China's science drive aiming for more than just catch-ups: Nation contributor

[beijingwalker]

China's science drive aiming for more than just catch-ups: Nation contributor
PUBLISHED
FEB 12, 2019, 3:03 PM SGT

The interior of an ambulance with 5G technology, displayed at a 5G innovation park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang on Jan 20, 2019.PHOTO: AFP

BEIJING (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - China's scientific prowess has improved dramatically in recent years.

The country's spending on research and development grew ten fold between 2000 and 2016 and the results are showing.

Last month's highlight was the landing of a spacecraft on the dark side of the moon, and while some of China's achievements are more about catching up to the West rather than advancing overall scientific knowledge, there is still plenty to admire.

As The Economist recently noted, China's scientists have been ticking off milestones such as human space flight, vast genome-sequencing facilities, a fleet of research vessels, climate researchers drilling deep into the Antarctic icecap, powerful supercomputers, underground neutrino and dark-matter detectors.

Much of China's research has real-world implications.

A study published last month by Elsevier, a scientific publisher, and news organisation Nikkei, found that China published more high-impact research papers than the US did in 23 out of 30 hot research fields with clear technological applications.

The resources available to China's top scientists are the envy of many of their western counterparts.

Once the best Chinese scientists would seek research work overseas, but today Chinese postdoctoral researchers often get experience in the West and then head home where the Chinese government helps set them up in world-class facilities.

Younger researchers have been attracted by the Thousand Talents Plan, in which scientists aged under 55 (whether Chinese citizens or not) are given full-time positions at prestigious universities and institutes, with larger than normal salaries and resources.

Sheer numbers have also helped.

If you believe every country has a certain fraction of talented, innovative people, then China's advantage of having lots of people is obvious, but of course this doesn't explain why the science developed by other large countries, such as India, is nowhere near China's level.

One of the novel ways Chinese institutions encourage their researchers to publish high-profile papers is to offer cash incentives.

One study found that on average a paper in Nature or Science could earn the author a bonus of almost US$44,000 (S$59,766) in 2016.

While there is some debate on the quality versus quantity of China's published research, papers in high-profile publications are peer-reviewed reviewed internationally.

Further scientific advances are inevitable with China's R&D spending still having plenty of upside.

It was 2.07 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, up from 0.89 per cent in 2000, which is higher than the European average but still much lower than that of Japan and South Korea.

If China spent as much of its GDP on research as South Korea, its R&D budget would be twice as big as it is today.

The ultimate goal is to develop a homegrown, innovative research environment.

Although many of China's achievements to date have been incremental improvements rather than major scientific breakthroughs, the resources enjoyed by top researchers and the intellectual firepower on hand suggest progress to this goal is inevitable.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/e...r-more-than-just-catch-ups-nation-contributor

 

[cirr]

China To Fly 6th Gen Fighter Jet By 2035

Our Bureau

12:14 PM, February 12, 2019

China is expecting to build a sixth generation fighter aircraft by 2035, a Chinese fighter jet specialist has revealed.

"China's sixth-generation fighter will come into being by 2035 or earlier," said Wang Haifeng, a chief architect at Chengdu Aircraft Research and Design Institute as saying to Ordnance Industry Science Technology, a Xi'an-based periodical on national defense industries, in January.

The sixth-generation fighter may include capabilities like ability to command drones, artificial intelligence and even higher stealth capability through aerodynamic design, Chinamil quoted the periodical as stating.

"New technologies such as laser, adaptive engines, hypersonic weapons and swarm warfare, might also be part on the new aircraft," Wang added.

"China's tradition is to have one generation in service, a new one in development and a next-generation under study. Now that the J-20 is already in service, the development for a new aircraft is also underway," a Beijing-based military expert was quoted by Global Times as saying Monday.

The UK unveiled its sixth-generation fighter jet development program named Tempest in July 2018, and will invite India to join its co-development aircraft program, the Business Standard reported on Friday.

Other countries including the US, Russia and Japan are also reportedly developing their own sixth-generation fighter jets. Although they remain in the concept stage, the new fighters are likely to emerge in the 2030s or 2040s, the National Interest reported.

According to analysts, a generation gap means that the sixth-generation warplanes would easily top fifth-generation ones including the US' F-22 and China's J-20, the report added.

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/24248/China_To_Fly_6th_Gen_Fighter_Jet_by_2035

 

[TaiShang]

A study published last month by Elsevier, a scientific publisher, and news organisation Nikkei, found that China published more high-impact research papers than the US did in 23 out of 30 hot research fields with clear technological applications.

This is just the beginning.

In hard sciences, China's academic publications are on par with the most advanced, if not better in some areas.

Now, attention must also be paid on soft sciences (social sciences) such as IR theory, psychology, social behaviorism and economics. More high impact articles must be published in SCI and SSCI-indexed journals.

 

[Jlaw]

This is just the beginning.

In hard sciences, China's academic publications are on par with the most advanced, if not better in some areas.

Now, attention must also be paid on soft sciences (social sciences) such as IR theory, psychology, social behaviorism and economics. More high impact articles must be published in SCI and SSCI-indexed journals.

who will find the cancer cure first ? china or us?

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

In hard sciences, China's academic publications are on par with the most advanced, if not better in some areas.

Totally incorrect.

The most influential research in sciences still originates predominantly in west. Look at the authorship in top journals like Nature or Science. US publishes ten times more in Nature/Science compared to China.

This is just the beginning.

In hard sciences, China's academic publications are on par with the most advanced, if not better in some areas.

Now, attention must also be paid on soft sciences (social sciences) such as IR theory, psychology, social behaviorism and economics. More high impact articles must be published in SCI and SSCI-indexed journals.

This is the research published in Nature/Science:

https://www.natureindex.com/country-outputs/generate/Nature & Science/global/All/score

US 683.72
UK 115.79
Germany 109.85
China 72.67

 

[beijingwalker]

According to new research, China’s share of global scientific output now far exceeds its share of global economic output.Chinese researchers now publish more scientific papers than others. Roughly one in four scientific papers published has an author with a Chinese name or address. If Chinese-language papers are included, then the figure jumps up to 37%. By comparison, China contributes around 15% to global GDP.

https://qz.com/1375565/chinas-rise-as-a-scientific-power-has-been-remarkably-rapid/

 

[Menthol]

According to new research, China’s share of global scientific output now far exceeds its share of global economic output.Chinese researchers now publish more scientific papers than others. Roughly one in four scientific papers published has an author with a Chinese name or address. If Chinese-language papers are included, then the figure jumps up to 37%. By comparison, China contributes around 15% to global GDP.

https://qz.com/1375565/chinas-rise-as-a-scientific-power-has-been-remarkably-rapid/

As language barrier, it's reasonable if China has more written in their own language.

I'm agree if this is just a start.

China is a country run by scientists. So far, what they do is doing economy stuffs. But now, they entered the realms of science, of what they supposed to live...

Sounds too awesome I think, I hope the result as the same as what I expected.

 

[oprih]

When it comes to science and technology, China is the world leader.

When it comes to burger, and men screwing fellow men, the satanic state of america is the sole superpower.

 

[Mohrenn]

One of the most important recent thing is the new anti scientific cheating system China is creating, it will be miles ahead of anything else in the world

 

[nang2]

That is only natural. Life will be boring if one doesn't seek more challenges after he has caught up with everything else.

 

[Three_Kingdoms]

who will find the cancer cure first ? china or us?

We have made significant scientific contribution in curing leukemia and thus the award went to Chen Zhu:

Tuesday, February 06, 2018, 11:55
China's cancer researcher shares 2018's Sjoberg Prize of Sweden
By Xinhua

This undated photo shows Chen Zhu, a cancer researcher and professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

STOCKHOLM - China's cancer researcher Chen Zhu won The Sjoberg Prize 2018, together with French researchers Anne Dejean and Hugues de The, for the unique treatment that cures a once fatal cancer, announced The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Monday night.

According to a statement from the The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the prize was awarded to them "for the clarification of molecular mechanisms and the development of a revolutionary treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia".

This year's Sjoberg Laureates have developed a new and targeted treatment for a specific form of blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukaemia. It was once one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it is now possible to cure nine out of ten patients who receive the new treatment, the release reads.

The prize was awarded to them 'for the clarification of molecular mechanisms and the development of a revolutionary treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia'

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The treatment is unique because it is the first standard treatment for acute leukaemia that does not include chemotherapy. Instead, a combination treatment is used, which consists of a form of vitamin A, "all-trans retinoic acid", also called ATRA, along with arsenic trioxide.

The idea of using arsenic comes from traditional medicine, but this method has been scientifically tested and proven in this form. The Laureates have made this revolutionary development possible by methodically mapping the molecular mechanisms responsible for the disease.

By identifying a specific genetic mutation and aiding the destruction of a faulty protein in specific cells, it was possible to stop the process that resulted in death for three out of four patients. This treatment means the cancer cells disappear because they lose the ability to renew themselves.

These discoveries have been made in stages since the 1980s, and the treatment's effects have been confirmed in numerous scientific studies. In many countries, this treatment combination is now the first choice of treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

The three Laureates remain very active in the field of cancer research. Anne Dejean now primarily dedicates her research to continuing her studies of liver cancer, and to investigating the significance of protein modification in how cancer develops.

Hugues de The is interested in the potential for producing treatment methods for cancer that combine stimulating the cancer cells' maturation and blocking their ability to renew themselves, while Chen Zhu is investigating genetic and molecular changes in other forms of leukaemia.

Chen Zhu was quoted by the release as saying that he was honored to share the prize, "which recognizes important contributions to cancer research", with Dr. de The and Dr. Dejean.

"This prize means not only the glory, but even more importantly a responsibility, a responsibility for me, my team and our collaborators to continue efforts in the understanding of disease mechanisms of other types of haematological malignancies and to develop innovative, effective therapeutic strategies against those diseases through collaboration with other partners," Chen added.

Chen Zhu, born in 1953 in China, is now Professor at prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Anne Dejean, born in 1957 in France, is Professor at Institut Pasteur, France. Hugues de The, born in 1959 in France, is Professor at College de France, France.

The prize is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is funded by the Sjoberg Foundation. The foundation, with a donation of two billion Swedish krona (about US$2.5 billion), was founded in 2016, and serves to promote scientific research that focuses on cancer, health and the environment.

The Prize is an annual international prize in cancer research awarded to individual researchers or research groups. The prize amounts to US$1 million, of which US$100,000 is the prize sum and US$900,000 is funding for future research.

Laureates are expected to conduct the official Sjoberg Prize Lecture at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm on April 12.

https://www.chinadailyhk.com/articles/188/16/25/1517889654823.html


China's research papers lead the world in cutting-edge tech
Nikkei and Elsevier place the country atop 75% of the most important fields

YUKI OKOSHI, Nikkei staff writer JANUARY 06, 2019 03:43 JST

China leads the world in research on perovskites, a next-generation solar cell material. © Reuters
TOKYO -- China dominates a global ranking of the most-cited research papers published in the 30 hottest technology fields, a development likely to alarm American leadership already leery of its rising Asian rival.

Though the U.S. accounted for 3.9 million research papers overall compared with 2.9 million from China, the Asian country produced the largest share in 23 of the 30 fields that drew the most interest, while America took the crown for the remaining seven.

Nikkei and Elsevier compiled the ranking based on 2013-18 data provided by the Dutch publisher, covering a total of 17.2 million papers.


Materials known as perovskites, used to make highly efficient solar cells, topped the list of these 30 fields, followed by monatomic layers that are expected to lead to faster and more energy efficient semiconductors. Sodium-ion batteries that are seen providing a low-cost source of power ranked third.

China led the world in the majority of the top 10 fields, and each of the five areas in the top 10 tied to battery research. It accounted for more than 70% of all papers on photocatalysts and nucleic-acid-targeted cancer treatment, which ranked 12th and 14th. The U.S. led in three biotechnology fields, including No. 7 genome editing and No. 10 immunotherapy.

China was previously noted for the sheer volume of its research papers, but the quality of the research has improved in recent years. It accounted for nearly 11% of the papers that made the biggest impact, based on such factors as the number of citations, between 2014 and 2016.

The country's rise in technology research follows a sharp increase in R&D investment. China more than tripled spending on research and development between 2010 and 2016.

China's domestic R&D investment totaled $410 billion in 2016, not far behind the $464 billion of the U.S., data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows. In 2017, 510,000 Chinese papers were published in scientific journals, representing a 27% increase in five years, according to Elsevier. While America remained ahead with 560,000, its output was nearly flat over that period.

The U.S., which has dominated cutting-edge research for decades, is deeply suspicious of China's growing presence. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Beijing's "Made in China 2025" initiative to advance domestic industry as American concerns over the country's ascent in technology research exacerbate the current trade war.

More than the U.S. or Japan, China has focused its investment in areas with commercial potential, with a particular focus on material science for applications in electronics and electric vehicles, Elsevier said.

Beijing is targeting 10 core fields in its Made in China 2025 campaign. By improving its research and development process, China aims to become a manufacturing power in 2025 and a world-class producer in 2049. The core fields for Made in China 2025 can be seen in the list of research topics the country dominates in the ranking.

Although China is considered the world's factory for its production of goods like home electronics and cars, the U.S., Europe and Japan are still considered to have the lead in key technologies. "China is concentrating investment in research for high-tech industries so that it can also become self-reliant in fields for which it heavily relies on imports," said Naoto Saito at the Daiwa Institute of Research.

The U.S. has responded by taking steps against emerging companies closely linked to Made in China 2025, such as telecommunications equipment makers Huawei and ZTE. Tensions between the countries will intensify should the U.S. grow concerned that China will dominate research fields that are likely to be commercialized in five to 10 years.

Meanwhile, Japan lags behind both countries with less than a 10% share of papers in nearly all of the top 30 fields. It 2016 R&D spending came to 18.4 trillion yen ($170 billion at current rates), well under half the American and Chinese totals. The government covered 17.4% of this spending, compared with more than 20% in the U.S. and China.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Ch...ch-papers-lead-the-world-in-cutting-edge-tech