New China Files: national "high-tech Research and Development Program" Generation

Xinhua Beijing October 26 Xinhua 70 years since the 20th century, high-tech as the core of a new round of scientific and technological revolution on the improvement of social productivity and human creativity, creating a huge impact, causing an economic, political, and military , social, cultural and other fields and profound changes. In order to adapt and meet the scientific and technological revolution and the corresponding challenges and opportunities of the industrial revolution, the world big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are in development for their own solution to the problem of the country's political, economic and military carry out the reform and adjustment. One important trend is that government investment in science and technology a substantial increase in the development of science and technology, especially high-tech as the main elements of national strategy. High-tech is not only to promote a country (regional) economic development which also contributed to countries undergoing major changes in contrast to the overall national strength, international relations, has also come to change the pattern.

In 1983, the U.S. proposed a "Strategic Defense Initiative" that is "Star Wars" program, try to turn the country's scientific and technological strength to effectively mobilized and organized themselves to promote the development of new technologies to enhance their competitiveness. After two or three years, a variety in line with or against "Star Wars" program strategies, plans have been proposed, introduced Japan's first "science and technology to revitalize the basic national policy", Western Europe, 17 countries jointly signed the "Eureka" program, the Soviet Union and the Eastern European Group formulated the "Comprehensive Program of Scientific and Technological Progress," India has issued a "New Technology Policy Statement," South Korea has launched the "long-term development vision," Yugoslavia has also proposed a "federal scientific and technological development strategy." The focus on high-tech development in the 21st century strategic plan, setting off a new wave of technological competition.

The face of ever-changing world of science and technology trends for the early realization of China's economic revitalization, among the powers of the world's strategic objectives, the party and state leaders are very concerned about China's hi-tech development.

Since 1984, the state authorities began to several organizations, experts and scholars, all aspects of the "Star Wars" program-based approach. Experts and scholars generally agreed that, on the surface, "Star Wars" program is just one focus of the military threat against the Soviet Union's strategic defense plan, but this scheme covers a large number of new cutting-edge science and technology, during which in addition to military purposes, there are far-reaching political purposes. The United States tried to "Star Wars" plan, promote the national defense science and technology development, thereby bringing about high-tech and the overall revitalization of the national economy in order to ensure that the United States in the world military, political and economic dominance in the. In other words, the United States attempted to use "Star Wars" program champion in the high-tech field, and ultimately achieving seize the strategic high ground for the purpose of the 21st century.

At that time our country finds itself in view of the international environment and domestic situation, the vast majority of experts believe that, although China's economic strength is still not allowed to comprehensive development of high-tech, but first of all strive for in a number of areas of strength to achieve a breakthrough is possible. In March 1986, Wang Ganchang, Chen Yun, Yang Jiachi, Wang Daheng other four scientists submitted a joint letter to Deng Xiaoping put forward the "on the follow-up study of foreign strategic high-tech development in Hong Kong."

Deng Xiaoping fully affirmed the recommendation and on March 5 and made instructions, stating that "this proposal is very important", and requested the State Council, responsible comrades of the host, "to find some experts and responsible comrades of the discussions and put forward their views for the decision-making. Yisu this decision without delay. " According to Deng Xiaoping's instructions, in April 1986 to September, the State Council deployed hundreds of experts organized to conduct investigation and deliberation. Carrying out a full argument, based on the development and implementation of a "high-tech Research and Development Plan."

This plan according to the recommendations of Wang Daheng other scientists adopted a goal of the implementation of major breakthroughs for a limited approach, focusing on select those great impact on the overall strength of the strategic projects, emphasizing the pre-research pilot project nature reserves and driven nature and in accordance with Deng Xiaoping's instructions, the implementation of integrating military and civilian, to people-based principles. This is a follow international standards, narrowing the gap between domestic and foreign scientific and technological level, have their own advantages in innovation in high-tech fields to address the matter of long-term development of the major scientific and technological issues of national high-tech research development plan. Since the proposal was put forward and Deng Xiaoping's instructions were made in March 1986, the scientists and politicians working together to deliver high-tech research and development program was known as the "863" program.