Shenzhen opens state-funded scientific facilities to private businesses and the public to boost fundamental research efforts

Shenzhen, the southern Chinese tech hub, has implemented new rules to ensure that expensive scientific equipment and facilities are made available to the public as part of a push for fundamental research in the city.

Scientific equipment costing over 500,000 yuan (US$71,623) and funded by the government should be made available to individuals and organisations for research purposes, according to the Shenzhen government’s new rules on equipment sharing.

The policy, which is similar to practices undertaken in Beijing and Shanghai, aims to improve the efficiency of the city’s technology resources and capabilities, according to the Shenzhen government.

Shenzhen has 4,886 pieces of scientific equipment eligible for sharing, worth a combined 7.9 billion yuan, according to a report by state media People’s Daily. The use rate of the equipment in Shenzhen has reached 109.1 per cent, it added.

Institutions that manage the government-funded equipment and facilities will be reviewed according to their sharing efforts, and those that failed to open their resources to the public could face disciplinary action.

The equipment-sharing programme in Shenzhen will give priority to activities related to core research projects backed by national, provincial and municipal governments, as well as the pursuit of breakthroughs in key technologies. Small- and medium-sized tech companies and start-ups will also be given priority, according to Shenzhen’s rules.