The New Cornerstone program will provide 10 billion yuan over a decade to fund scientific research in fields including mathematics, biology and biomedical sciences.
The internet giant Tencent is backing a new scheme to boost scientific research in China. The New Cornerstone program will provide 10 billion yuan over a decade to fund scientific research in fields including mathematics, biology and biomedical sciences.
Investment of China in basic scientific research exceeded 180 billion yuan in 2021, second only to the United States. The field of basic scientific research is regarded as the cornerstone of technological development.
SHI YIGONG Academician Chinese Academy of Sciences “In fierce international competition, it is easy to forget and overlook the importance of original basic scientific research. Because it is hard to predict who will make the breakthrough in which area, it is hard to be target-oriented.”
Further developing basic research requires funding, time and more importantly, a long-term view. Directed by China’s Association for Science and Technology, and funded by the internet giant Tencent, the New Cornerstone program will offer 10 billion yuan over 10 years to enable new research by outstanding scholars.
Scientist awarded the grant could receive between 3-5 million yuan a year to fund their investigations. And they will not be required to deliver specific outcomes such as publishing academic papers.
WANG WURONG General Secretary New Cornerstone Science Foundation “Five years ago, we had a program offering allowances to the scientists. Now we believe it is necessary to have a program financing their research.”
Among the 58 scientists to receive the grant in the first year, there are six women, and the youngest is only 38 years old. Their fields of study include mathematics, life science and chemistry.
SHI YIGONG Academician Chinese Academy of Sciences “On the surface, these scientists seemed to have little contribution to GDP or applied technologies, they may not be widely recognized for a long time. But please remember that these people are behind the new technologies and better lives.”
LI JIAMING Beijing “The committee says it doesn’t expect the scientists to generate a lot of GDP, but rather to answer a few critical questions concerned by the entire human being. LJM, CGTN, BJ.”
Originally published at CGTN