Scientists breaking new ground in their fields will receive cash awards in a bid to stimulate more research, a Chinese leader said Thursday.
"The state will award substantial prizes to scientists who have made progress in cutting-edge scientific research and those who have proved their commitment to technology innovation and commercialization of technological discoveries," said State Councillor Ismail Amat, at a conference in Beijing.
The state encourages all sources, in line with relevant government regulations, to set up science and technology funds to help push China's science and technology development forward, he said.
The conference was held to honour 59 scientists who have outshone their peers in scientific research and technological findings over the past year. They were given prizes by the Hong Kong-based Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Thursday.
Two of them, Zhang Xiangtong and Wu Rukang, received HK$1 million (US$128,000) each in prizes for the scientific achievements they have made.
(China Daily 10/20/2000)
