China’s Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of streamlining government science funding in his annual report at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March. Funding for Chinese researchers is currently dependent on how many of their publications are found in Thomson Reuters’ Science Citation Index and the influence of the journals in which they appear, instead of on the publications’ scientific importance. Another concern is the rigidity of fiscal policies. According to Mu Rongping, director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Policy and Management, Mr. Wen emphasized the science management system and efficacy of science funding in his report. He also set a goal of China’s total R&D expenditure to account for 2.2% of GDP by the end of the 12th Fifth-Year Plan in 2015, an increase from 1.75% in 2010. The Chinese government expects to dedicate CNY 194.4 billion ($29.6 billion) to science and technology this year, a 12.5% increase over last year. In 2008 and 2009, China undertook 16 science and technology schemes, which are expected to account for CNY 640 billion in spending by 2020.

Source: Nature