BEIJING — China will invest more than 200 million yuan ($31.3 million) in research on seismological technology over the next five years to help with earthquake disaster mitigation, an official said Jan 24.

China aims to develop its seismic science and technology to the level of developed countries by 2020, and become a strong power in the field by 2030, Zheng Guoguang, head of the China Earthquake Administration, said at a national conference.

The country aims to be able to mitigate the impact of earthquakes and reduce disasters using modernized methods by 2035, and by the mid-21st century, it expects to achieve the coordinated development of earthquake disaster mitigation and economic and social development, with the help of modern, advanced seismological technologies, Zheng said.

The administration has signed agreements with the National Natural Science Foundation and other departments on seismic technology research and encouraged more efforts to innovate.