China will play an active role in significant international scientific research projects, as planned by the State Council.

Since China is keen to enhance its innovation competence and have influence in the international arena, it regards organizing big science projects as a powerful tool to solve key global scientific issues and aggregate cutting-edge scientific resources, as well as to construct a global innovation governance system. In that, scientific diplomacy will help to enhance cooperation with other countries.

The short-term goal for the big science project plan is to cultivate three to five projects by 2020, and select and initiate one to two big science projects, then form a nascent mechanism of organizing big science projects.

By mid-century, a slew of such projects will be incubated, and China will play a big role in global scientific innovation governance system while continuing to make contributions to solving major global scientific issues.

To accomplish this, first of all, a strategic plan will be made to prioritize several subjects, such as evolution of the universe, climate change, health, energy, agriculture and information technology.

Also, the process involving project selecting, cultivation, proposing and implementation should be optimized. There also should be a management mechanism in compliance with the characteristics of scientific programs, with special scientific institutions taking charge of the projects’ development.

China also will actively participate in other countries’ big science projects and make complementary contributions.

Organization tasks will fall in relative ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The science projects will welcome investment from local governments, enterprises and international organizations. To build a talent pool, China also will give incentives to high-level professionals nationwide, and build a global recruitment system to attract top-level scientists and technical talent.

A supervision and assessment mechanism also will be established, according to the plan.