In the coming five years, China will accelerate the development of its hi-tech sector by increasing the abilities of innovation and popularizing high-technology achievements in industry sector by local scientists.
Li Jian, an official from the Ministry of Science and Technology, expressed his view in an article published in the latest issue of Seeking Truth, a leading Chinese magazine.
During the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005), China will strengthen strategic studies in hi-tech fields so as to increase the country's abilities of independent innovation; accelerate the industrialization of hi-tech developments; and boost the development of traditional industries by the use of high technology, the official wrote.
The past 10 years have witnessed the fastest ever growth of the country's hi-tech sector, said Li, who is head of the department responsible for the development and popularization of hi-tech achievements in industry sector.
In the past decade, local scientists had made breakthroughs in a number of key technology areas, such as the successful projection into space of the experimental spacecraft, "Shenzhou"; the development of third-generation mobile telecommunications; and the development of the sub-marine robot that can work 6,000 meters below sea level.
High-tech companies, especially those in the telecommunications, information and biopharmaceutical industries, have become one of the new sources of state revenue.
Meanwhile, hi-tech has contributed to improving the country's industrial structure, and making local industries more competitive in the international market.
The past 10 years witnessed a boom in local high-tech firms, according to the official. Under the Program Torch, a national program specially for hi-tech development, China set up 53 state-level hi-tech parks which are home to 19,000 hi-tech companies.
In 2000, the 53 high-tech parks generated 886.4 billion yuan in total sales, turned out 768 billion yuan in industrial output, and earned US$22 billion in exports, up 23.6 percent, 22.6 percent and 45.9 percent, respectively.
For the past 10 years, China has developed a road with its own characteristics for developing hi-tech industries, the official wrote.
(People's Daily 04/03/2001)
