From "marching towards science" to "the spring of science" New China's scientific and technological innovation process

After the National Science Conference, Deng Xiaoping received delegates to the conference.

On the day of the successful explosion of China's first atomic bomb, Khrushchev, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, stepped down in disgrace. Mao Zedong said humorously: "Khrushchev should be given a big one-ton medal!"
Those who understand this period of history should understand the deep meaning behind Mao Zedong's humor.
In July 1960, Mao Zedong said to the situation that the Soviet Union stuck us on important and key technological issues, "We must make up our minds to engage in cutting-edge technology. Khrushchev does not give us cutting-edge technology, which is excellent! If we do, it will be very difficult to repay this account."
Chinese self-reliance, success!
　　"Independently dry industry, dry agriculture, dry technological revolution......"
When New China was just founded, China's scientific and technological development was generally at least 100 years behind the western developed countries!
If you fall behind, you will be beaten. The first generation of central collective leadership with Mao Zedong as the core felt the pain of lack of science and technology. In January 1956, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a call to the people of the whole country to "march towards science. In 1958, Mao Zedong translated this call as: "Fire on nature and carry out technological innovation and technological revolution."
Four years later, when the "Twelve-Year Science and Technology Plan" was completed ahead of schedule, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China formulated the second long-term plan for the development of science and technology (the "Ten-Year Plan"). When Mao Zedong listened to the report, he was more thoughtful than four years ago, and he was more heroic than four years ago: "The battle of science and technology must be fought, and it must be fought well." "Now that the relations of production have changed, it is necessary to increase productivity. Without science and technology, productivity cannot be improved."
But what about science and technology? Mao Zedong was well aware that in the international environment at that time, it was impossible to rely on developed countries to carry out China's scientific and technological undertakings. In June 1958, a report on the main points of the second five-year plan was submitted to Mao Zedong's desk. He instructed: "Self-reliance is the main task, foreign aid is the supplement, superstition is eliminated, and industry, agriculture, technological revolution and cultural revolution are independently., To overthrow slave thought, bury dogmatism, earnestly study the good experience of foreign countries, and we must also study the bad experience of foreign countries-learn from it. This is our line."
According to Mao Zedong's instructions, in the early stage of starting the atomic energy industry, my country neither relaxed its study of advanced Soviet science and technology, nor relied on Soviet experts indefinitely, but focused on self-reliance, gave full play to the enthusiasm of our scientific and technological personnel, and cultivated its own design and equipment manufacturing. ability. Therefore, when the Soviet government unilaterally tore up the agreement on assisting China in the peaceful use of atomic energy and withdrew all experts, our country could not be controlled by others and continue to develop the atomic energy industry on its own.
Under the guidance of Mao Zedong's scientific and technological thought, this poor and weak new republic quickly concentrated and mobilized all possible forces and resources, established a relatively complete R & D system in a short period of time, and achieved one scientific and technological achievement after another. This has left a proud mark for China's history of scientific and technological innovation.
The Chinese should develop their own high technology in their own way.
On March 18, 1978, the National Science Conference was grandly opened in Beijing. At the opening ceremony of the conference, Deng Xiaoping put forward famous thesis such as "science and technology are productive forces" and "intellectuals are part of the working class". Science and technology are closely linked with productivity as the basis of economic and social development.
The formation of Deng Xiaoping's scientific and technological thought is inseparable from his judgment of the world situation and his grasp of the pulse of the times. Its global strategic vision benefits from an open mind and mind. In the middle and late 1970 s, Deng Xiaoping went abroad many times to participate in important international conferences and state visits, and witnessed the tremendous changes brought about by the rapid advancement of science and technology to human material civilization and the entire social life. These undoubtedly caused a strong shock in his heart. In 1985, he pointed out: "The world's new scientific and technological revolution is booming, and the economy, science and technology are playing an increasingly prominent role in world competition. This situation cannot be ignored by the United States, the Soviet Union, other developed countries and developing countries." In 1988, he also emphasized: "The development of the world, especially the development of the high-tech field, is advancing by leaps and bounds. China cannot be content to lag behind and must participate in the development of this field from the beginning." "Because you don't participate, don't join the ranks of development, the gap is getting bigger and bigger. In short, not only this project, but also other high-tech fields, should not lose the opportunity, should start contact, this line can not be broken, otherwise it will be difficult for us to catch up with the development of the world."
The Chinese should develop their own high technology in their own way. Under Deng Xiaoping's decision, China has identified the development of high technology and its industries as an important strategic task of scientific and technological work in the new period. In March 1986, Deng Xiaoping personally approved the implementation of the "High-tech Research and Development Plan" (the "863 Plan"), and selected 7 fields of information technology, biotechnology, automation technology, aerospace technology, laser technology, new energy, and new materials. Focus, and organize excellent scientific and technological teams to track the development of the world's high technology. In August 1988, the State Council approved the implementation of the "Torch Plan" with the purpose of high-tech commercialization, industrialization and internationalization. So far, 88 national high-tech industrial development zones have been approved. As a result, China's high-tech and industries have developed rapidly, ushering in the "spring of science".

Excerpted from Science and Technology Daily on July 7, 2012

Zhang Xianfeng/Wen