In 1900, China had no modern science and technology at all -
fewer than 10 people in all of China understood calculus. Now, in
the early 21st century, the gap in high-technology research and
development between China and the world's advanced countries has
visibly shrunk; 60 percent of technologies, including atomic
energy, space, high-energy physics, biology, computer and
information technology, have reached or are close to the world
advanced level. On October 15, 2003, the successful launch of the
"Shenzhou V" manned spacecraft made China the third country to
master manned spaceflight technology. According to the Moon Probe
Project started in February 2004, China will launch unmanned probes
to the moon before 2010, and gather moon soil samples before
2020.
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China's development of science and technology and its system of
granting science and technology awards are underpinned by the basic
Law on Progress of Science and Technology promulgated in July 1993.
This stipulates the objectives, functions and sources of funds, and
the system of rewards for science and technology development. The
Law on Popularization of Science and Technology promulgated in June
2002 makes a societal goal to popularize science and technology
knowledge among all citizens. Local regulations have been issued
for attracting talented people, ensuring investment in science and
technology, and developing high technology.
Since the 1990s, state budgets for science and technology have
greatly increased. In 2004, the appropriation for science and
technology reached 97.55 billion yuan, 19.5 percent more than in
2003; the government spent 184.3 billion yuan on scientific
research and development, 19.7 percent more than in 2003,
accounting for 1.35 percent of GDP, the highest in China's
history.?
In 2004 there were 55.75 million scientific and technological
personnel in state-owned enterprises and institutions, and the
number of scientific and technological personnel out of every ten
thousand employees had increased from 870 in 1985 to 3,900. Over
half the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering are
scholars who have returned during the past two decades after
finishing their studies abroad.
From 2002, the national strategy for developing science and
technology shifted from following on the heels of others to making
independent innovations and technological strides, aiming at the
international sci-tech heights. According to a national plan, by
2005 China should be in the world's advanced ranks in certain
fields, attaining or approaching the front rank in some important
scientific and strategic hi-tech fields; expenditure for developing
experimental and research science will increase to over 1.5 percent
of GDP; by 2010 a preliminary national innovation system will be
established, the building of basic science and technology
conditions will be obvious, national key bases for scientific
research will reach the world advanced level, China's innovation
ability in key fields will soar, and expenditure for developing
experimental and research science will reach two percent of GDP; by
2020, a relatively complete national innovation system will be in
place, expenditure for developing experimental and research science
will account for three percent of GDP, and China's competitiveness
in science and technology will step up to the world's first rank.