Strengthen the integration of science, technology and economy, enhance independent innovation capability - National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) People's Republic of China

Strengthen the integration of science, technology and economy, enhance independent innovation capability
Reference material for the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress
2006-03-13
NDRC NEWS
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During the 10th Five-Year Plan period, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has always put the integration of science, technology and economy and the enhancement of independent innovation capability on the top agenda of our economic development.

First, promoting the technological progress under the guidance of industrial policies. The NDRC, along with 37 other ministries and agencies of the State Council, formulated the new Guiding Catalogue for Industrial Restructuring, with the targets to encourage and support the development of advanced production capability, limit and eliminate backward production capability to promote technological progress and optimize industrial structure. Several policies encouraging the development of software and integrated circuit industries have been implemented. Guidance of Key Sectors for High-Tech Industrialization has been put in place. The speedy development of some newly emerging industries such as IT and biology has thus been facilitated. A series of industrial policies concerning automobile, iron & steel, cement and electro aluminum were promulgated to lift the technology threshold for market entry. The integrated use of fiscal, investment, credit, land, price and trade policies has played a positive role in curbing low-level blind expansion.

Second, elevating industrial core competitiveness by strengthening independent innovation capability. During the 10th Five-Year Plan period, the NDRC made the national scientific infrastructure one of the key areas for central government's investment. A group of major science projects such as Scientific Drilling Project of Chinese Mainland, Fusion Superconductive Tokamak Device, and Large Astronomical Telescope were completed. Funds were given to support the Knowledge Innovation Project (phase II) of China Academy of Sciences. 143 key national laboratories were renovated. 124 national engineering research centers for biochip, coal mine safety, etc. were built. The NDRC facilitated the establishment of technology centers of 361 large-scale leading enterprises to improve the independent innovation capability of these companies. A number of technology transfer centers and innovation service centers serving technology innovations of enterprises have been set up. As a result, a supporting platform for independent innovation capability of enterprises has been set up.

Third, promoting industrial restructuring by implementing major industrial technology programs. According to the demand of our national economy and key projects, the NDRC organized the research and manufacturing of a bundle of large technological equipment such as ultra-high-voltage transmission and transformation equipment and large power generation equipment. As a result, China has improved its independent innovation capability remarkably in sectors such as energy, transportation, shipping and petrochemical industry.

The NDRC also organized the research and development for a number of important industrial technologies such as 3G mobile telecommunication and digital TV. Therefore, some core technologies with independent intellectual property rights have been mastered.

The NDRC arranged over 36 billion yuan special-purpose national bonds for sectors such as energy, transportation, raw material, electromechanical and light textile. Those funds were mainly used for the development of a number of equipments and products with special feature, in large scale, with high-tech content and new technique, thus greatly enhancing the level of technological equipment of China's traditional industries.

Fourth, facilitating the commercialization of independent innovative results by promoting industrialization of high-tech sector. During the 10th Five-Year Plan period, the NDRC organized the implementation of 12 large high-tech industrial projects such as Live Radio and TV Broadcast Satellite and Biomedicine; organized more than 20 major industrialization projects in sectors such as new energy, new material and information equipment; supported the construction of nearly 2000 high-tech industrialization demonstration projects including satellite application-integrated circuit design and hybrid rice; facilitated the building of national e-government projects such as Golden Tax, Golden Agriculture and Golden Audit; supported informatization of several hundred large-scale leading enterprises and promoted the construction of a bundle of national information infrastructure.

During the 11th Five-Year Program period, the NDRC will spend more efforts in promoting independent innovation and technological progress, which will truly become the force driving our economic and social development.

The NDRC will further strengthen the guidance through programs and policy. In the industrial program, greater priority will be given to strengthening independent innovation capability and driving science and technology progress. The NDRC will formulate the economic policies more closely related to our science and technology policies, work out various specific policies and measures to encourage independent innovation of enterprises so as to promote the coordinated development of science, technology and economy.

The NDRC will give more support to the development of national innovation system; continue to press ahead with the establishment of enterprise technology centers; build 12 major national science and technology infrastructures such as Synchrotron Light Source, Integrated Scientific Ocean Research Vessel ; set up 50 national engineering research centers and 100 major national engineering laboratories; organize 16 research and manufacturing programs of major complete-set of technological equipments including nuclear power and high-speed railway; establish 7 major high-tech industrial projects such as new generation network and biomedicine; implement 12 industrialization programs such as digital TV, new energy and agricultural biotechnology; organize 10 major industrial technology development programs in clean and efficient energy and state-of-the-art equipment design and manufacturing; facilitate technological advancement of enterprises so as to promote the fundamental shift of our economic growth mode to one driven by innovation.

Following the arrangement of the Central Party Committee and the State Council, the NDRC will work with other ministries to deepen science and technology system reform; push forward reforms in key areas and sectors such as investment, fiscal and tax, finance and some monopoly industries. Consequently, this will provide reliable system and mechanism guarantee for the integration of science, technology and economy and for the improvement of independent innovation capability.