 China's first pilot center for testing new energy sources was established in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The ball-like structure in this picture is the major project of the center. |
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.
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.
