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In
1949, there were no more than 50,000 scientific and technical personnel
in China, of whom just over 500 were engaged in scientific research,
and there were only 40-odd scientific research institutions. However,
just one month after the founding of the PRC, the Chinese Academy of
Sciences was established. Thereafter, a wide-ranging group of research
institutes was established covering various industrial sectors nationwide.
By 1955, a total of 840 scientific and technological research institutes
had been set up, and the number of scientific and technical personnel
had increased to over 400,000.
In 1956, the State Council set up the Science Planning Commission, which
started to work out the first long-term program, the 12-Year Program
for Scientific and Technological Development (1956-67). Many items of
new technology were developed, and many new industries and enterprises
emerged, one after the other, and grew steadily.
In
October 1964, China successfully conducted its first nuclear test, which
showed the high level of attainments of Chinese scientific and technical
personnel, that China’s science and technology in these fields
had reached fairly high levels and that China basically had the capability
to conduct advanced scientific research independently.
However,
during the “cultural revolution” (1966 to 1976), China’s
vigorously developing scientific and technical undertakings were seriously
damaged, and scientific and technical work was paralyzed.
After
the ten-year chaos, the state transferred its focus of work to the modernization
drive. Within a fairly short period of time, a group of academic, scientific
and technological administration and scientific research institutes
were restored or reestablished. The State Science and Technology Commission
took charge of working out a new program—the National Compendium
on Scientific and Technological Development (1978-1985) (Draft). In
the Compendium, from the major projects, eight comprehensive areas of
research were singled out as the key ones. The eight areas of research
are agriculture, energy, materials, computers, lasers, space science,
high-energy physics and genetic engineering. According to statistics,
the main scientific and technological achievements of 1979 were greater
than those of the previous ten years.
In
1995, the National Science and Technology Conference was held, and China
began to carry out the development strategy of “rejuvenating the
nation by relying on science and education.” In the 20 years since
1980, China’s science and technology undertakings, aiming at the
world’s advanced levels, have developed rapidly along a wholesome
road and made the following striking achievements: 1) Solving a batch
of key technical problems arising in the course of national economic
construction; 2) Making considerable progress in high-tech research
and the industrial application of new and high technologies; 3) Attaining
marked successes in transferring scientific and technological findings
to production; 4) Gradually deepening the reform of the overall scientific
and technological system; 5) Contributing to international progress
in research into basic science; 6) Continuously expanding the scope
of opening science and technology to the outside world; 7) Basically
setting up a team of trans-century scientific and technical workers;
and 8) Continuously improving the system of scientific and technological
laws, rules and regulations.
During half a century of development, a large number of outstanding
Chinese scientific and technical experts have created wealth for the
country by applying their wisdom and talents. Of them, the most notable
representatives are Li Siguang, who helped China remove the label of
being an oil-poor country; Qian Xuesen, who was the “father of
Chinese missile”; Qian Sanqiang, who took charge of establishing
the Institute of Atomic Energy; Tang Aoqing, who was the pioneer of
quantum chemistry in China; Yan Longping, who made great contributions
to developing hybrid rice; and Wang Xuan, who is leading the technical
revolution in the Chinese newspaper and printing industries.
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