Chemists to benefit from China’s new R&D policies

Abstract

Chemistry research in China is set to get a boost from a raft of recently announced central government policies and goals. Chemists working in China’s universities and research institutes can expect to see increased overall funding. They are also set to benefit from a new policy that liberalizes the transfer of technology from universities and institutes to companies and shifts from basic research to practical applications. The new technology transfer policy could have a greater impact on chemistry in China than the expected funding increase, observers say. The changes come after the conclusion in March of China’s annual parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC), in Beijing. This is a transitional year for China as it moves from the 12th to the 13th five-year plan, which covers 2016–20. In these five-year plans, the Chinese government maps out how it will develop the country socially and economically, an approach China adopted from