A sharp increase in funding for the sciences this year is widely seen as an effort to jump-start the country's quest to be an "innovation nation."

The National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) has received 3.4 billion yuan (US$425 million) from central government coffers for this year a quarter more than last year Zhu Zuoyan, its vice-president, told China Daily.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the foundation, one of the main funding agencies for basic research.

The central government has set the goals of building China into an innovation nation by 2020; and a leading global scientific power by 2050.

Zhu said appropriate R&D (research and development) funding is a prerequisite for realizing the targets.

Last year, funds for basic research were 2.7 billion yuan (US$337 million), a year-on-year rise of 12.5 percent.

The doubling of the rate of increase this year, Zhu said, reflects the central government's commitment to scientific research, adding that by 2010, that the NNSF's funds could be twice this year's figure.

In a strong show of support, President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee met delegates on the first day of a national science conference on Tuesday.

Vice-President Zeng Qinghong delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, urging scientists to contribute towards building an innovative society.

In the medium- and long-term plan for scientific and technological development, the country's spending on science and technology should account for 2.5 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2020, on par with developed economies and science powers.

That translates to 900 billion yuan (US$111.1 billion) in annual R&D expenditure by that time.

In 2004, China's R&D expenditure was 1.23 percent of the GDP.

Zhu said the funds for basic research would be used in a wide range of disciplines, including physics, mathematics and chemistry; life and earth sciences; and information technology.

"China has entered a stage where it must increase its reliance on scientific advances and technological innovation to drive social and economic development," he said.

(China Daily May 26, 2006)