China announced its “Mid and Long Term Outline for Large Science Facilities Development (2012-2030)” last week. This is China’s first systematic strategy paper ever published for national science infrastructure deployment and development.
The Outline listed detailed science facility development plans for the next 20 years in seven key and strategic fields: energy, life sciences, earth system and environment sciences, material sciences, particle physics and nuclear physics, space and astronomical sciences, engineering sciences etc. In these seven fields, the following 16 projects will be built as priorities during the 12th five-year plan period (starting from 2012):
- Energy: accelerator-driven transmutation research facilities, efficient low-carbon gas turbine test facility;
- Life sciences: translational medical research facilities, animal model for phenotypic and genetic research facilities;
- Earth system and environment: sea observatory network, precision gravimetric facilities, Earth system simulator;
- Material sciences: high-energy synchrotron radiation source verification facility, the extreme condition experimental science facility, Shanghai Light Source Line Station Project;
- Particle physics and nuclear physics: high-current Heavy Ion Accelerator, High-altitude Cosmic Ray Observation Stations;
- Space and astronomy: ground simulation facilities for space environment, Chinese Antarctic Observatory;
- Engineering and technical field: future internet testing facilities and large low-speed wind tunnel.