Li Heng

Now at a stage of overall promotion has been a CAS Knowledge Innovation Program piloting China's development, demanding efforts to master and spread advanced technology and develop hi-tech enterprises to match with those abroad.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)) submitted late 1997 a report to the central authorities titled "Build a National Innovation System on the Advent of Knowledge Economy" to advance China's development through developing science and education. On February 4, 1998, President Jiang gave his written comment on the report: "Go ahead and strive to have an innovation system of our own". On June 9, 1998, the State Leading Group of Science and Education further passed a "Report" briefing on CAS knowledge innovation experiments to be undertaken. From June 1998 to December 2000, a thoroughgoing wide-ranging institutional reshuffle was accordingly made in support of the CAS "Report".

Experiments to be undertaken will fall into three stages under the CAS Knowledge Innovation Program. As is reported, January 2001 to December 2005 will be a period of overall advance, and January 2006 to December 2010 is to be a stage of improvement and optimization. According to plan, in-depth discussions on work of current stage will be held at CAS's 2001 Annual Meeting scheduled January 9.