China’s 38 collaborative innovation centers (CIC), initially established in 2012 through China’s 2011 Plan, are significant in surmounting bureaucracy, planning and productivity issues in Chinese R&D. Similar to Japan’s World Premier International Research Center Initiative or South America’s Millennium Science Initiative, the federally funded CICs serve as the link between scientific research and industry for strengthening the nation’s economy, and collaboration between domestic and international researchers. The CICs receive funding of approximately CNY 50 million ($7.5 million) per year. The researchers at CICs work with industry to address national concerns, while the industry companies contribute to funding research projects. With the emphasis on science and technology in the 13^th Five Year Plan, which started in 2015, the government intends for 60% of China’s economic growth to be represented by science and technology by 2020, with the CICs playing a large role in linking science with economic needs.

Source: Nature