Material for the Press conference of the State Council Information Office

Briefing of the 13th Five-Year Development Plan of

the National Natural Science Fund

（June 14, 2016）

National Natural Science Foundation of China

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pledged to implement the innovation-driven development strategy and made overall planning for the comprehensive innovation with scientific and technological innovation as the core. The 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee depicted the grand blueprint for China’s development in the next fiveyears and proposed to firmly establish and earnestly implement the philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, opening-up and sharing. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the importance of basic research as the source of innovation. At the recent National Science and Technology Innovation Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly stressed to reinforce the scientific and technological base, and build China into the world's leader in important S&T areas.

Under the leadership of the State Council, with support from the scientific and social communities, based on the planning and requirements of National Strategic Framework for Innovation-DrivenDevelopment and the 13th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC) formulates the 13th Five-Year Development Plan for National Natural Science Fund, which provides a forward-looking plan fororiginal innovation in science and technology, and serves asan engine and operational guideline for the development of National Natural Science Fund in the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

NSFC started thematic strategic researches for the development plan in 2014to analyze the situation, identify demands and clarify development goals, ideas and tasks. To formulate a scientifically sound plan which could reflect the needs of innovation-driven development and highlight the characteristics of the times, NSFC insisted on an open mind and in-depth researches by widely soliciting for comments and suggestions from the relevant departments of the State Council, higher education institutions, research institutes and various experts. The draft was reviewed and approved by the 4th Plenary Session of the 7th NSFC General Assembly on March 29, 2016. It was then posted online for consultation in mid-April.A number of useful suggestions collected online have been absorbed into the plan.

The adjustment of centrallyfinancedS&Tprogram system is a major step to promote supply-side structural reforms in science and technology. As the first of the "Five Blocks" of centrally financed S&T programs, the National Natural Science Fund is responsible for supporting basic research and frontier exploration, fosteringtalents and teams and promoting interdisciplinary research, and serves asmajor strategic support for breeding original innovation capability. The new positioning of the National Natural Science Fund in the S&T system demonstrates that the Party, the government and the scientific community respect the regularities of the steady development of basic research, highlight the importance of basic research as the source of innovation, and havefull confidence in NSFC’s good reputation. This year is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of NSFC. Standing at the new starting point to plan for the development in the next five years , NSFC will, with the national S&Tdevelopment principles and policies as the guide, implement the nationalplanforS&T innovation, accurately grasp the strategic positioning of the National Natural Science Fund in the national innovation system, and work hard to make concrete contributions to the prosperity of basic research, the growth of innovation supply for innovation-driven development, and the building of China into a S&T innovation power.

I. The development principles and basic ideas

First, giving top priority to the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches, and making great efforts to fully implement five development principles. NSFC will adhere to innovative development, highlight incentive for original innovation and strengthen the reserves of innovation sources. NSFC will adhere to the principle of coordinated development, promote a balanced and coordinated development of scientific disciplines, strengthen coordination with other national S&T programs and promote optimal allocation of science and technology resources. NSFC will adhere to the principle of green development, improve the "blue”and “green" (marine sciences and environmental sciences etc.) researches, strengthen the scientific base of ecological civilization and advocate green assessment and management. Furthermore, NSFC will adhere to the principle of opening up, strengthen international (regional) cooperation and exchanges and integrate itself into the global scientific community in a more active way. Finally, NSFC will adhere to the principle of shared development, strengthen strategic cooperation and promote open sharing and dissemination of research achievements.

Second, highlighting the strategic orientation of “concentrating our efforts on forward-lookingplanning, on scientific breakthroughs and on precision management"under the guidance of new development principles. Concentrating our efforts on forward-lookingplanning requires us to correctly understand the strategic positioning of the National Natural Science Fund as thesource of innovation, make long-term planning,strengthen science base and effectively respond to the needs of new scientific and technological revolution and industrial upgrading. Concentrating our efforts on scientific breakthroughsrequires us to target on key scientific areas that China has accumulated rich experiences and increase incentives for original innovation, which is a key measure to improve China’s original innovation capability. Concentrating our efforts on precision management is an effective way to enhance the performance and management efficiency of science funding work. The three “concentrations” are important instrumentalities for the work of National Natural Science Fund during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

Third, pushing forward the development of the National Natural Science Fund in the 13th Five-Year Plan periodfollowing the general approach of adhering to the strategic positioning,encouraging original innovation, making overall planning and promoting upgraded development. NSFC will grasp the strategic positioning, put more emphases on basic science, frontier research and talent training; pay more attention to innovation teams and cross-disciplinary research.NSFC will expand the depth of scientific exploration, increase the sources of innovation, strengthen the extent of interdisciplinary integrationand meet the needs and expectations of scientific talents. NSFC willtarget at the forefront of science, encourage scientific breakthroughs and improve original innovation capability. NSFC willkeep balances betweenpresent needs and long-term deployment, between stable support and competitive application, between general support and key investment, make overall layout of disciplines and key elements of basic research, and strive for new prospects for the development of National Natural Science Fund during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

II. The overall development goals

NSFC insists on goal-oriented planning and proposes a two-layereddevelopment goal system. The first layer of development goals is to achieve the "three parallels" of basic research. Echoing the "three-step" goals of the innovation-driven development, NSFC promotes "three parallels" in basic research between China and the developed nations. Parallel in total volume by 2020 is to achieve a parallel position in the totalvolumeof inputs and outputs of science and technology with developed countries, and with a more robust disciplinary system, laying basis for China’s transition to an innovative country. Parallel in contribution by 2030 is to increase Chinese scientists’ landmark contributions and form several academic schools led by Chinese scientists in the global science arena, pushing China into the frontier of innovative countries. Parallel in groundbreaking researches by 2050 is to make major original contributionsto world science development, achieve the major source innovation that leads and supports the social and economic development, establish a number of leading scientific centers that occupy the upland of scientific disciplines, and providesupport from the academic source for China to become a power in S&T innovation. The Plan puts forward indicators for the progress of "three parallels" by 2020, which can be achieved through hard work.

The second layer of development goals is to build a funding agencyof excellence. NSFC will constantly improve the management mechanism, build a fair evaluation system, improve performance of funded projects, adopt a global vision, improveefficiency of management and service, increase financial support to science and set up a variety of funding schemes. We will work hard to make the National Natural Science Fund a lighthouse for research, a furnace for innovative ideas, a cradle of innovative talents, an engine for innovation, fertile soil for scientific culture, and a model for professional management. Excellence in organization and mechanisms is the important organizational guarantee for excellence in science.

III. Strategic Tasks and Funding Priorities

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, NSFC will make overall plannings around the development goals and implement five strategic tasks. First, focusing on the science frontiers and strengthening foresighted planning. NSFC will encourage free scientific exploration; give emphasis to the fostering of original innovation capability, and strive to boost for more world-leading researches in more disciplines. Second, strengthening intellectual support and fostering scientific talents. NSFC will optimize its talent funding portfolios; attach importance to both the growth of local talents and the recruitment of overseas talents; pay great attentions to the fostering of young talents to increase talent reserves and give priorities to the development of leading scientists and outstanding innovation teams. Third, supporting innovation of scientific equipment and facilities and strengthening environmental support for scientific research. NSFC will make efforts to provide new means and effective equipment to scientific research and facilitate original innovation. Fourth, concentrating on major research themes and promoting interdisciplinary research. While optimizing the funding mechanisms of Major Program and Major Research Plan, NSFC will pilot the scientific research center program to pool advantageous resources, promote subject crossing, gather high-calibre scientists and occupy the highland of science. Fifth, advancing opening-up and cooperation, and pushing forward internationalization. NSFC will develop a global vision, take full advantage of global scientific resources, build up an open innovation environment and strengthen international exchange and cooperation.

In the implementation of these strategic tasks, NSFC will keep optimizing disciplinary layout and promoting a balanced and interdisciplinary development of science. NSFC will make a balanced overall planning of basic disciplines, traditional disciplines, advanced disciplines and weak disciplines; strengthen investigation and planning of 118 priority areas and 16 interdisciplinary areas; encourage scientists to orient their researches to science frontiers and national needs; give more tolerance toward non-consensus researches and transformational innovation; and support scientists to tackle key scientific issues and scale new heights of science.

IV. Policy Guarantees and Implementation

The 13th Five-Year Development Plan keeps deepening reform and innovation, optimizing management mechanisms, building up a science funding organization of excellence and providing policy guarantees to the implementation of strategic tasks. It presents eighteen specific measures from eight aspects, i.e. ensuring funding growth, strengthening strategic planning, reinforcing the formulation and enforcement of National Science Fund regulations, strengthening funding management, optimizing funding mechanism management, upgrading IT support, strengthening organizational building and improving academic ecology. To ensure the implementation and fulfillment of strategic tasks, it puts forward clear-cut requirements for clarifying division of work and responsibility, improving supporting measures, enhancing monitoring and assessment and improving publicity and mobilization. In terms of the input of funds, NSFC will strive for a stable and sustainable public financial input to the science fund, creating a favorable financial support to original innovation. In terms of strategic planning, NSFC will establish a regular and multi-layered strategic consultation system to provide intellectual support for the development of basic research and China’s scientific and technological innovation. In terms of the formulation and enforcement of National Science Fund regulations, NSFC will make overall planning and strengthen the formulation, dissemination and enforcement assessment of National Science Fund regulations, ensuring that the funding and management of the National Science Fund are guided by regulations. In terms of funding management, NSFC will set up a new funding management mechanism that is scientific, normative, fair, and transparent and has a clear division of responsibility. In terms of funding mechanism management, NSFC will improve review quality control mechanisms, improve the professionalism, standardization and scientific practice of proposal evaluation, highlight review mechanism that motivates scientific breakthroughs, streamline process management procedures, improve scientific achievement reporting system and keep organizing innovation achievement exhibition and dissemination. In terms of improving academic ecology, NSFC will safeguard scientific integrity, perfect the management system of scientific integrity that attaches equal importance to education, mechanism, supervision and punishment, bring into full play the guiding role of National Science Fund for the building of scientific spirit and create a good culture and environment for original innovation.

In the past thirty years, NSFC made great efforts to pursue excellence and nurture innovation. Laying a solid basis for science and enhancing the supply of innovation sources are of great importance to the success of the 13th Five-Year Development Plan. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary, NSFC will guide the development of National Science Fund by new concepts and philosophy, focus on the fostering of original innovation, devote itself to the innovation-driven development and make continuous new contributions to the building of a strong power in scientific and technological innovation andthe realization of the China dream of the great rejuvenation of our nation.