By Lv Wei, Research Team on “Policies for Quality-oriented Innovation in the New Era”, Research Department of Innovation Development, DRC

Research Report, No. 106, 2020 (Total 5850) 2020-5-13

Abstract: Basic research is the source of major technological innovation, and the inputs into and outcomes from basic research represent a country’s overall sci-tech power. The Outline of the National Strategy for Innovation-Driven Development asks China to reinforce original innovation, increase the source supply of innovation, and designing the basic research layout with foresight. Currently, China is working to direct the focus on innovation from the accumulation of amount to breakthroughs in the innovative quality. Therefore, the following problems remain to be solved: how to increase inputs into basic research, how to improve expenditure mix, how to enhance quality and efficiency for basic research, and how to strengthen original innovation capability. In response to these problems, this study makes comparisons among different countries in basic research intensity, R&D expenditure mix and appraisal and evaluation management. Through analysis of the trends and problems of China’s basic research, this study suggests that the country diversify the sources of basic research, improve the expenditure mix for higher efficiency, and enhance the evaluation system for higher quality of basic research.

Key words: basic research, input mix, evaluation system