and 215 for scientific and technological progress.

Local governments and non-governmental organizations have also established science and technology awards. Many enterprises and organizations in China and abroad have established regular science and technology awards; granted directly to individuals engaged in sci-tech research. These awards fire the enthusiasm of scientists. Today, awards approved by the relevant government department include the Dupont prize for innovation, the Li Siguang prize for geology, the Zhan Tianyou prize for civil engineering, the General Motors prize for China's scientific and technological achievements, and the Bayer prize for young scientists.