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China has made strides in science, technology

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-27 16:13

BRUSSELS -- China has made strides in science and technology in the past 30 years since the country adopted the policy of reform and opening up in 1978, a Belgian Chinese professor told Xinhua in a recent interview.

China has made notable improvements in science and technology, from rocket launching, manned spacecraft and space exploration to electronics, information technology, chemistry and medicine, said Su Baolian, professor at Namur University in Belgium since 1995.

Su came to Belgium for post-doctoral studies at Namur University in 1993. He began his teaching career at the university two years later and became the university's life-long professor in 2004, the youngest ever at the university. Su won the prestigious Aldophe Wetrems Prize given by the Belgian Royal Academy of Sciences in 2007.

Su said the design, manufacturing, launching and tracking of rockets and spacecraft all rely on high technology, which serves as a general indicator of a country's strength in science and technology.

China's achievements in these areas indicate that the country is now among the world leaders in advanced material science, electronics, advanced manufacturing, computer science, optoelectronics and meteorology, he added.

He believed that China's rocket technology and manned space technology have also helped to promote national pride among the Chinese people and China's image across the world. This progress will contribute to global space science, he said.

Su, who specializes in inorganic chemicals, said China's progress in the field of nanotechnology has become world-renowned and has improved the profile of overseas Chinese scientists.

With nanotechnology, China now can produce a wide range of products, from self-cleaning silk ties and kerchiefs to self-cleaning glass, tiles and paint, according to Su.

He also recalled that Chinese scientists were barely visible in international science circles by the early 1990s, and the situation has changed since he settled down in Belgium.

Today, Chinese scientists are organizing international conferences and are holding important positions in international science organizations, which reflected the elevated profile of the Chinese science society and reinforced China's scientific strength, he said.