The following document is the 2022 budget for the PRC Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). In addition to detailing MOST’s expenditures by category, the budget also describes several domestic and international S&T projects that MOST is funding in 2022.

The Chinese source text is available online at: http://most.gov.cn/xxgk/xinxifenlei/fdzdgknr/bmyjs/202203/P020220324401241139405.pdf

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at: https://perma.cc/Z37E-5M9A

U.S. $1 ≈ 6.6 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of May 10, 2022.

Ministry of Science and Technology 2022 Annual Budget

March 2022

Part 1: Basic Information on the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)

I. Responsibilities of the Ministry

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) implements the Party Central Committee’s policies and decisions regarding scientific and technological (S&T) innovation. It upholds and strengthens the party’s centralized leadership of S&T innovation in the course of performing its duties. Its primary responsibilities are as follows:

1. Formulate national strategic guidelines for innovation-driven development, draw up plans and policies for S&T development and the recruitment of brainpower from abroad, and organize their implementation.
2. Plan and promote the construction of a national innovation system, and the reform of the S&T systems and work with relevant departments to improve incentive mechanisms for technological innovation. Optimize the construction of scientific research systems, guide the reform and development of scientific research institutions, promote the construction of S&T innovation capabilities by enterprises, undertake work related to the promotion of military-civil fusion (军民融合) in S&T, and promote the construction of a national consulting system for major S&T decision-making.
3. Take the lead in establishing a unified national S&T management platform and mechanisms for scientific research project funding coordination, evaluation, and supervision. In conjunction with relevant departments, MOST proposes policies and measures for optimizing the allocation of S&T resources, promotes the construction of diversified technology investment systems, and coordinates and manages government plans for S&T financing (special projects, funds, etc.) and supervises their implementation.
4. Formulate and organize the implementation of national basic research plans, policies, and standards and organize and coordinate national major basic research and applied basic research. Formulate and supervise the implementation of construction planning for major S&T innovation bases, participate in the preparation of major S&T infrastructure construction plans and supervise their implementation, take the lead in organizing the construction of national laboratories, promote construction of assurance for the conditions necessary for scientific research, and promote the open sharing of S&T resources.
5. Prepare national major S&T project plans and supervise their implementation, coordinate R&D and innovation for key general purpose technologies (共性技术), cutting-edge leading technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies, and take the lead in organizing major technological surges and achievement application demonstrations. Organize and coordinate major international science programs and scientific projects.
6. Organize and formulate plans, policies, and measures for the development of new and advanced technology and the use of industrialization and S&T to promote agricultural, rural, and social development. Organize and conduct analyses of technological development needs in key areas and propose major tasks and supervise their implementation.
7. Lead the construction of national technology transfer systems, formulate relevant policies and measures for the transfer and commercialization of S&T achievements and the promotion of the integration of industry, academia, and research institutes, and supervise their implementation. Guide the development of the S&T service industry, technology market, and S&T intermediary (科技中介) organizations.
8. Coordinate the construction of regional S&T innovation systems, guide the development of regional innovation, the rational layout of S&T resources, and the construction of collaborative innovation capabilities, and promote the construction of S&T parks.
9. Take responsibility for the construction of S&T supervision and evaluation systems and related S&T evaluation management, guide the reform of S&T evaluation mechanisms, and coordinate the construction of scientific research integrity. Organize and implement national innovation surveys and S&T reporting systems and guide national efforts related to S&T secrecy protection.
10. Formulate plans, policies, and measures for international S&T exchanges and open cooperation in innovation capabilities and organize international S&T cooperation and the exchange of S&T talent. Guide the international S&T cooperation and talent exchange work of relevant departments and localities.
11. Take responsibility for work related to the recruitment of brainpower from abroad. Formulate the overall plans and programs for the state’s key recruitment of foreign experts and organize their implementation. Establish mechanisms for attracting and gathering top foreign scientists and teams and a service mechanism for contact with key foreign experts. Formulate overall plans, policies, and annual programs for overseas training and supervise their implementation.
12. Work with relevant departments to formulate plans and policies for the construction of S&T talent teams, establish and improve evaluation and incentive mechanisms for S&T talents, organize and implement S&T talent programs, and promote the construction of high-end S&T teams with innovative talents. Formulate plans and policies for science popularization and science communication.
13. Take responsibility for the evaluation and organization of the National Science and Technology Awards (国家科学技术奖) and the Chinese Government Friendship Awards (中国政府友谊奖).
14. Take responsibility for the management of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and carry out macro management, overall coordination, and supervision and evaluation for the NSFC in accordance with the relevant laws. The NSFC administers its foundation according to law, operates relatively independently, and is responsible for the organization and implementation of funding plans, project configuration and evaluation, project establishment, and supervision.
15. Oversee (代管) Science and Technology Daily Publishing House.
16. To perform other tasks assigned by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
17. Transformation of functions: Focusing on the implementation of the strategy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education, the talent powerhouse¹ strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy, strengthen, optimize, and transform government S&T management and service functions, improve S&T innovation systems and organization systems, strengthen macro-management and overall coordination, reduce micromanagement and specific approval items, and strengthen supervision during and after relevant events and the construction of scientific research integrity. Transition from R&D management to innovative services, further promote the reform of S&T plan management, establish an open and unified national S&T management platform, and reduce the phenomena of duplication, dispersion, stovepipes, inefficiency, and the fragmentation of resource allocation in S&T programs and projects. Government departments do not directly manage specific scientific research projects. Instead, they entrust professional project management agencies to carry out specific tasks such as project receipt, evaluation, establishment, process management, and acceptance. MOST no longer reviews and approves general overseas training programs and other training programs. Review and approval shall be arranged by various departments in accordance with the relevant industry and field of the training program. MOST no longer reviews the establishment and adjustment of scientific research institutions. It focuses on strengthening planning, layout, and performance evaluation. MOST shall further improve S&T talent evaluation mechanisms, establish and improve the S&T talent evaluation systems and incentive policies oriented to innovative capabilities, quality, contributions, and performance, and coordinate work related to the construction of domestic S&T talent teams and the recruitment of brainpower from abroad.

II. Institutional Configuration

For the rest of the translation, download the PDF below.

1. Translator’s note: This translation renders the Chinese word 强国 qiángguó—which literally means “strong nation”—in English as “powerhouse,” as in the phrase “talent powerhouse” (人才强国). For a more thorough discussion in English of the Chinese word qiángguó, see: https://www.newamerica.org/cybersecurity-initiative/digichina/blog/lexicon-wangluo-qiangguo/.