Brief Introduction of Chinese Academy of Sciences

        CAS is the top academic institution and the comprehensive research and development center of natural sciences and high and new technology in China. Since its founding on November 1, 1949, its organization and staffs have undergone several adjustments. At the same time of its self-development, it has cultivated large numbers of high and new technology and scientific research talents.

        In 1987, CAS put forward a new operating guideline of "mobilizing and organizing the major force of the academy to the main battle field of the national economy while keeping a keen-witted and capable force engaging in basic research and high and new technology innovation." In 1998, the operating pattern of "One academy, two Systems" was put forward. In 1993, the academy took a step further by putting forward the reform idea of carrying out structural adjustment in the whole academy. At present, there are 123 scientific research organizations, and 20 other units, such as Chinese Science and Technology University and its Graduate School, The Cadre School of Management and so on, where are scattered all over the country. Besides Beijing, 12 sub-academies have been established in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei and other places. CAS has a staff of 100,000. There are nearly 60,000 professional technicians, and 17,800 of them have senior professional titles.

        In 1994, in accordance with to the requirement of "three bases" put forward by Secretary-general Jiang Zemin (namely, we should make efforts to build CAS into a scientific research base with international advanced level, a base of cultivating and bringing up senior S&T talents, and a base for promoting the development of high and new technology in China), CAS put forward the development plan oriented to the 21st century of establishing one center, improving two components, perfecting three main functions, reinforcing consultation services in four respects, namely, establishing the national knowledge innovation center of natural science and high and new technology with international advanced level; improving the two components of national scientific research organization and the highest S&T consultation organization; perfecting the three main functions of doing basic research, doing strategic research and undertaking key national S&T tasks; reinforcing the S&T consultation service.

        To date, CAS has established more than 100 laboratories with a new pattern of openness, mobility, and alliance in some key fields and disciplines of basic research. CAS is trying to establish a dozen of scientific research centers as well; in the applied research and development, CAS has organized a series of key projects aiming to provide services to the construction of national economy and social development, and a batch of engineering research centers are being constructed. In providing services to the sustainable social development, CAS has reinforced the construction of laboratories, stations and networks; in the industrialization of S&T achievements, CAS and its institutes have founded more than 400 high and new technology enterprises among which the Legend Group, Kejian Group and Zhongke Group have established themselves in the world.

The Background of Cooperation Between CAS and Ningbo City

        Ningbo has been known for its weak S&T force for a long time. There has been a big gap between Ningbo and other similar cities in terms of higher education and the number of talents and other indices. It has been a "short leg" which constrains the economic and social development of Ningbo. In order to change this situation and expedite the development of high and new technology industry and creating new advantages in the cross-century development, our city, in recent years, has attached great importance to the cooperation with those large academies and institutes such as CAS and Chinese North Industry Corporation Group, and key colleges and universities such as Zhejing University. Especially the cooperation with CAS has got great support from the leadership of CAS and experts. In March 1998, CAS and Ningbo City signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement in Beijing. In July of the same year, the group in charge of the coordination of the S&T cooperation between CAS and Ningbo convened for the first meeting in Ningbo. Since then, CAS and Ningbo City, in the spirit of advantage complementary, mutual benefits, and common development, have been conducting cooperation in various ways and have achieved remarkable results.

First, We have conducted close exchange and cooperation of talents.

        Recommended by Lu Yongxiang, the president of CAS, and decided by Zhejiang Standing Committee after discussion, Yan Luguang, a member of the CAS, took up the post of president of Ningbo University. Academician Yan is a scientist who enjoys a good international reputation. He has been engaging in the frontier research of some research fields such as electrical engineering and superconduction. Academician Yan settled himself down in Ningbo, thus making Ningbo have an academician working in Ningbo which was of great significance to implementation of the strategy of "rejuvenating the city by relying on science and technology" in Ningbo. In the year of 2000, five academicians such as Xue Yongqi, Shen Wenqing and so on, were engaged and held the concurrent post of president of relevant colleges and universities in Ningbo. CAS designated Academician Zhu Shi, a full professor and supervisor of doctoral candidates, to take up a temporary post in Ningbo. In order to reinforce the cooperation between Ningno and CAS, Ningbo city also designated some cadres to take a temporary post in CAS. At the same time, with the further deepening of the cooperation between CAS and Ningbo, experts in CAS came to Ningbo one after another and help the development of our city in a variety of ways. For example, Ningbo Marine Technology Transferring Center (Marine Biology Engineering Laboratory) introduced the biologists from CAS who took the leading role in tackling key problems and solved many technical difficult problems. For another example, Zhao Fengming, former director of Shenyang Metal Institute of the CAS, is general manager of Zhenhai Mingtong Engineering Chemical Compound Co., Ltd. He came to Zhenhai S&T Zone of Private Investment and founded the "Mingtong" company which engages in the production of special ceramics, such as pyrogenation nitride boron materials and pyrogenation graphite alloy, with the production technique taking the lead in the whole country.

Second, we have witnessed remarkable effects of key cooperation programs.

        Since the cooperation with CAS, 94 projects or programs in large scope of varieties have been introduced into our city. Some of these projects or programs have begun to playing an important role in Ningbo's economic construction. For example, the Ningbo Keningda Co. is the result of introducing the neodymium iron boron producing technique from CAS. This company has developed into a leading producer of neodymium iron boron materials in China and the neodymium iron boron industry in Ningbo has been greatly propelled, thus making Ningbo become the largest production base of neodymium iron boron materials in China. For another example, Ningbo Chemical Group Cooperation and CAS Shanghai Jieshijie Co. cooperated in the project of constructing a plant with "an annual production capacities of 10,000 tons of engineering plastics" with the total investment of 60 million yuan. The plant has been put into production. In the twelfth National Invention Exhibition, the project was conferred with the "Special Award of Ningbo Mayor." The electrical engineering without brushes program, a cooperation program between CAS and Ningbo, has been aided by Wan Kuancheng Education Fund with the amount of 2 million US dollars.

Third, We have accomplished substantial progress in the co-construction of technology development organizations.

        Aiming at the condition that there are not enough technology development agencies and the technology innovation capacity is weak in Ningbo, CAS and Ningbo have co-constructed 6 technology development organizations, such as the Ningbo Software Development Center (with the Software Research Institute of CAS ), Beilun CAS Photoelectric Technology Development Co. (with the Photoelectricity Research Institute of CAS) and so on. By co-constructing technology development organizations, we have enhanced the capacity of technology innovation of our city, and got some initial achievements. For example, the Ningbo Software Development Center of CAS spread CAD/CAM/CIMS technology to some enterprises in the garment industry such as the Shanshan Group and Yixiu Group, thus upgrading traditional industries by using advanced technology.

Fourth, We have conducted S&T consultation and lectures on a regular basis

        Since 1998, we have held 14 reports presented by academicians. President Lu Yongxiang, during the 12th National Invention Exhibition, gave a report entitled "A Retrospect and Outlook of S&T Development Over the Last 100 Years" in person. These reports made by academicians were very popular with the residents in our city, thus creating a good science and technology atmosphere in Ningbo. During the first meeting of the cooperation between CAS and Ningbo, we signed an agreement with CAS in which CAS agreed to help us formulate "The Development Plan of the High and New Technology Industry of Ningbo" and conduct "The Feasibility Study of Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Direct Transportation between Ningbo and Taiwan." to date, these two tasks have been passed the examination and approval. Among them, "The Development Plan of the High and New Technology Industry of Ningbo" will play an important navigating role in the development of the high and new technology industry in our city.