National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development (2006–2020)

National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development (2006–2020)
Name	National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development (2006–2020)
Jurisdiction	People's Republic of China
Announced	2006
Period	2006–2020
Key people	Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao
Relevant laws	National Science and Technology Progress Law

National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development (2006–2020) was a strategic roadmap issued by the People's Republic of China in 2006 to transform national capabilities in science and technology across multiple sectors. The plan set targets for technological self-reliance, innovation capacity, and industrial upgrading through coordinated action by agencies including the Ministry of Science and Technology (China), State Council (China), and provincial authorities. It sought to align initiatives with major national strategies such as Made in China 2025, Eleventh Five-Year Plan, and later the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.

Background and Objectives

The program emerged amid global competition involving actors like United States, European Union, Japan, South Korea, and India, and followed domestic policy debates involving figures such as Deng Xiaoping-era reformers and contemporary leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. Its objectives included enhancing indigenous innovation to reduce dependence on technologies from corporations like Intel Corporation, Microsoft, and Siemens AG, and to narrow gaps with institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Tsinghua University. The plan targeted breakthroughs in areas tied to national priorities including contributions to projects like China National High-tech Research and Development Program (863 Program) and coordination with programs such as the 973 Program.

Key Priorities and Strategic Goals

The plan prioritized sectors where China sought global competitiveness, including information technology, biotechnology, aerospace, renewable energy, and nanotechnology. Strategic goals specified increasing R&D intensity to levels comparable to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members and building national champions analogous to Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and ZTE Corporation. Other goals included strengthening research capacity at centers such as Chinese Academy of Sciences, fostering talent via institutions like Peking University and Fudan University, and supporting collaboration with multinationals such as General Electric and Siemens AG.

Implementation and Governance

Implementation was coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology (China), directed under the State Council (China), and executed with participation from provincial governments like those of Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. Governance mechanisms incorporated funding streams from entities such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China and state-owned enterprises like China National Nuclear Corporation. Oversight drew on advisory bodies including the Chinese Academy of Engineering and interactions with international partners such as World Bank and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for benchmarking and exchanges.

Major Programs and Projects

Major initiatives under the roadmap included support for high-profile efforts such as the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, the development of commercial aircraft by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), advances in high-speed rail exemplified by projects connecting Beijing and Shanghai, and investments in energy projects reflecting commitments to Three Gorges Dam-era infrastructure and renewable deployments like offshore wind farms in Jiangsu. Scientific facilities and missions supported included observatories tied to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, biotechnology centers collaborating with Biocon-like firms, and materials research programs linked to labs modeled after Argonne National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Funding and Resource Allocation

Funding combined central budget lines, provincial co-financing, and contributions from state-owned enterprises such as China National Petroleum Corporation and China Mobile. Allocation mechanisms routed resources through the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Ministry of Finance (China), and special funds for major projects reminiscent of instruments used by organizations like European Investment Bank for strategic investment. Emphasis was placed on increasing gross domestic expenditure on R&D toward benchmarks used by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development statistics and incentivizing private investment from technology firms like Lenovo and Alibaba Group.

Achievements and Impact (2006–2020)

Between 2006 and 2020 the program corresponded with rapid increases in metrics tracked by bodies such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, including rises in patents registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization, expanded capacity at research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and commercialization successes with firms like BYD Company and Tencent. Infrastructure outcomes included growth of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, wider deployment of high-speed rail technology, and measurable progress in semiconductor initiatives that engaged partners and competitors such as TSMC and Samsung Electronics. The program influenced talent flows to universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, and research exchanges with MIT and Imperial College London.

Criticisms and Lessons Learned

Critics from think tanks like Brookings Institution and scholars at universities including Harvard University pointed to challenges such as technology transfer frictions with firms like Qualcomm and systemic issues in metrics-driven evaluation similar to debates in Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley literature. Concerns were raised about state-led industrial policy effects on international trade disputes involving WTO cases and tensions with companies such as Boeing and Airbus. Lessons emphasized the need for reforms in intellectual property practices aligned with World Intellectual Property Organization norms, deeper integration with global research networks like CERN, and balancing central planning with market signals seen in analyses by International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Category:Science and technology in the People's Republic of China