The Shanxi provincial government published is suggestions on increasing science and technology reforms and developing a innovation system, on Aug 27, as a symbol of its making a breakthrough in science and technology innovation.

The suggestions call for companies to play a greater role in innovations to combine technology and economic development. There will be new regulations on nurturing talented people introduced soon, as well.

By the end of the Twelfth Five-year Plan (2011-2016), R&D will account for 2.2 percent of the province's GDP, and mid-to-large enterprises will put 1.5 percent of their revenues into R&D on average, and the science and technology contribution rate will reach 55 percent.

In addition, by 2020, the proportion of Shanxi's spending on R&D funds as a proportion of its GDP, and on science and technology, and patents will all be at the national average, with the innovative capacity greatly improved.

The government wants more collaborative innovation projects that combine production, study and research and it expects to build a Shanxi science and technology city with market operations, open cooperation, innovation as a driving force, green energy, and eco-friendly construction.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw