It is learnt from the Working Meeting of the Chinese Army's Advance Study on Weaponry held Sunday in Beijing that during the ninth "Five-year Plan" period, the Chinese Army's advance study on weaponry had made great progress.

As sources say, the main indications of the great progress achieved in the army's advance study on weaponry are as follows:

Major breakthroughs have been made in key technologies urgently needed in a group of new weaponry and equipment which have vigorously promoted the development of new arms.

substantial development has been made in major fields of national defense science and technology and in some areas they have reached the advanced international level.

A group of important successes have been made in basic technology which have long handicapped the development of weaponry.

Steady and orderly adjustment and reform of the advance study management system has been carried out in compliance with the requirements of the weaponry management system.

Cao Gangchuan, member of the Chinese Central Military Commission and director of the General Equipment Department (GED) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), attended and spoke at Sunday's meeting.

Cao pointed out that President Jiang Zemin pays much attention to and has given clear instructions on basic and hi-tech studies. Advance study is the fundamental way to speed up the development of national defense science and technology and enhance the ability for independent innovation as well as the only way to self-reliantly develop advanced weapons and equipment.

Departments at all levels must, from the perspective of strategy and the whole situation, get a clear understanding of the status and role of advance study, and earnestly put advance study work in a prominent position, Cao said.

Cao pointed out that talents are crucial to strengthening the innovation of weaponry and national defense science and technology. To settle this problem, we need to emancipate the mind, update our concepts and follow the road of reform. Departments at different levels should accelerate the establishment and perfection of a new mechanism and new policy for the selection, training, managing, using, stabilizing and retaining the scientific and technological personnel in the national defense industry, actively explore new measures to encourage the growth of scientists and technicians as quickly as possible, and further create a favorable environment for the emergence of excellent talents.

President Jiang Urges Increased Research of Military Sciences

Chinese President Jiang Zemin said the study of military sciences is vital to improving national defense and modernizing the Chinese army. Jiang, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, spoke to deputies of the Military Academy of Sciences attending the academy's fifth congress of the Communist Party of China on December 8.

"Advanced military theories are important conditions for guiding a healthy development in the construction of the army and for winning victories in military strikes," said Jiang, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Jiang spoke highly of the achievements the academy has made in basic research of military sciences and applied research.

He urged the deputies to improve understanding of military scientific research work, intensify leadership over the work, stepup scientific research on major issues related to national defenseand modernization of the army, produce more high-quality scientific research achievements and train more high-quality scientific research personnel.