The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced its new research plan, Innovation 2020, in January. The plan continues to support basic research while also focusing on applied research. The budget for the plan, which is a component of the Knowledge Innovation Programme that CAS established in 1998, has not yet been announced, but it is expected to be consistent with the increase in China’s science spending. In 2009, CAS’s R&D expenditures totaled CNY 20 billion ($3 billion). Innovation 2020 will commence with projects in seven primary areas, such as stem cells and regenerative medicine, materials science, public health and the environment. CAS will set up three research centers for space science, clean coal technologies and geoscience monitoring devices. It plans to build three science parks to speed up the conversion of basic research into marketable products.

Source: Nature