After listening to the report on the work of the government delivered by Premier Li Keqiang, Wang Jianyu, a deputy to the National People's Congress, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and President of the Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS), UCAS, said very happily that "Establishing the National Laboratory, Tianwen-1, Chang'e-5... I have personally participated in most of the landmark science and technology events mentioned in the report."
Wang Jianyu was actually much busier than usual during the Two Sessions. As a deputy to the National People's Congress, he earnestly performed his duties, carefully prepared suggestions and proposals, and actively offered suggestions. During the Two Sessions, he specially presented theProposal on Accelerating the Expansion of the Implementation Scope of the Overall Rationing System for Scientific Research Funds, and shared his views on some current focus issues in the field of science and technology, which attracted the attention of many media.
From a follower to a front-runner, the development of science and technology never stops
From a follower to a front-runner, the development of quantum communications never stops.In 2016, China launched the world's first quantum science experimental satellite "Mozi". The successful launch of the satellite has enabled China to be the first in the world to realize quantum communications between satellites and the ground,marking that China is currently at the international leading level in quantum communications.In 2017, the Beijing-Shanghai Trunk Line, the world's first trunk line of secure quantum telecommunications, was successfully connected with Mozi, and Chinese scientists successfully realized intercontinental secure quantum communications,marking that China continues to lead the world in the practicalization and industrialization of quantum technology. Wang Jianyu, a well-known expert in quantum science who had experienced all these, was proud and calm. He thought that China's scientific and technological development in recent years is very fast, and there are many fields in which China has progressed all the way from being a follower to keeping pace with others and then being a front-runner. "As a cutting-edge field of science, it's not easy for China to maintain its leading position when quantum communication development reaches its current level." After China launched the "Mozi", many other countries in the world are also doing similar quantum space research projects. Therefore, if China wants to continue to lead in quantum communications, it needs to make breakthroughs step by step according to its plan for the next five years and keep carrying out more research.Only when we advance steadily can we maintain our leading position
When talking about how to do a better job in scientific and technological innovation during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Wang Jianyu thought that we should first adjust our mentality. "We should be aware that there is still a gap between China's comprehensive scientific and technological strength and that of western countries, and there are only a few fields that we can be a 'front-runner'."
Wang Jianyu believed that no matter for the government and researchers,only by calming down and making steady progress, and through the hard work of the next one or two decades, can the overall scientific and technological level of China truly enter the world's first echelon.
Calming down means not only removing impetuousness and facing the gap, but also being wholly devoted to our work in all aspects. We should implement policies related to scientific and technological innovation down to every detail, so that researchers can really focus on scientific research.
"After the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has raised the mission to become a power of science and technology to the highest level in history, and we feel a strong sense of pressure and mission as a scientific and technological worker," Wang Jianyu said. He also said that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we must implement a limited goal and reasonably make breakthroughs in directions and fields that are beneficial to China's development. The idea of innovation is the most fundamental.We often say science and technology are productivity. It is science and technology that leads the development, but we cannot realize development without innovation.The innovative culture and innovative thought of a country and a nation are the souls of national development.
As far as Wang Jianyu is concerned, China has attached unprecedented importance to and supported science and technology in recent years, and we can see expanded "openness" through various national policies. However, there were still many problems during the implementation, for example, not fully "free our mind". He hoped that we could make breakthroughs in this regard during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and said that "good policies should have clear and operable implementation rules".
Scientific research should have the spirit of "being willing to be given the cold shoulder", but the country should create better conditions for it
During the Two Sessions this year, theOutline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 (Draft)was submitted to the General Assembly for review. TheDraftclearly stated that innovation remains at the heart of China's modernization drive, and we will strengthen our science and technology to provide strategic support for China's development.
Premier Li Keqiang said in his report to the Fourth Session of the 13th National People's Congress on the work of the government on March 5, 2022 that the unreasonable burden on scientific researchers should be effectively reduced, so that they can calm down and devote themselves to scientific exploration, and achieve major breakthroughs in key and core areas with decades of efforts.
Wang Jianyu, a deputy to the National People's Congress, an academician of the CAS and President of HIAS, UCAS, was very excited. "I feel it is inspiring. The country has fully affirmed the role of basic research in innovation. China has attached unprecedented importance to and supported science and technology in recent years."
"The real source of scientific and technological innovation should be basic research. As we all know, we should be patient enough in basic research, that is, we should have the spirit of "being willing to be given the cold shoulder". In fact, this is the motivation and effort that a scientist should have subjectively." said Wang Jianyu.
In Wang Jianyu's view, many scientists doing basic research are motivated by their own pursuits and hobbies. Therefore, from this point of view, scientists themselves are motivated, but the country still needs to create better external conditions for them. In many cases, whether a scientist can do basic research or not relies heavily on whether he or she can get corresponding support from the country.
Wang Jianyu said that in the past, most of the research was carried out in the form of projects. Scientists first applied for national projects or obtained projects through competitions before continuing their research. That's why the science and technology community has been calling for long-term and stable support for some researchers engaged in basic research and those that are willing to "be given the cold shoulder", so that they don't have to think about how much money they can apply for and how much work they can do with such amount of money.
"For now, the proportion of projects that need to gain funds through competitions is larger than projects that are supported by stable funds, especially for basic research projects," Wang Jianyu said. In fact, we also suggested that the country can further improve the number of projects that receive stable support, so that it is possible for some scientists that are willing to "be given the cold shoulder" to better carry out scientific research.
It's said that at the Two Sessions this year, Wang Jianyu put forward two suggestions, namely, the suggestion for the supervision of scientific research reagents for laboratory use and the suggestion for accelerating the expansion of the implementation scope of the overall rationing system of scientific research funds.
Expand the implementation scope of the "overall rationing system" of scientific research funds to further improve innovation efficiency
Wang Jianyu, a deputy to the National People's Congress and an academician of the CAS, focused on the "overall rationing system" for the use of scientific research funds in his proposal to the Two Sessions this year.
Fund management of national scientific research projects has always been a hot topic in the science and technology community. The rationality and efficiency of fund management often directly affect the final effect of scientific and technological projects.
In recent years, the central government and the state have issued a series of relevant documents and policies to deepen the reform of scientific research funds, and stimulate the enthusiasm of scientific researchers. The2019 Report on the Work of the Government proposed to carry out a pilot reform of the "overall rationing system" for the use of project funds. It should have no subject proportion restrictions, and will be independently decided by the scientific research group. In December of that year, three ministries issued a notice to pilot the "overall rationing system" in projects supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars approved for funding since 2019.
Wang Jianyu said that after the pilot was carried out for more than a year, the "overall rationing system" has been welcomed by the vast number of scientific and technological workers and achieved good results.The "overall rationing system" for scientific research funds can directly link scientific research tasks with funds, clarify technical and economic responsibilities, and may greatly improve the efficiency of scientific research.From another perspective,while respecting scientists, it further reflects the value of knowledge, making it possible for scientific research institutions and researchers to obtain matching economic returns through their hard work.
"The 'overall rationing system' can make researchers feel that they are more trusted by the government, and it is hoped that relevant state departments will promote the implementation of most scientific research projects as soon as possible on the basis of summing up the experience of pilot projects." Wang Jianyu sorted out the corresponding policies on the management of science and technology project funds issued by many local governments, and found that the main contents were roughly the same, and there were only some differences in the types of pilot projects.
Wang Jianyu thought that although projects supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars are suitable to be the pilot projects for their small number and small amounts of funds needed, it is relatively lack of generalizability. "At present, most national scientific research projects have not yet implemented the 'overall rationing system'. To further improve the efficiency of scientific and technological innovation, it is necessary to accelerate the expansion of the implementation scope of the 'overall rationing system'."
"In the past, there was a saying that 'to be a leader of a research group, you must learn finance first'. Now China has introduced many policies and measures to reduce the burden on researchers. These policies should be implemented as soon as possible to create a more relaxed and free innovation environment for basic research." In the communication with front-line researchers, Wang Jianyu found that the vast majority of scientific research projects still adopt traditional management methods now, and management departments at all levels often hold the idea that the management should be tight but not loose, and the management efficiency of scientific research funds is relatively low.
"The 19th National Congress of the CPC put forward the requirement that 'we will strengthen our science and technology to provide strategic support for China's development', which puts forward higher requirements for the management of scientific research funds." He said that the"overall rationing system" for scientific research funds can directly link scientific research tasks with funds, solve the problems of difficulty in research adjustment and inflexible use of scientific research funds, clarify the technical and economic responsibilities of project leaders, and may greatly improve the efficiency of scientific research.
To this end, Wang Jianyu suggestedaccelerating the expansion of the implementation scope of the overall rationing system for scientific research funds and promoting its implementation in most scientific research projects as soon as possible on the basis of summarizing the experience of pilot projects. In terms of specific operations, he proposed to make clear and operable implementation rules,further strengthen the proportion of personnel investment in scientific research funds, and supervise the use of funds and scientific research integrity through supporting units and modern information technology.
This article is compiled according to reports from media such as China.com.cn, Eastday.com, APP of Wen Wei Po, and "Shanghai National People's Congress" under the "Government Affairs" column of "Pengpaihao" of The Paper. Editor | Jiang Xuchen
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