September 2011 RESEARCH AND I NNOVATION H IGHLIGHTS IN CHINA 1

Please email delegation-china-scitech@eeas.europa.eu if you think any other colleagues would be interested in receiving this newsletter or if you wish to unsubscribe from the distribution list.

IN THIS ISSUE

EDITORIAL ...................................................................................................................................................................1

EU-CHINA R&I EVENTS .............................................................................................................................................1

Viajeo Project Seminar held in Beijing....................................................................................................................1

Follow-up to the 1st meeting of the EU-China Task Force on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies Research ..1

DG RTD met MOST to discuss implementation of energy cooperation...................................................................1

Joint EU-China Research Project MARS held year 1 review meeting ....................................................................1

DG RTD met Chinese interlocutor to discuss aeronautics research cooperation ...................................................1

POLICIES AND PAPERS ..................................................................................................................................................2

New University Science Park Plan ..........................................................................................................................2

China's spending on R&D rises 21.7%....................................................................................................................2

VOICES AND OPINIONS .................................................................................................................................................2

Premier Wen calls for sound, sustainable and quality growth ................................................................................2

Honest research needed...........................................................................................................................................3

Scientists under the microscope?.............................................................................................................................3

Publication bubble threatens China's scientific advance.........................................................................................3

WAN Attended 2011 Summer Davos in Dalian........................................................................................................4

PEOPLE OF THE MONTH ..............................................................................................................................................4

1 Disclaimer: Research and Innovation Highlights in China is a monthly press review compiled by the Science, Technology and Environment Section of the EU Delegation to China with the aim to feature the highlights on China's research and innovation developments. The EU Delegation to China cannot authorise the reproduction of news items taken from other publications. Anyone wishing to reproduce articles is advised to contact the originating source of the relevant news item. The information contained in this publication is intended only for the internal consumption of the addressees on the distribution list. It should not be taken in any way to reflect the views of the European Commission, nor is the EU Delegation to China responsible for the authenticity of the selected content.

2

Premier meets foreign experts awarded for excellence by Chinese government .....................................................4

Super rice yield sets world record ...........................................................................................................................5

Chinese scientist presented "America' s Nobel" for anti-malaria drug ...................................................................5

Peidong Yang Named Recipient of 2011 MRS Medal Award ..................................................................................6

Wen meets staff of Tiangong-1 space module ..........................................................................................................6

Chinese astronautical experts awarded with honors at IAC....................................................................................6

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................................7

Health ......................................................................................................................................................................7 Vice Premier Li Attends Inauguration of Hong Kong-Mainland Joint Research Center ....................................7 Insect Host Species Of Famous Tibetan Medicinal Fungus Identified ...............................................................7 Chinese Herb Fights Hepatitis-B Virus...............................................................................................................7

Food, agriculture and fisheries, biotechnology .......................................................................................................7 Transgenic Goats with Α-Lactalbumin ...............................................................................................................7 Super Rice Landed a Yield over 900kg...............................................................................................................7 Egg Reprogramming Secrets Unveiled ...............................................................................................................8 Fine Pig Species Cloned......................................................................................................................................8 Chinese archeologists find evidence of agricultural activity in ancient city .......................................................8

Information and communication technologies.........................................................................................................8 Spatial Information Industry Encouraged ...........................................................................................................8 World's Top Computational Scientists Coming to Beijing in December 2011 for NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference ..........................................................................................................................................................9 Free WiFi service offered in E. China.................................................................................................................9 China Internet users exceed 500 million .............................................................................................................9 China urge int'l co-op for network security.........................................................................................................9 Ping-pong playing robots' debut in East China .................................................................................................10

Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies ..................................................10 Joint Nano School Founded ..............................................................................................................................10

Environment (including climate change) ...............................................................................................................10 New Marine S&T Planning Outline Released ..................................................................................................10 China to invest more in oceanic science ...........................................................................................................11 China to reevaluate, revise environmental quality standards in next five years................................................11 Scientific Expedition on Hexi Corridor Gobi....................................................................................................11 Asia-Europe Water Resources Research and Utilization Center Settles in Changsha ......................................11 KLABWE, ARI Sign Cooperation Memorandum ............................................................................................12 China's Plant Resources Need Additional Protections......................................................................................12 IHB and Griffith University Sign Cooperation Memorandum..........................................................................12

Energy....................................................................................................................................................................12 670M Tons of Standard Coal Energy to Save ...................................................................................................12 Training Program on Information Technology for Small and Medium Hydropower Launched in Changsha..13 Nuclear to remain in energy mix.......................................................................................................................13

Transport (including aeronautics) .........................................................................................................................13 Chinese vice premier stresses talent cultivation in promoting civil aviation industry ......................................13 China unveils its first ultra-light civil helicopter...............................................................................................13 China, UK eye transport studies........................................................................................................................14 GM, SAIC power up to lead electric cars .........................................................................................................14 Helicopter rescue hovering over horizon ..........................................................................................................14 Jetliner to challenge market leaders ..................................................................................................................14 China's jumbo jet equipped with 'Chinese Heart' engine ..................................................................................15 China to build new-energy auto components base ............................................................................................15 Three Research Centers for Large Aircraft Engine ...........................................................................................15 Advanced unmanned aircraft debuts in Beijing ................................................................................................15

Socioeconomic sciences and the Humanities.........................................................................................................16 Social network websites 'pose a challenge' .......................................................................................................16 Senior Chinese leader calls for strengthened, innovative social management ..................................................16

3

Over 100 mln farmers will move to urban areas in China next decade: report .................................................16 Mass migration, major problems.......................................................................................................................17 Climbing up the Social Ladder-- Mouse Study May Tell How ........................................................................17

Space......................................................................................................................................................................17 China to Intensify International Exchanges, Cooperation in Aerospace Engineering.......................................17 Production on major part of China's jumbo rocket completed, maiden voyage before 2015............................18 Enhanced Space Seeds Breeding.......................................................................................................................18 PolyU Scientists Make Great Strides in Lunar Mapping ..................................................................................18 China launches new communication satellite ...................................................................................................18 China to build first satellite for European nation ..............................................................................................18 China to launch moon-landing probe around 2013 ...........................................................................................19 China's second moon orbiter Chang'e-2 sends data from 1.7 mln km away .....................................................19 Women prepare for space odyssey....................................................................................................................19 Space lab module reaches orbit .........................................................................................................................19 Chinese rocket sends French telecom satellite into space .................................................................................20

People ....................................................................................................................................................................20 Chinese Youth S&T Delegation Visits Japan ...................................................................................................20 Attracting More Overseas Talents.....................................................................................................................20 China Wants More Nuclear Talents ..................................................................................................................21 PICB Students Attend IMPRS Summer School and Conducts Research in Germany......................................21

Research infrastructures........................................................................................................................................21 Seabed mapping pace speeds up .......................................................................................................................21 China to launch eight Antarctic, Arctic research expeditions in five years.......................................................21

International S&T relations...................................................................................................................................22 MOST and Quebec Renew S&T Cooperation Agreement................................................................................22 15th Regular Meeting of China-Russia S&T Cooperation Held in Moscow ....................................................22 China calls for further Sino-US sci-tech co-op .................................................................................................22 WAN Met with Costa Rican Guests .................................................................................................................22 Chinese Science Minister Met with Swedish Guests ........................................................................................23 China-Germany Innovation Forum ...................................................................................................................23 Sino-German Innovation Platform Launched in Beijing...................................................................................23 Chinese Vice-Minister Met with UN Guests ....................................................................................................23

EDITORIAL Dear colleagues, We are pleased to present you the September issue of the Research and Innovation Highlights in China with major progress on EU-China S&T cooperation and the main developments in China's research field. In September, the EU and Chinese S&T counterparts have held successful missions in Beijing and Brussels and recorded fruitful discussions on cooperation in agriculture, energy and aeronautics. Concrete actions were identified and agreed upon over the implementation of cooperation in agriculture (on the topics of management of natural resources especially issues related to soil/farming system interactions, animal health especially viral diseases, integrated pest management), new and renewable energy (the EC-Chinese twinning of calls for proposals published last July on CSP), and aeronautics research (review of ongoing joint research projects and potential of collaboration in aeronautics and air transport). The EU-China R&I Events in the Highlights provided a brief overview of the discussions. In the Policies and Papers part, it would be interesting to note the report on the latest status of China's S&T spending. On 28 September, Chinese State Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Finance jointly released the statistics of China's 2010 S&T Expenditure which registered a continuous increase, with a growth of 27.6% over the previous year to reach RMB411.44 billion or 4.58% as a proportion of the national fiscal expenditure. The R&D expenditure stood at RMB706.26 billion, 1.76% of GDP (82.7% in experiment and development, 12.7% in applied research and 4.6% in basic research). Industries are the main investors in R&D activities with a 73.4% input, while government research institutes and universities spent 16.8% and 8.5% respectively. Six provinces or municipalities including Jiangsu, Beijing, Guangdong, Shandong, Zhejiang and Shanghai registered nearly 60% of the national total R&D expenditure, while seven provinces or municipalities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong reported an R&D expenditure intensity at or higher than the national average. Regarding the major research policy developments in China, new policies and measures were released during September. They included the National University Science Park Development Plan to promote technology transfer and findings' spin-offs and to help create technology start-ups, an outline for preparing the national marine S&T development planning that sets a target for China's marine S&T activities to be one of the world's most advanced by 2020, and a joint framework agreement established by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the State Foreign Experts Administration to recruit overseas talents for major national projects through a specific talents recruitment program. Details can be found in the reports under "Policies and Papers", "Environment" and "People". Also worth noting are the research activities and developments in the thematic fields including notably the launch of China's first space lab module Tiangong-1 which marks a critical step for the country in its plans to build its own space station. I wish you all a pleasant reading. With kind regards, Philippe Vialatte Head of S&T and Environment Section

EU-CHINA R&I EVENTS Viajeo Project Seminar held in Beijing On 8 September, the EU FP7 Viajeo Project held the seminar in Beijing to disseminate its current achievements and to raise awareness of the forthcoming project demonstration scheduled for November 2011 in Beijing (cross model journey planning and real time traffic information, real time bus operation, and passenger information display). Dr. Philippe Vialatte attended the workshop and gave a presentation on EC policy on international S&T cooperation. Follow-up to the 1st meeting of the EU-China Task Force on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies Research On 19 September, representatives from the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences (CAAS) and DG RTD held a bilateral meeting as a follow-up to the 1st meeting of the EU-China Task Force on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies Research in June. Both sides discussed policy level cooperation, cooperation in food safety, management of natural resources for the sustainability of food supply in the context of climate change, programme level cooperation in animal health, cooperation in integrated pest management. Dr. Rudolf Strohmeier, DDG of DG RTD, met the CAAS delegation during their visit in Brussels. DG RTD met MOST to discuss implementation of energy cooperation On 20 September, in the margins of the EU-China CCS Workshop organised by the Icap FP7 project, Mr. Wiktor Raldow and Mr. Vassilios Kougionas from DG RTD, together with Ms. Jessica Mitchell from S&T Section in the EU Delegation, met MOST interlocutors to discuss the implementation of the joint statement on new and renewable energy cooperation signed in December 2010. Progress was made on the development of the current twinning call on CSP and the topics for the next year. Joint EU-China Research Project MARS held year 1 review meeting Joint EU-China Research Project MARS (Manipulation of Reynolds Stress for Separation Control and Drag Reduction) held its year-one review meeting in Beijing on 26 and 27 September. DG RTD Research Programme Officer Dietrich Knoerzer attended the review meeting. The Chinese funding administration Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) was represented at the review meeting by Ms. Shi Jingmin, Advisor in the Department of Equipment Manufacturing Industries. MARS is one of the first joint research projects in aeronautics co-funded by the EC and China. The review meeting was successful and reported project progress as planned. Both European and Chinese partners reviewed the positive aspect of their cooperation and discussed the issues that remained to be addressed. DG RTD met Chinese interlocutor to discuss aeronautics research cooperation EU Del S&T Counsellor Philippe Vialatte and DG RTD Research Programme Officer Dietrich Knoerzer met Vice President Prof. Hua Jun of Chinese Aeronautics Establishment and MIIT Deputy Director General Mr. Li Benjian on 28 and 29 September respectively to exchange views on the present status of EU-China joint research projects on aeronautics and to discuss prospects concerning aeronautics and air transport issues. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the smooth implementation of the joint projects, reviewed the administrative and financial procedures and arrangements, and discussed the possibility of a set of specific measures to be

2

put in place to guide EU-China joint research projects. Both sides also expressed interest in the potential for cooperation in aeronautics and air transport.

POLICIES AND PAPERS New University Science Park Plan To implement the Outlines for National Medium and Long Term Scientific and Technological Development Planning (2006-2020), the Outlines for National Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development Planning (2010-2020), and the Outlines for National Medium and Long Term Human Resources Development Planning (2010-2020), Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Education have recently released a national university science park development plan for the 12th five-year period (2011-2015), in an attempt to sustain the development of university science parks in the new five-year period. According to the plan, China will have 200 university science parks under a three-tiered management system by 2015. University science parks at the national level will hit 100 in number. Professional service firms stationed at the parks will reach 1,000 in number, and businesses to be incubated 8,000 in number. The 12th five-year period will see the graduation of some 5,000 businesses and 100,000 service firms, with 10,000 S&T findings transferred, and 100,000 innovation and entrepreneurship talents trained. Meanwhile, university science parks will build 80 centers for students’ tech start-up practice, and establish 3,000 students’ tech start-ups. During the 12th five-year period, university science parks at the national level are asked to promote technology transfer and findings spin-offs in advantageous areas, taking advantage of universities’ innovation strength, helping faculties and students create tech start-ups, improving services, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship talents. Meanwhile, efforts will be made to consolidate service resources, accelerating the interactive connection of innovative elements in major industries that are the powerhouse of regional economic development, and fostering industrial clusters, innovation clusters, and strategic emerging industries. (Source: MOST) China's spending on R&D rises 21.7% China's spending on research and development (R&D) increased 21.7 percent year-on-year in 2010 as the country pushed for a more innovation-driven economy, according to official statistics released on 28 September. China put 706.3 billion yuan (111.1 billion U.S. dollars) into R&D last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a joint report with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology. The investment brought the proportion of R&D funds in the country's gross domestic output (GDP) to 1.76 percent, up 0.06 percentage point from 2009, said the report. However, that figure still lags behind the average in the world's leading countries, which invest an average of 3 percent of the GDP on R&D. Spending on science and technological development rose 27.6 percent year-on-year in 2010 to account for 4.58 percent of the state's fiscal expenditure, said the report. (Further details in source: China.org)

VOICES AND OPINIONS Premier Wen calls for sound, sustainable and quality growth Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called for promoting sound, sustainable and quality development in a keynote speech at the opening of the World Economic Forum annual meeting of "New Champions 2011" in Dalian City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Wen said the theme of

3

the WEF's meeting represents people's shared desire for robust, sustainable and balanced economic growth. (Source: Xinhua net) Honest research needed None of the scientific research works shortlisted for the 2011 National Natural Science Awards has qualified for the top prize. This has happened for the eighth time since the awards were introduced in 2000. It is heartening to know that the panel members are very strict with their appraisals. But the decision should be reason enough for most Chinese scientists to feel embarrassed. Given the fact that the money the State allocates for scientific research has increased by more than 20 percent a year over the past decade, there is enough reason to ask what is wrong with most Chinese scientists and the research mechanism. An investigation by the Chinese Association of Scientists has revealed that only about 40 percent of the funds allocated for scientific research is used on the projects they are meant for. The rest is usually spent on things that have nothing to do with research. Some research project leaders use the money to buy furniture, home appliances and, hold your breath, even apartments. In the most appalling scandal, an accountant in the National Science Foundation of China misappropriated more than 200 million yuan ($3.12 million) in eight years until he was arrested in 2004. Besides, the degree of earnestness most scientists show in their research projects nowadays is questionable. Engaging in scientific research projects funded by the State has turned out to be an opportunity for some scientists to make money. There are examples of some scientists getting research funds because of their connections with officials rather than their innovation capacity. Qian Xuesen, known as the father of China's atomic bomb and satellites, used to say during the last few years before his death in 2009 that the biggest problem is that Chinese universities cannot cultivate top-class scientists. (Further details in source: China Daily) Scientists under the microscope? While there is no doubt the massive investment has provided many scientists in China with world-class laboratories allowing them to strive for scientific breakthroughs that might help humanity, some experts in the field worry the flood of funding could lead to even greater corruption, waste and embezzlement. Critics highlight two fundamental flaws in the funding process that provide opportunities for dishonest dealings. They say the granting of funds is skewed in favor of those who cultivate close connections, sometimes with bribes, and a peer review assessment of applications for funding that is not anonymous. Critics also say the auditing of research funds is far too lax, allowing fund recipients to write off vast amounts with phony invoices that are seldom checked. “It’s good that more funds are provided for scientific research. It is the first step. The next step will be to improve the management and supervision. It takes time,” a staff member of the NNSFC told the Global Times on condition of anonymity. Zhu Mengjin, an associate professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, says the embezzlement has a lot to do with the low wages earned by scientists and professors in China. (Further details in source: Global Times) Publication bubble threatens China's scientific advance As China's economy has soared to the second place in the world, the country's scientific strength has also surged -- if only measured by the numbers. Chinese researchers published more than 1.2 million papers from 2006 to 2010 -- second only to the United States but well ahead of Britain, Germany and Japan, according to data recently published by Elsevier, a leading international scientific publisher and data provider. This figure represents a 14 percent increase over the period from 2005 to 2009. The number of published academic papers in science and technology is often seen as a gauge of national scientific prowess. But these impressive numbers mask an

4

uncomfortable fact: most of these papers are of low quality or have little impact. Citation per article (CPA) measures the quality and impact of papers. China's CPA is 1.47, the lowest figure among the top 20 publishing countries, according to Elsevier's Scopus citation database. China's CPA dropped from 1.72 for the period from 2005 to 2009, and is now below emerging countries such as India and Brazil. Among papers lead-authored by Chinese researchers, most citations were by domestic peers and, in many cases, were self-citations. "While quantity is an important indicator because it gives a sense of scientific capacity and the overall level of scientific activity in any particular field, citations are the primary indicator of overall scientific impact," said Daniel Calto, Director of SciVal Solutions at Elsevier North America. Calto attributed China's low CPA to a "dilution effect." "Chinese researchers are too obsessed with SCI (Science Citation Index), churning out too many articles of low quality," said Mu Rongping, Director-General of the Institute of Policy and Management at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China's major think tank. "Chinese researchers from a wide range of areas and institutions are vying for publication, as it is a key criterion for academic appraisal in China, if not the only one. As a result, the growth of quality pales in comparison to that of quantity," said Mu, an expert on China's national science policy and competitiveness. (Further details in source: Xinhua net) WAN Attended 2011 Summer Davos in Dalian At the invitation of World Economic Forum (WEF) Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, WAN Gang, Vice-Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, attended the World Economic Forum New Champions 2011 held on September 14-15 in Dalian. On the occasion of a dialogue meeting staged for young scientists and industrial technology pioneers, Wan spoke about a range of issues at the forum including future technology development trends, business opportunities brought up by novel technologies, young people’s innovation and entrepreneurship, and the innovation and entrepreneurial environment in China and associated government policies. At a senior officials meeting on technology innovation and cooperation staged for BRIC countries, WAN spoke about the major objectives and tasks defined by the national S&T development planning for the 12th five-year period. He said China attaches great importance to technology innovation and associated cooperation mechanisms among BRIC countries, wishing BRIC countries work together in the areas of technology innovation strategies and policies, food safety and sustainable agriculture, climate change, new energy, renewable energy and energy efficiency, basic research, biotechnology, high-tech parks among others. At the ministerial meeting on technology innovation, WAN made a keynote speech on promoting the quality growth through technology innovation at the meeting. He said S&T development has played a significant role in economic restructuring, transforming the mode of economic growth, and securing an economic growth with quality. (Further details in source: MOST)

PEOPLE OF THE M ONTH Premier meets foreign experts awarded for excellence by Chinese government

Premier Wen Jiabao had a meeting on 30 September with 50 foreigners from 21 nations who received the annual government "Friendship Award" for their excellent work performances in China. Talking to the award recipients at central Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the premier thanked these award-winning foreign experts in the presence of their

5

families and praised them for their outstanding contributions to China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive. Wen, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, also extended his appreciation for, and greetings to all foreign experts working in China and their families. In his address, the Premier recounted the country's latest development achievements, saying that in spite of this year's severe global economic situation, China has maintained stable economic development, which "is of great importance to the revival of the world economy and stability." Wen attributed China's development and progress to the solidarity and hard work of the Chinese People, as well as the diligent contributions made by foreign experts working in the country. The Premier emphasized the country's demand for talented people in making new, higher level achievements with better quality and in a more sustainable manner. "While we are fostering a large number of excellent, talented people at home, we should pay attention to introducing more high-quality foreign talents, so as to provide the country's modernization drive with powerful intellectual support," he said. Wen called the foreign experts, who work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Chinese People and share their happiness and woe, "participants and witnesses" in the country's economic and social development and progress. He urged government departments in charge of foreign experts' affairs to create sound conditions for excellent foreign talents to display their wisdom and abilities in China. Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang joined Wen at the meeting. China launched the annual award in 1991 and, so far, the government has granted the awards to 1,199 foreign professionals working in the country. (Source: Global Times) Super rice yield sets world record Yuan Longping, China's leading agricultural scientist, realized one of his 80th birthday wishes recently when his super grain brought yields of 13.9 tons of rice a hectare, setting a new world record for rice output. When he turned 80 last year, Yuan, who is widely known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice", vowed to cultivate a new type of hybrid rice yielding about 13.5 tons a hectare by 2012 and improving to 15 tons a hectare in 2020. The rice breed, DH2525 (Y two superior No 2), produced a harvest of 13.9 tons a hectare during its trial planting in Longhui county in Hunan province, the provincial academy of agriculture announced at a news conference on 19 September. To ensure the accuracy of the yield amount, a team of experts under the Ministry of Agriculture supervised the harvest, randomly selecting three of the 7.2-hectare trial field's 18 plots. The yield exceeded the goal China set itself in 2004 of 13.5 tons a hectare. Hybrid rice is produced by crossbreeding different varieties of rice. Yuan developed the first Chinese hybrid rice variety in 1974. His research team reached the target unit yields of 10.5 tons a hectare in 2000 and 12 tons a hectare in 2004, setting world records both times. "I was delighted as it was very difficult to produce such a high yield of rice in such a large area," Yuan said at a news conference. "This year's success showed China is leading the world in super hybrid rice research." (Further details in source: China Daily) Chinese scientist presented "America' s Nobel" for anti-malaria drug

A Chinese scientist was presented a prestigious U.S. award for the discovery of artemisinin, a drug therapy for malaria that has saved millions of lives across the globe, especially in the developing world. Pharmacologist Tu Youyou, 81, became the first scientist on the Chinese mainland to win Lasker Award, known as "America's Nobels" for their knack of gaining future recognition by the Nobel committee. Tu, a scientist at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, pioneered a new approach to malaria treatment that has benefited hundreds of millions of people and promises to benefit many times more. By applying modern techniques and rigor to

6

a heritage provided by 5000 years of Chinese traditional practitioners, she has delivered its riches into the 21st century. (Further details in source: Xinhua net) Peidong Yang Named Recipient of 2011 MRS Medal Award The Materials Research Society (MRS) has selected Peidong Yang, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to receive the 2011 MRS Medal. The MRS Medal Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes a specific outstanding recent discovery or advancement that is expected to have a major impact on the progress of a materials-related field. Yang was named MRS medalist for "outstanding contributions in the creative synthesis and assembly of semiconductor nanowires and their heterostructures, and innovations in nanowire-based photonics, thermoelectrics, solar energy conversion and nanofluidic applications." Peidong Yang is a co-author of the most-cited paper in Advanced Materials history,"One-dimensional nanostructures: Synthesis, characterization, and applications", which has received just under 4,000 citations since its publication in 2003. Co-authored with Younan Xia, this landmark review provided a comprehensive overview of one-dimensional nanostructures -- wires, rods, belts, and tubes -- whose lateral dimensions fall anywhere in the range of 1 to 100 nm. (Further details in source: CAS) Wen meets staff of Tiangong-1 space module Premier Wen Jiabao met with representatives of the staff members working for the country's first space lab module Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace-1." Tiangong-1, which is scheduled to dock with the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft later this year, will pave the way for building China's first space station. Wen was at the launch center Thursday and watched the launch process with He Guoqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Wen said the launch of the module is a critical step for China to develop the space docking technology and a milestone of the country's manned space program. It is also an achievement of China toward the building of an innovative country, Wen said. He called on the staff members to make further efforts for the country's space program and the nation's rejuvenation. "Your efforts and contributions will be remembered," he said. (Further details in source: China Daily) Chinese astronautical experts awarded with honors at IAC Two Chinese experts were awarded with international honors at the 62nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in South Africa, sources from the China Aerospace Science and technology Corporation said. Liu Jiyuan was given the Von Karman Award, the highest such prize presented by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). It was also the first time a Chinese expert was given such an honor. Liu was awarded for his great life-long achievements in science. As an expert in carrier rocket and strategic missile technologies, Liu made major contributions to the experiment and design of China's early carrier rockets. Wang Liheng, another Chinese astronautical expert, was presented the Mykhailo Yangel Medal. The honor given by Ukraine is awarded to those who make great contributions to space rocket development and the international cooperation of space exploration. The IAC, which is organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Academy of

7

Astronautics (IAA), and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), is the largest space-related conference and selects an average of 1,000 scientific papers every year. (Source: Xinhua net)

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES Health

Vice Premier Li Attends Inauguration of Hong Kong-Mainland Joint Research Center On August 18th, VM Chen Xiaoya accompanied Vice Premier Li Keqiang to attend the centennial anniversary of Hong Kong University (HKU) and the inauguration for the Hong Kong-Mainland joint institutes supported by MOST, including the Shenzhen branch of HKU state key lab for emerging infectious diseases and the joint research center on stem cell and regenerative medicine between Guangdong and Hong Kong. (Source: MOST)

Insect Host Species Of Famous Tibetan Medicinal Fungus Identified A team of researchers from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Xiao-Liang Wang and Yi-Jian Yao), summarized all the available information on the insect species associated with the Tibetan medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis through an extensive literature survey and analyzed their relationships with the fungus. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys. (Further details in source: CAS)

Chinese Herb Fights Hepatitis-B Virus CAS Kunming Institute of Botany researchers found for the first time that the ethanol extracts derived from a Chinese herb named Qingyedan, mainly grown in Yunnan, is significantly inhibitory to HBV activities. Researchers also unveiled major active components in the herb that are inhibitory to hepatitis B viruses. (Further details in source: MOST) _______________________________________ Food, agriculture and fisheries, biotechnology

Transgenic Goats with Α-Lactalbumin Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences Institute of Animal Husbandry has recently reported the birth of several transgenic dairy goats carrying human α-lactalbumin genes. The transgenic dairy goats have gone through a range of sophisticated operations, including gene cloning, carrier conceiving, cell transfection, somatic cell nuclear transfer, and embryo transfer, before hitting the final stage of birth. (Further details in source: MOST)

Super Rice Landed a Yield over 900kg Y-Liangyou-2, a super hybrid rice line grown by Father of Hybrid Rice Yuan Longping in Yangguao Township, Longhui County, Hunan Province, embarked on harvesting on September 18, 2011. Farmers harvested the ripen rice under the guidance of a Ministry of Agriculture expert panel led by CHENG Shihua, witnessed by hybrid rice specialists from different parts of the country. The expert panel selected 18 plots in 107.9 mu (1 mu= 0.0667 hectare) of super hybrid rice for harvesting. The harvested rice went through a range of procedures, including threshing, screening, moisture measuring, before getting

8

weighed. According to a briefing, the new rice line has hit a record high unit yield at 926.6kg per mu. (Source: MOST)

Egg Reprogramming Secrets Unveiled Two study teams, led by XU Guoliang and LI Jinsong respectively at Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology under CAS Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, reported their latest findings on egg reprogramming mechanisms in the September 5, 2011 issue of Nature, helping people to improve their knowledge of reprogramming mechanisms in natural fertilization and cloning processes, and in early embryos’ development. (Further details in source: MOST)

Fine Pig Species Cloned Beijing Genomics Institute (Shenzhen) announced on September 15, 2011 that it has managed to see the birth of six healthy cloned piglets on August 31 and September 2, respectively. Physically fit, the cloned piglets looked almost exactly the same, with the largest birth weight at 1.6kg. The piglets’ eyebrows have inherited the black birthmark of their donor father, nicknamed "strong pig ". (Further details in source: MOST)

Chinese archeologists find evidence of agricultural activity in ancient city Chinese archeologists have found evidence indicating that the mysterious ancient city of Loulan (Kroraina) once had highly-developed agricultural systems. Scientists from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted remote sensing procedures, field investigations and sample testing in the area and found that there were once large tracts of farmlands in Loulan. The farmland featured regular and straight circumferences stretching for 200 to 1,000 meters as well as irrigation ditches running throughout, said Qin Xiaoguang, a member of the research team. Moreover, researchers found grain particles in the area's ground surface, which are very likely to be remains of crop plants, Qin said. These findings show that irrigation farming had been practiced in Loulan for at least 100 years, Qin said. (Further details in source: Global Times) _______________________________________ Information and communication technologies

Spatial Information Industry Encouraged Eight core businesses in spatial information industry stationed at the Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park and three universities launched a Spatial Information Technology Industry Alliance, in an attempt to build a spatial information industry cluster worth one hundred billion RMB. According to a briefing, the Alliance is designed to provide a healthy development platform, an information sharing platform, an R&D platform, and a commercial application platform for the industry. It will work on industrial strategies, development plans, industrial standards, and legislations, accelerating the formation of a spatial information industry chain, and enhancing the core competitiveness of spatial information industry in Beijing. In addition, the Alliance will strive to promote the scale development of spatial information industry with satellite navigation, geographic information system, and advanced remote sensing as the core, taking advantage of the combined strength of application, industry, universities, research institutes, and management, and of the two major ongoing projects (Compass and High Resolution). (Further details in source: MOST)

9

World's Top Computational Scientists Coming to Beijing in December 2011 for NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference NVIDIA announced the dates and venue for "GTC Asia," the next major event in NVIDIA's international series of GPU Technology Conference (GTC) events, which focus on the latest advances and research in science, academic and commercial fields enabled by GPU computing. GTC Asia, which will take place at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on Dec. 14-15, builds on the success of recent GTC events in Israel, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, which drew thousands of attendees across a broad range of industries and disciplines. The comprehensive two-day agenda will include keynotes, roundtable discussions, presentations, an emerging companies summit, academic posters, tutorials, and more than 60 instructional sessions. The sessions, which will be conducted in both Chinese and English, are intended for developers, programmers and research scientists working on complex computational problems by harnessing the power of GPUs. (Further details in source: CAS)

Free WiFi service offered in E. China A tourist surfs the internet through the free WiFi service in a scenic spot in Putuo District, Zhoushan City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2011. Zhoushan has offered free WiFi service that covers the whole city, making it one of the first group of Chinese cities for tourism that offer free WiFi service. (Source: Global Times)

China Internet users exceed 500 million A senior government official said that China's Internet users has exceeded 500 million - an Internet popularization rate close to 40 percent. Wang Chen, chief of the Information Office of the State Council, made the remarks while addressing the fourth UK-China Internet Roundtable meeting. The latest numbers updated statistics released by the China Internet Network Information Center in July, which said the number of users had reached 485 million in June. Wang said rural Internet users total 130 million, accounting for 27 percent of all users in China. More than half of Chinese internet users communicate and share information via social networks, Wang said, adding that all types of network applications have been developing rapidly in China. "China's Internet industry has been expanding in scale and has become an important emerging strategic industry," he said. (Further details in source: China Daily)

China urge int'l co-op for network security A senior Chinese official said that countries are in urgent need of strengthening international cooperation while boosting their respective capacities in addressing the growing network security challenges. Wang Chen, chief of the Information Office of China's State Council, made the remarks while addressing the fourth UK-China Internet Roundtable meeting. "Like other countries, China also faces a grave and growing network security situation," he said, noting that China has become one of the world's primary victims of hacking. "China is opposed to all forms of network hacking, network war and cyberspace arms race," he said. As China and other developing countries face an expanding and graver number of network security challenges than developed countries do, developed countries should make use of their visible advantage in

10

network technology and security support capacity and provide help to developing countries, Wang said. (Further details in source: China Daily)

Ping-pong playing robots' debut in East China A human-like robot plays table tennis on Oct 9, 2011. Human-like robots developed by Zhejiang University in East China made debut. The two robots as shown can capture the track of the ball by a camera installed inside before making reactions. The robots, 160 cm tall and weighing 55 kilograms each, took the university four years to develop. The university also aims to develop robots that can do housework. (Source: China Daily) _______________________________________ Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

Joint Nano School Founded A College of Nano Science and Technology, jointly established by the University of Science and Technology of China and University of California, Berkeley, was inaugurated in Suzhou. HOU Jianguo, the University of Science and Technology of China President, WANG Hongsheng, Deputy Mayor of Suzhou, and Richard Mathies, Dean of UC Berkeley College of Chemistry, were present at the ceremony. The Nano College will enroll its first batch of 158 full-time graduate students this year, working on six majors, including nano-medicine, nano-chemistry, nano-devices, nano-energy, nano-environment, and nano-catalysis. (Further details in source: MOST) _______________________________________ Environment (including climate change)

New Marine S&T Planning Outline Released A national conference was held on September 16, 2011 to discuss marine science and technology issues in Beijing. At the meeting, a range of government agencies, including the State Oceanic Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, and National Natural Science Foundation, jointly released an outline for preparing the national marine science and technology development planning for the 12th five-year period (2011-2015), which will deploy marine S&T activities for the coming five years, with some deployments running through 2020. The Outline says in the coming five years, China's economic development will become more depend on marine activities. As a result, during the 12th five-year period, the contribution rendered by marine S&T activities to the marine economy will go up to 60% from 54.5% in the previous five-year period. China will generate more proprietary marine technologies, enjoying an increased number of patents by 35%. The Outline also says by 2020, China's overall level of marine S&T activities will sit among the world's most advanced, supported by a marine research system and an innovation contingent that are able to meet the needs of the national economic and social development. China will foster a service and support capability that covers China’s territorial waters, adjacent waters, and major areas in the world. Meanwhile, China will see a noticeably enhanced innovation capability that meets the needs of maritime activities, including the development, protection, and utilization of marine resources. (Source: MOST)

11

China to invest more in oceanic science The Chinese government released a guideline on the oceanic science and technology development between 2011 and 2015, vowing to invest more to boost the country's maritime economy. "We will expand the depths and scope of oceanic research and improve our understanding of the ocean, with special focuses on the polar regions and deep sea environments," said Liu Cigui, head of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), at a meeting on oceanic technology. The guideline was jointly released at the meeting by the SOA, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education and the National Natural Science Foundation. According to Liu, more efforts will be made to boost innovation and strive for breakthroughs in key technology in order to stimulate the development of emerging oceanic industries. (Source: China Daily)

China to reevaluate, revise environmental quality standards in next five years China will reevaluate and revise a series of environmental quality standards, including those for air, water, soil and noise, in the next five years, to improve the country's environmental quality. Zhou Jian, vice minister of environmental protection, made the remarks at the seventh China International Forum on Environment and Development. The country will set up or revise standards for pollutant emission limits in some key industry sectors with the major target of protecting people's health, Zhou said. Special campaigns will be launched to deal with some major existing environmental problems in fields of drinking water, air and soil pollution, garbage disposal as well as heavy metal and chemical industries. China's Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang said that China is willing to make joint efforts with other countries in developing the technology of carbon capture, utilization and storage. Wan made the remarks at the fourth ministerial meeting of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), which involves ministers from countries including the United States, Australia and Britain. (Source: People)

Scientific Expedition on Hexi Corridor Gobi A comprehensive scientific expedition was officially launched on September 7, 2011 to investigate the Gobi deserts across the Hexi Corridor in Gansu. Jointly initiated by Gansu Institute of Desert Control, CAS Institute of Cold and Arid Region Environment and Engineering, and Lanzhou University, the 27-member expedition team will collect basic data on the formation and evolution of the Hexi Corridor Gobi and study associated ecological functions. Scientists will also look into a range of interesting aspects of the Corridor, including type of Gobi and associated distribution, geological features, flora and fauna, hydrology, soils, climates, resources development and utilization, hazardous modes and magnitude, and the economic development of surrounding areas. (Further details in source: MOST)

Asia-Europe Water Resources Research and Utilization Center Settles in Changsha The launching ceremony of Asia-Europe Water Resources Research and Utilization Center & the 1st seminar on Asia-Europe water resources cooperation, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MOST and the People's Government of Hunan Province, were held in Changsha on August 22th and 23th. The representatives from related agencies jointly inaugurated the center and its website. The center signed letters of intent for partnership with 10 water-related institutions at home and abroad among the members of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). (Further details in source: MOST)

12

KLABWE, ARI Sign Cooperation Memorandum Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLABWE) and Australian River Institute at Griffith University (ARI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research collaboration in Wuhan on Sept. 14, 2011. Signing of the MoU will facilitate the cooperation between the two parties and help carry out joint research projects on river and wetland science. According to the MoU, KLABWE and ARI will cooperate in promoting research collaboration in river and wetland science, monitoring and management. They will seek to facilitate exchange of academic papers, data and information. Both parties will support joint publication of high level academic papers in first class international journals and presentations at seminars and international conferences. (Further details in source: CAS)

China's Plant Resources Need Additional Protections China needs to change where it sites its nature reserves and steer people out of remote rural villages toward cities to protect its valuable but threatened wild plant resources, according to an article published in the September issue of BioScience. The article, by Weiguo Sang and Keping Ma of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Botany and Jan C. Axmacher of University College, London, lists seven strategic steps that are needed to secure the future of China's wild plants, which the authors say are not effectively conserved by the country's existing protected areas. Many of those areas exist only on paper and are located far from Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, where rare species are found in the largest numbers, according to Sang and his coauthors. (Further details in source: CAS)

IHB and Griffith University Sign Cooperation Memora ndum The Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHB) and the Griffith University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research collaboration on September 14, 2011. Prof. XU Xudong, deputy director of IHB and Prof. Ian O’Connor, vice chancellor and president of Griffith University, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institution. In recognition of the mutual benefits derived from scholarly interaction, the MoU is signed to facilitate the close cooperative relationship between both institutions and effectively enhance the carry-out of joint research projects in the fields of river and wetland science, including river classification, river protection and restoration, climate change, environmental flow, water resources management and aquatic biodiversity. According to the MoU, both institutions will cooperate in promoting student exchange, exchange of academic papers, joint publication of high level academic papers and joint training and supervision of graduate students etc. Besides, a visiting scholar scheme will be developed to encourage and invite research academics. The MoU will also enable researchers from both institutions to conduct mutually beneficial projects. (Further details in source: CAS) _______________________________________ Energy

670M Tons of Standard Coal Energy to Save According to an energy conservation plan released on September 7, 2011 by the Chinese Government Network, China will achieve an energy saving by 670 million tons of standard coal during the 12th five-year plan period. By 2015, China’s energy consumption will hit the level of 0.869 tons of standard coal per RMB 10,000 GDP (in line with the price tag of 2005), expecting a 16 percent drop compared with 1.034 tons in 2010, or 32% down against 1.276 tons in 2005. (Further details in source: MOST)

13

Training Program on Information Technology for Small and Medium Hydropower Launched in Changsha The opening ceremony of 2011 international training program on information technology for small and medium hydropower, sponsored by the Department of International Cooperation of MOST, was held in Changsha on August 22th. 21 representatives from over 10 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Brazil, will participate in a 20-day program. This program is MOST's first technology training on the information-based small and medium hydropower for developing countries in recent years. On that day, 21 trainees were invited to attend the launch ceremony of Asia-Europe Water Resources Research and Utilization Center & the 1st seminar on Asia-Europe water resources cooperation. The training program aims to share China's hydro technology and experiences with all the trainees, explore cooperation patterns and promote global hydropower development. (Source: MOST)

Nuclear to remain in energy mix Nuclear power will remain a component of China's energy mix to help the country reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with safety as a precondition, China's top climate change official said. "Currently and in the future, in a bid to control greenhouse gas emissions, China will rely chiefly on saving energy, enhancing energy efficiency, developing renewable energies and developing nuclear power on the premise of ensuring safety," said Xie Zhenhua, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. Following the huge Japanese earthquake in March, China suspended approval of new nuclear projects and there has been speculation that the country would scale back its nuclear energy program. As the world's largest coal consumer, China's energy consumption structure cannot be easily changed. So carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), a low-carbon technology, can play a critical role in carbon emission reduction, Xie said. China will continue to increase investment in CCUS research and development through 2015, Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang told the conference. The country has budgeted more than 400 million yuan ($62.7 million) for CCUS research and projects for 2011. This government spending is expected to generate 2.3 billion yuan in additional investment from business and other sectors. China also plans to launch a CCUS Industrial Technical Innovation Alliance to promote the technology through the cooperation of companies, the academic world and research institutes, he said. (Further details in source: China Daily) _______________________________________ Transport (including aeronautics)

Chinese vice premier stresses talent cultivation in promoting civil aviation industry Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang called for efforts to cultivate more talents and come up with more research findings to support the development of civil aviation industry. Zhang made the remarks at a rally celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), which was held in the northern city of Tianjin. The key factor for developing the civil aviation industry is cultivating talents, while the foundation lies in education, Zhang said. (Further details in source: Xinhua net)

China unveils its first ultra-light civil helicopter The first ultra-light civil helicopter manufactured in China made its debut at the first China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin. The one-tonne AC310 helicopter, equipped with a fuel-efficient engine and flexible rotor system, can carry two to three passengers and cruise at up to

14

159 km per hour, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which developed and manufactured the ultra-light helicopter. The aircraft can be deployed for emergency rescue, environmental monitoring, flight training, and private use, said Wang Bin, president of Avicopter Corporation Limited, a joint venture between AVIC and the Tianjin municipal government. (Further details in source: Global Times)

China, UK eye transport studies China and the United Kingdom have a lot to learn from each other in managing transport issues and the two countries will cooperate in this area as well as green vehicles, a senior British minister said, adding that a Shanghai-based company will produce and export the iconic black cabs to London. Philip Hammond, secretary of state for transport, said during his official visit that Shanghai and some UK cities like London could "learn together and from each other" since they face transport problems of the same magnitude, including tackling urban traffic problems. Hammond said the urban planners in both countries should collaborate more closely and consider solutions, including implementing convenient mass transit systems as well as promoting greener vehicles, to tackle the common problems of traffic jams and urban air pollution. He disclosed that a good example of such close cooperation is the Shanghai LTI Automobile Components Co joint venture with China's carmaker Geely, which has started a program to export iconic black London cabs to be used in that city. (Further details in source: China.org)

GM, SAIC power up to lead electric cars General Motors Corp and its Chinese partner SAIC Motor agreed to co-develop a platform for a new generation of electric vehicles in China, the first joint development between a Chinese auto company and a foreign auto group. The move will further deepen the strategic partnership between the two carmakers which want to lead the new energy vehicle market in China. It will also bolster the two partners in meeting competition from Nissan and Volkswagen, which have also aggressively boosted their presence in the green vehicle segment in the world's largest auto market. Under the agreement, the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center - SAIC and GM's engineering and design joint venture in Shanghai - will serve as the development center for the new EV architecture. Engineering teams from the two companies will also work together to develop key components and vehicle structure. (Further details in source: China.org)

Helicopter rescue hovering over horizon Helicopter rescue will be available in China for 200 to 300 million people in five years, the Ministry of Civil Affairs revealed. Kong Qingxin, director-general of the ministry's promotion center for emergency assistance, said rescue response time will be possible within 15 minutes in major cities. About 1 million square kilometers - 11 percent of country's land area - will be covered. (Further details in source: China Daily)

Jetliner to challenge market leaders The maker of China's largest commercial aircraft, the C919, said it hopes to capture one-third of the country's single-aisle aircraft market in 20 years, breaking the lengthy domination of that market by Boeing and Airbus. Following the first 100 orders for C919s announced last November, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China will announce new orders next month, said Tian Min, the corporation's chief accountant, at the Aviation Expo China 2011 in Beijing. The C919 is expected to take its maiden flight in 2014 and the first delivery will be made by

15

2016. So far the plane's overall layout plan has been finalized, and the project is expected to enter the engineering development stage soon, he said. (Further details in source: China Daily)

China's jumbo jet equipped with 'Chinese Heart' engine A half-scale metal model of China's first jumbo jet engine, the CJ-1000A independently developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), made its public debut at the 14th China International Aviation Exposition in the China National Convention Center from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24 and became the focus of attention at the exposition. A head of AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd. (ACAE) announced on Sept. 21 that the large aircraft engine CJ-1000A is the first high bypass ratio turbofan engine for civilian use in China. Its core engine test is expected to be finished in 2014, and its experimental engine will meet the performance standards by 2016. This engine is scheduled to get a airworthiness certificate and realize product delivery in 2020. (Further details in source: People)

China to build new-energy auto components base Beijing signed an agreement with an automobile manufacturer to build the country's largest industrial park for producing components for new-energy vehicles, according to municipal authorities. According to an agreement signed by the Pinggu District government and Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd., the industrial park will be located in the Xinggu Economic and Technological Development Zone in Beijing's suburban Pinggu District. The park will manufacture and sell components and high-end equipment for the production of new-energy vehicles, as well as provide logistical services, according to the agreement. The park is expected to be completed by 2017. The Pinggu District lies 70 km northeast of Beijing, linking it with the northern port city of Tianjin. (Source: China Daily)

Three Research Centers for Large Aircraft Engine AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd. announced on September 19, 2011 that it has inaugurated the opening of three research centers in Shanghai, including an aero-engine engineering center, a structural integrity engineering center, and a Shanghai Supercomputer Center branch for AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine. The development marks the substantive progresses made in large passenger aircraft engine related pre-study and key technology development. According to a plan, Chinese-made large aircraft engine "CJ-1000A" will complete its test mission as a demonstrator in 2016, and put into commercial operation in 2020. The three centers, together with an inclusive and foreign objects inhalation injury engineering center inaugurated last December, have shown China’s determination to master the key technologies of building quality commercial aircraft engines. (Source: MOST)

Advanced unmanned aircraft debuts in Beijing The Aviation Expo China 2011, the oldest and most professional aviation exposition, was held from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24. The advanced domestic unmanned helicopter, codenamed Z-5, has been placed in the exposition hall. It was the first time that the helicopter has been seen by the public at large. The unmanned Z-5 helicopter, which was developed by the 60th Research Institute of PLA Headquarters of the Central Staff, is a military aircraft and has never been revealed to the public before. "The advanced Z-5 unmanned helicopter is a perfect air platform because it can hover in the sky," said a technician at the exposition. "It integrates multiple advanced technologies, such as a measurement and control system, navigation technology, sensors, automatic control system as well as image transmission. It can be fixed in a particular point in the sky to do topographic and environmental investigations of a certain area or send out

16

interference to enemy devices. This helicopter not only can be used in military investigations but also will play an important role in civilian fields like earthquake relief and land monitoring." (Further details in source: People) _______________________________________ Socioeconomic sciences and the Humanities

Social network websites 'pose a challenge' A senior official highlighted, and condemned, the abuse of social network websites, admitting that managing them posed a challenge for the government. Networks such as Facebook and Twitter pose new problems for social management, Wang Chen, minister of the State Internet Information Office, said in a keynote speech at the 4th UK-China Internet Roundtable. "Many people are considering how to prevent the abuse of these networks following violent crimes that took place in some parts of the world this year," he said. China has more than 500 million netizens, of which 300 million are users of Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, he said. "Everyone involved should observe the law and safeguard the norms of social morality. The Internet should not be used to jeopardize the national or public interest, or the legitimate rights and interests of other citizens," Wang, also minister of the State Council Information Office, said. As more people, especially the young, get involved in online and virtual worlds, the greater the chance that this could have a negative impact on real life, said Xie Yungeng, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Teenagers can easily be addicted to the Internet. According to a survey conducted by Tianjin-based Nankai University, 68 percent of young people spent more than six hours a day surfing the Internet during their summer holidays. (Further details in source: China Daily)

Senior Chinese leader calls for strengthened, innovative social management Senior Chinese leader Zhou Yongkang has called for strengthened, innovative social management in order to better address social problems and promote social justice and social order. Government departments nationwide should "simplify their working procedures, enforce laws in a strict, impartial and civilized manner, and subject their work to the supervision of the masses," Zhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said at a televised national conference. Zhou, who is also the director of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Social Management, called on government departments to enhance efforts to stabilize the rising population, and reinforce the management, education and support of former offenders and people under community correction. Zhou also asked for better management of private companies, non-government organizations (NGOs), Internet-based activities and telecommunications networks. (Further details in source: central government web)

Over 100 mln farmers will move to urban areas in China next decade: report More than 100 million Chinese farmers are expected to be transferred to urban areas over the next decade, said a report. The report entitled "2011 Report on the Development of China's Floating Population" said the country's urban citizens will exceed 800 million by the year of 2020. China's economically developed coastal areas, with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as centers, are among the most attractive areas for farmers, the report said. China has been witnessing a large-scale urbanization over the past 30 years since its opening policy and economic reforms. It plans to raise the urbanization rate to 52 percent by 2015 and 65 percent by 2030, according to the government's 12th Five-Year-Plan (2011-2015). The report noted that public services in cities, including family planning management services, should be further

17

improved in an effort to better serve urban citizens. Reasonable policies are badly needed to guide the floating population and serve the country's urbanization drive, the report states. (Source: Xinhua net)

Mass migration, major problems China's migrant population now numbers 221 million, or 16.5 percent of all citizens, and as the numbers grow so do the problems these people face. Most migrants do not enjoy the same rights as local people and therefore face difficulties integrating into urban life, according to a government report. The 2011 Report on China's Migrant Population Development was issued by the National Population and Family Planning Commission and will serve as a guide for the central government as it formulates plans for urbanization and population management. According to the report, more than 76 percent of the new generation of migrant workers, who were mostly born after 1980, want to live permanently in the cities where they work but are seriously challenged by the high cost of urban life and poor access to welfare services such as education, medical treatment, housing and social security programs. (Further details in source: China Daily)

Climbing up the Social Ladder-- Mouse Study May Tell How A team of researchers, led by HU Hailan, at the Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, found bi-directional control of social hierarchy by synaptic efficacy in medial prefrontal cortex. This finding suggests social hierarchical status correlated with the synaptic strength in mPFC neurons. Social hierarchy is a fundamental organizing mechanism of most animal societies, and is one of the most robust forms of social behavior. The social status profoundly impacts individuals’ health and life quality. Indeed the social economic status has been identified as the single strongest predictor of health. A stable hierarchical structure is also believed to reduce unwanted intense conflicts within the group. Up to now, the neural circuit mechanism determining the social hierarchical status was almost completely unknown. In this study, HU Hailan’s group probed this circuitry by synaptic perturbation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a candidate brain region explicitly implicated in social cognition. This work established simple and robust behavioral paradigms for the study of social hierarchy. It opened the opportunity to a better understanding of the whole dominance circuitry. As the dominance status greatly influences many essential physiological functions including anxiety, motivation, addiction and reproduction, this work may also shed light on how these emotions and behaviors are regulated. (Further details in source: CAS) _______________________________________ Space

China to Intensify International Exchanges, Cooperation in Aerospace Engineering China will bolster its exchanges and cooperation with other countries to contribute to the exploration and peaceful use of space, a space flight program spokeswoman said. "We believe that international exchanges and cooperation in the field of aerospace engineering should be intensified on the basis of mutual benefit, peaceful use and common development," said Wu Ping, a spokeswoman for China's manned space program. Wu said China has carried out comprehensive cooperation and exchanges with countries such as Russia and Germany, as well as with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), since it started its manned space program in 1992. Wu made the remarks at a press briefing in northwest China's Jiuquan Satellite

18

Launch Center a day ahead of a scheduled launch for China's first space lab module. (Further details in source: CAS)

Production on major part of China's jumbo rocket completed, maiden voyage before 2015 Production on a major part of China's Long March-5 large-thrust carrier rocket has been completed and its maiden voyage is expected to take place during the country's 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), according to its producer. The entire production of the new generations of rockets, including the Long March-5 and -6, will be housed in a large industrial base in north China's Tianjin Municipality, said Ma Xingrui, general manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which designs and manufactures major products for the country's space industry such as the Shenzhou manned spacecraft and the Long March rocket series. (Further details in source: Xinhua net)

Enhanced Space Seeds Breeding It is reported from a forum held to discuss space seeds breeding activities that during the 12th five-year plan period, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will launch some one hundred satellites (spacecraft and probes), which will help China’s agricultural sector boost its innovation capability through more space seeds breeding activities. Up to date, China has made 393 products lines of 9 major crops part of space breeding experiments, and screened out 70 new varieties that have passed validation checks at the national or provincial level. According to a briefing, the large-scale application of space engineered seeds has noticeably raised crop yields, improved the quality of agricultural products, optimized crops’ adversity resistance, and laid a solid foundation for the commercial applications of space seeds breeding. (Further details in source: MOST)

PolyU Scientists Make Great Strides in Lunar Mapping The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced that its surveying experts had successfully developed methodologies for precise mapping of the Moon, after intensive analysis of the data captured by the Chinese lunar orbiter ChangE-1 and other lunar exploration missions. According to the PolyU, the team has made significant contributions to lunar mapping. Their efforts culminated in the development of a unique and innovative approach to the creation of accurate 3D models of the lunar surface. (Further details in source: CAS)

China launches new communication satellite China successfully launched a new communication satellite, Zhongxing-1A, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan Province on 19 September. The satellite, lifted by a Long March-3B rocket carrier, blasted off from the center at 0:33 a.m. and successfully entered the preset orbit, sources with the center said. Zhongxing-1A was designed and manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The satellite will provide high-quality voice communication, broadcast and data transmission services for users across China. The launch was the 146th mission for the Long March carrier rocket series. (Source: China.org)

China to build first satellite for European nation China will build and launch a communications satellite for Belarus, according to a contract signed between the two countries in Minsk. It is the seventh in-orbit delivery contract that China has signed, but the first with a European client, China Great Wall Industry Corp, a subsidiary of

19

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said. "The contract with Belarus marks China's expansion of satellite in-orbit delivery service to the European market," said Yin Liming, president of China Great Wall Industry Corp, the only one in China authorized to conduct commercial launches for international customers. The communications satellite will use the Dongfanghong-4 satellite platform and has a designed lifespan of 15 years, according to the contract. It will be launched atop a Long March 3-B rocket carrier at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province two years and a half after the contract takes effect. China will also build a ground station in Minsk for Belarus to monitor and control the satellite, and provide related training to Belarusian technicians. Different from the past six contracts for in-orbit delivery of communications satellites, this project is the first time that China Great Wall Industry Corp has joined in the satellite's operation. (Further details in source: China Daily)

China to launch moon-landing probe around 2013 China will launch its lunar probe Chang'e-3 around 2013, which is expected to conduct the first softlanding of a Chinese spacecraft on an extraterrestrial body. The mission of Chang'e-3 is to land on the moon safely and carry out a large number of experiments, according to sources with State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. This mission serves as a key part in the second stage of China's three-phase lunar exploration program. (Source: Global Times)

China's second moon orbiter Chang'e-2 sends data from 1.7 mln km away China's second moon orbiter Chang'e-2 has been orbiting the second Lagrange Point (L2) in a stable manner and has sent back the first batch of data from outer space about 1.7 million km away from Earth. The orbiter is scheduled to travel around the L2 orbit till the end of 2012, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. It will carry out exploration activities, such as monitoring of the high energy particles and solar winds, around the L2. Chang'e-2 entered L2's orbit, where gravity from the sun and Earth balances the orbital motion of a satellite, in late August and has been operating stably for 26 days. It is the first time for China to send a spacecraft to a place 1.7 million km away from Earth. (Source: Global Times)

Women prepare for space odyssey Female astronauts are likely to join male counterparts to make the historic journey on Tiangong 2 - "Heavenly Palace" - which is scheduled to blast off in 2016, Xu Kejun, chief designer of China's manned satellite launch center, told Xinmin Evening News. The country plans to launch two modules, Tiangong 2 and Tiangong 3, probably both manned, to complete an orbital laboratory that will be a step on the way to building a space station around 2020. (Further details in source: China.org)

Space lab module reaches orbit China's first space laboratory module Tiangong-1 entered the earth's orbit on 29 September evening, marking a critical step for the country in its plans to build its own space station at a time when the world's space technology leaders are either slowing down or redesigning their manned space programs. With President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao watching while hundreds of thousands tuned in to a live broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV), the Long March-2FT1 rocket carrying the 8-ton module lifted off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9:16 pm. Commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, Chang Wanquan,

20

declared the launch successful at 9:38, about 10 minutes after Tiangong-1 extended its solar panels more than 300 kilometers above the planet. Tiangong-1 will be used to test rendezvous and docking, a maneuver that is essential for building a space station. CCTV announced on 29 September that the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft will be launched November 1 to conduct a docking test with Tiangong-1. China plans to send astronauts onboard Shenzhou-10 within two years to dock with Tiangong-1. (Further details in source: Global Times)

Chinese rocket sends French telecom satellite into space China's Long March-III2 rocket carrier sent a French-made telecom satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, marking the first time for China to provide launch service for a European satellite operator. It was also the 148th launch for the Long March rocket family. According to information and data received by the Xi'an Satellite Measuring and Monitoring Center, the satellite and rocket carrier separated on schedule and the satellite is now in orbit. (Further details in source: Xinhua net) _______________________________________ People

Chinese Youth S&T Delegation Visits Japan According to the MOU on China-Japan Youth Friendly Exchange Year, the Chinese Youth S&T Delegation visited Japan from August 24th to 31st at the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The delegation consisted of 34 young representatives from science-related ministries, local S&T management systems, universities, research institutes and technology-based enterprises. During their visits to Tokyo U