Scientists say ministry an obstacle to progress
Three leading scientists have dropped a bombshell by publishing an article criticising the Ministry of Science and Technology. They say it has become a major obstacle to the development of science and technology on the mainland.
The article, which was published in a Chinese supplement to the international Nature magazine, attacked the ministry for mixing politics with science. It has attracted widespread attention among intellectuals on the mainland.
In the article, the three - Zou Chenglu , of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Rao Yi , of Northwest University, and Lu Bai , of the US National Institute of Science - described the ministry as a relic from the planned- economy era.
'So long as the ministry is in charge of the distribution of huge amounts of money for China's scientific research, the situation of some mediocre people leading our frontline researchers will continue,' the scientists wrote.
They said it was a big mistake to leave the power of funding in the hands of bureaucrats and politicians who made decisions that were based more on political and other non-professional considerations.
Moreover, they said many mid- and low-level bureaucrats held too much power and were able to dictate whether or not their favoured scientists were chosen for government funding.
They questioned why so much money was spent in maintaining what they called an overstaffed, unprofessional administrative team to direct scientists and research.
They pointed out that China was an exception in the world in that its scientific elite was run by such a powerful government ministry, whereas the leaders of developed countries would never subject their top scientists to the whim of bureaucrats.
'Is it because our administrators are better than those in the United States and our bureaucrats are more qualified that they should lead our scientists?' they asked. 'We just cannot agree this is the case.'
The mainland system, they said, would discourage overseas Chinese scientists from returning to the country and indirectly hampered efforts to import people who are pioneers in their fields of study.
Professor Zou is the younger brother of Zou Jiahua , a former vice-chairman of the National People's Congress.
The scientists' article was picked up by popular news portals such as Sohu and China.com and was republished by the Guangzhou-based New Express. However, state censors soon pulled the article from these websites, but it still drew heated discussions in internet chat rooms.
