China aims to be global leader in science by mid-century

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government Wednesday announced a plan to increase support for basic science, aiming for China to lead the world in science and innovation in about 30 years.

The government will prioritize research in pioneering projects, build more high-quality state laboratories, train young talent, boost international exchanges, and increase funding from more sources, according to a guideline issued by the State Council.

"We should build our country into a key global center of science and an innovation high ground by the middle of this century," said the guideline. "A number of key groundbreaking scientific achievements will be made and we will have many world-leading scientists."