Special funds support the development of independent innovation instruments

According to the “Regulations on the Administration of Special Funds for the Development of National Major Scientific Instruments and Equipment (Trial)”, the Fund Committee allocates 500 million yuan of special funds each year, and the Ministry of Science and Technology allocates 800 million yuan each year. In 2013, the National Natural Science Foundation of China accepted a total of 480 projects for basic research on scientific instruments. After being reviewed by the relevant scientific departments, 40 projects passed the review.

At present, many imported high-end measuring instruments rely on 100% imports. According to statistics, the value of advanced equipment imported from foreign countries is nearly 600 billion RMB each year, of which high-end scientific instruments and medical equipment total about 100 billion RMB, and the annual growth rate is about 30. %, of which instruments with high-end technology or related to national security are forbidden to enter mainland China, so the problems we currently face are mainly due to lack of scientific and technological content, poor innovation capability, and market confusion, and the loss of domestic high-end scientific instrument industry. International competitiveness lacks strong support for major national projects.

From 4 million to 1.5 billion yuan

For more than 100 years, about a third of the Nobel Prize in physics and chemistry has given scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the development of scientific instruments or measurement methods. Accelerating the development of scientific instruments has become one of the focuses of science and technology investment in countries around the world. However, our country is relatively weak in the development of scientific instruments. The key high-end precision instruments mainly rely on imports.

“I took on the Fund's basic research and research projects on scientific instruments, and also participated in the joint fund for large scientific installations established by the Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. This year, we conducted a joint research in DESY, Hamburg, Germany, fully recognizing that the development of scientific instruments is conducive to scientific innovation. Necessity. At present, there is a real need for further improvement in terms of funding, expertise, hardware, software, etc., said Jiang Shichun, a professor at the School of Materials Science and Technology at Tianjin University.

In 1998, in order to strengthen the support for the basic research of scientific instruments, the fund committee established a special research project for scientific instruments. From the year of funding 5 projects with a total funding of 4 million yuan, in 14 years, this special project has supported hundreds of projects. Many projects have achieved good results, some have broken the technological blockade, and some have achieved industrialization. Some of the initial achievements, some made important scientific research results based on the self-developed instruments.

In 2009, the special fund for basic research in scientific instruments increased to 50 million yuan, and in 2010 funded funds increased to 100 million yuan.

"This year's scientific research basic research project will reach 150 million yuan," said a person in charge of the Planning Bureau of the Fund Committee. "It is a separate project from the 500 million yuan that was launched this year for the development of major national instruments and equipment. The state invests in the development of instruments. Very impressive."

Academician Chen Hongyuan, an assessment expert of the basic research project of scientific instruments, believes that the basic research of scientific instruments is a long-term strategic task, and that the fund committee has established a long-term vision for the basic research of scientific instruments. The most important thing is that it has developed a number of instruments for research and development. Talent.

Special support to improve the competitiveness of local leading companies

The 2013 National Major Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development Special Project is another impetus for China to strengthen its independent innovation capability, promote scientific development, and enhance competitive strength.

The Ministry of Science and Technology requested that, combined with the characteristics of the development of major scientific instruments and equipment, as well as the actual development of China's scientific equipment and equipment industry, the risk-sharing mechanism should be strengthened, and the reform of financial aid nodes should be explored for projects led by enterprises. The specific method is to establish the project firstly. The first half of the project is mainly carried out by the self-financing unit and is funded by a special fund of 10%. After the mid-term evaluation, it has the significance of continuing development. The latter half is mainly supported by special funds. According to the project implementation progress and performance, special funds are allocated.

The Ministry of Science and Technology clearly stated that the instrument special project aims at the development and industrial application of major scientific instrument equipment products with broad market prospects. The general instrument principle and method research, instrument development work with unclear commercial prospects, do not belong to the special category of instruments.