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Sientific news from China (II)
2005-05-23 00:00

 

1. China-US Fossil Energy Protocol Renewed

On April 5, 2005, MA Songde, Chinese Vice Minister of Science and Technology and Marx R. Maddox, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Department of Energy jointly renewed the PRC - USA Protocol on Cooperation in the Field of Fossil Energy Technology Development and Utilization. Both sides agreed that industry should play a major role in the cooperation. The Chinese side promised to encourage industries, research institutes and universities to join their expertise in technical cooperation with the US side. Cooperation fields include future generator design, clean coal technology, IGCC, coal liqudification, and coal - gas joint production. Both sides expressed wishes to work on large demonstration projects, such as the energy efficiency building, a role model project jointly initiated by both sides for energy efficiency demonstration.

The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and US Department of Energy inked the Protocol on April 2000. MOST is a coordinating agency responsible for cooperation. In the past five years, both sides had kicked off under the Protocol numerous cooperative projects, including power plant software application, distributive power generation of fuel batteries, natural gas and coal gas control technology management, oil industry related software training, pollutants control for coal burning power stations (including CO2 emission control, desulfation and denitrification, and mercury emission control) , climate prediction and associated models, historical climate date analysis, evaluation of the impacts of climate change on human and natural systems, regional climate change and associated numerical modeling, and paddy field greenhouse gases measurement and associated physical and chemical processes. In addition, both sides launched diversified exchange activities on policies, data and personnel, and jointly hosted workshops and training courses.

2.China - Canada Marine Workshop

AChina - Canada workshop on marine technology, co - sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Canadian National research Council (NRC), was held March 28-29, 2005 in Qingdao. The event attracts the participation of more than 60 scientists from 42 domestic and overseas institutes studying marine technology. X1ANG JianhaL Chairman of the Expert Committee for Resources and Environment Technology, a part of the National 863 Program, and Prof. Mary Williams of the Marine Technology Institute under NRC, presented a talk on each nation ' s needs, development status, and future development direction of marine technology. During the meeting^ Chinese and Canadian scientists had extensive exchanges and talks on marine watch and forecasting, marine projects, marine gas and mineral resources prospecting and development, marine biotechnology and marine fishing resources utilizations. Scientists of both nations also reached important consensus on a number of cooperation projects, including prospecting marine natural gas hydrates, red tide watch, and marine ecological environment watch. Intention of cooperation has also been reached between two nations in 12 marine technology fields, including instruments for deep sea multi - parameter sectional measurement-offshore aquaculture nutrition and associated genetic improvement, and submarine engineering activities.

The event marks a full - fledged marine technology cooperation between the Chinese and Canadian scientific community, showing the common needs and urgent desires to promote the development of marine technology industry, and laid a solid ground for promoting future cooperation between two nations in marine technology and the associated industry.

3.China - UK Collaborate in Food Safety

A China - UK workshop on food safety, jointly sponsored by the China Biotechnology Development Center and the British Biotechnology Council, was recently held in Beijing. The event has also won the support of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the UK Embassy in Beijing. Eight UK scientists shared with their Chinese counterparts the latest findings.

A scientist from the Microbiology Lab, a part of the UK Food Institute, shared with the participants a DNA based fast screening technique to detect food - borne toxic bacteria. Another scientist from the same Institute presented state- of- the - art technology to predict the activities of food - borne bacteria under different surroundings. Tie also introduced the ComBase, an international information sharing program, to Chineseaudiences. The program offers assistance to food safety experts allover the world, in an attempt to improve food processing activities, and fend off possible health problems. Other experts made presentations on interesting topics, including a full genome of food -borne toxicant bacteria, and genome based food safety technology. Chinese scientists talked about issues of vaccine development and viruses screening. Both parties also discussed cooperation perspectives in the field.

4.China - UK Food - borne Bacteria Workshop

A China - UK workshop on food - born pathogenic bacteria, an activity jointly initiated by the China Biotech Development Center and UK Food Biotech Research Council for the UK Science Year of 2005, was recently held in Beijing. Attending the workshop were ten UK experts form the UK Food Institute, "UK Institute of Animal Health, Leicester University, and Bristol University, and a dozen Chinese scientists from the China Disease Control and Prevention Center (including the Institute of Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, and Institute of Viral Diseases Prevention and Control under its banner), Peking University, Nankai University, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and Fluanan Polytechnic University 20 scientific lectures were presented on interesting topics, including food - borne pathogenic microorganisms and food safety, vaccines, adhering and regulation mechanism, quantitative study of dangerous biological elements, and genome and proteomics. Dr. Sanders, Science Counselor of EU Mission in Beijing was invited to speak about the new round of bidding for food quality and security project under the 6th EU Framework Program.

5.China - Russia High Tech Forum

A China - Russia high tech forum, jointly sponsored by the High Tech Center, a part of the China Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Innovation Alliance under the Russian InnTechnology Group, opened recently in Beijing. The meeting, largest of its kind held in recent years with high - level participants, has attracted some 500 representatives from more than 20 provinces or municipalities, covering the National 863 Program, national high tech parks, economic development zones, China - Russia High Tech Industrialization Demonstration Base, universities, research institutes, S&T businesses, and Russian enterprise stationed in China. S&T departments and high tech parks in Beijing, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hubei, and Harbin sent delegations to be part of the event.

During the meeting, Chinese representatives expressed strong interests in some 300 high tech projects announced by Russian participants, concerning energy, environmental protection, aviation, information, advanced materials, chemicals, biopharmaceuticals, and health. Chinese and Russian participants of special interests held respective talks, and signed about 40 documents showing intention of cooperation.

6.China - EU Training on Traditional Medicine

Jointly sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Italian Ministry of Health, a training course to make Chinese familiarize with laws or rules on traditional medicines opened March 30 - April 1 in Beijing. China Agenda 21 Management Center, an implementing agency of the project, invited 5 Italian experts to give lectures, including Prof Vittorio Silano, Director, Department of Innovations, a part of the Italian Ministry of Health, and Dr/'Roberto Gatto, Director of Health Program, under the Italy - China Foundation. The Center also invited experts from the Training Center affiliated to the China State Food and Drug Administration to lecture. More than 30 participants from different parts of the country, engaged in traditional medicine research, development, production, management, and import and export, attended the event. They learned the European rules on traditional medicine registration, and GMP certification process, in addition to comparative GMP analysis of Chinese and European medicines, an analysis of Italian and European herb medicines, and strategies and processes allowing Chinese traditional medicine into the European market.

7.Chinese Made Security Chip

Legend Group unveiled on April 11, 2005 a proprietary security chip named Hengzhi, the first of its kind in the country. The event secures Legend's leading position in developing security chips for domestic trustworthy computing, marking a major breakthrough China has landed in trustworthy computing.

According to a briefing, Legend will officially deliver within the year safe personal computers pre - installed with HENGZHI security chip, in a move to meet trustworthy computing demand of Chinese market. According to Chinese laws, design, development and production of encrypted chips shall use domestically made products, rather than imported one. Legend's delivery of safe personal computers pre - installed with HENGZHI security chip will allow information security sensitive departments, such as government agencies, military forces and research institutes, to use a trustworthy computing terminal independently developed and controlled by Chinese.

As a core module supporting a trustworthy computing terminal, security chip constitutes a key component in national information security infrastructures. Legend ' s successful development of security chip marks China ' s possession of the core technological capability for trustworthy computing industry.

8.Dissoluble Bone Composites

Thanks to many - year painstaking efforts, a study team, headed by Prof. LIU Anjun of Tianjin University of Science and Technology, has developed a comprehensive approach to utilize animal bones. The study has resulted in four key technologies: vacuum ionization technology for extracting mineral elements from bones, ionization, electroanalysis, and activation technology for collecting organic elements, condensing and recovery technology for active organic elements, and natural collagen recycling and extracting technology. Combined use of these technologies can turn hard bones into dissoluble bone composites, allowing organic and inorganic bone elements to be disassociated, dissoluble, and absorbed. The process can also allow bones to keep the physiological activity of proteins, mucopolysaccharide, and other organic elements. The study team, using these technologies, rolled out additives for high - calcium meat products.

Researchers explain that the products contain absorbable minerals and special proteins needed by bone generating and associated metabolism,

desirable nutritional supplements for bones. The products can regulate bone metabolism through in vivo bone growth stimulating factors. They nurture and stimulate bone growth with inorganic elements, including calcium, phosphor, bone cells, bone collagen, and a dozen other organic nutrients. The products are desirable for preventing and tseating bone metabolism related diseases, such as elders ' osteoporosis and enfant developmental deficiency.

9.New Vaccine for Forest Encephalitis

A study of new vaccines for forest encephalitis, initiated by the China Ministry of Science and Technology and implemented by the Changchun Institute of Byproducts, has been granted with a national certificate for new drugs and the associated approval for production. Combining cell based virus culture technology and modern biotechniques, including consecutive centrifugal technique, highly filtered concentration, and chromatography, the study increases the antigen concentration in the vaccine by eliminating most unwanted chemicals, such as proteins and formaldehyde. The new vaccine registers an immune protection index 5. 0 X 105, or five times higher than the one produced by conventional technology. Clinical trials show that positive turning rate of antibody in volunteers' blood samples exceeds 85%, with an enhancement of 70 % or more, compared to conventional technology. The new vaccine has so far reported no adverse effect through the body, though with a 0. 87% for local adverse effect. The vaccine has been confirmed for its fine security and immune effects.

To meet the market needs, the Institute is currently working on mass production of the new vaccine, in a move to replace grossly prepared vaccines, and to provide

lO.Long Term Planning Study Completed

Thanks to more than one - year painstaking efforts of some 2, 000 S&T and industrial experts, a strategic study of China's national long and medium term S&T planning has been completed, with planning outlines entering a finalizing phase, announced XU Guanhua, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, at a national S&T conference opened on April 1, 2005. China will publish the official outlines for national long and medium term S&T planning in the year, elaborating guiding principles and objectives for China's S&T development, and deploying major S&T missions. XU asks government agencies and local authorities to address major S&T development issues and lay out corresponding support policies, under the framework of guiding principles and strategic deployments, in an effort to materialize the missions defined by the outlines.

11.China' s New International Launch

At 20:00, April 12, 2005, Beijing local time, the Xi' chang Satellite Launch Center blasted off a telecommunication satellite, atop a CZ3 -B tied -up rocket. The satellite separated from the rocket 25 minutes after launch. The data received by the Xi' an Satellite Control Center indicated that the telecommunication satellite was smoothly positioned in a super earth - synchronous transfer orbit, with a perigee altitude of 209 km, an apogee

altitude of 49,991 km, and an orbiting angle of 26 degree.

Having a weight of 4. 6 tons, AsiaSat - 6 has 38 C -band and 12 Ku -band

transponders. Once put into operation, it will replace AsiaSat - 1 A, constituting a satelliteA based telecommunication broadcasting platform serving for China, Southeast Asia, Australia and Hawaii.

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