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1Introduction Biotechnology refers to the manipulation of living organisms and their constituents to benefit mankind. Traditional forms of biotechnology, such as alcohol fermentation and selective livestock breeding, have existed since prehistoric times. In the 1970s, scientists developed new techniques to isolate and characterize deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecule that acts as a blueprint for the development of all living creatures. This new technology, known as recombinant DNA, or gene cloning, has allowed scientists to achieve hitherto unprecedented control over living systems. The transfer of new genetic information into living organisms provides the means to create improved crop species and livestock breeds, to produce valuable pharmaceuticals and natural products, and perhaps even to cure human genetic diseases. China* was still in the throes of the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, and thus, Chinese scientists had little chance to participate in the development of modern biotechnology. But in the past decade, China has chosen economic reform and development over political ideology by emphasizing the Four Modernizations of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology. In just the past 5 years, Chinese leaders have made biotechnology the top priority in the high technology field. Funding for biological research has been increased more than 25-fold during this period, and new mechanisms have been introduced to allocate these monies by competitive, peer-reviewed grants. At the present time, China's investment in biotechnology, as a percentage of its gross national product, is comparable to that in many Western countries. * Throughout this report, China refers to the People's Republic of China. INTRODUCTION 1
China's attitude toward the United States and other developed countries has also undergone a major shift from strict isolationism to ever increasing contact and cooperation. Since 1978, in the biological sciences alone, China has sent more than 2,000 students and researchers to the United States for advanced training. In addition, many joint research and training programs in China are currently being supported by American and other foreign academic institutions, private foundations, commercial enterprises, and government agencies. Such cooperative ventures have the potential to provide a rapid and efficient mechanism for Chinese scientists to obtain the training and technology needed to perform advanced biotechnology research. The Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China (CSCPRC) has been one important conduit for exchange between American and Chinese scientists. Founded in 1966, CSCPRC is sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Social Science Research Council. In January 1987, CSCPRC's Subcommittee on Biotechnology signed a 3-year agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; also known as Academia Sinica) to promote Sino-American cooperation in biotechnology. To date, CSCPRC and CAS have cosponsored three combined laboratory and lecture minicourses at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and one minicourse at the Beijing Institute of Microbiology. A symposium on gene regulation and gene expression is planned to cap off this 3-year program. The purpose of this report is to help CSCPRC, together with its sponsoring and funding organizations, to formulate strategies to continue and expand cooperation with China in biotechnology. Toward this end, the report focuses on three areas: 1. The mechanisms by which China sets priorities and funds biotechnology research. 2. The current status of China's biotechnology research. Particular emphasis is placed on areas of potential interest to American scientists. 3. The roles of various types of international cooperation programs in the development of biotechnology in China. After a brief historical introduction in Chapter 2, Chapters 3 through 5 of the report deal with China's biotechnology policy, administration, and infrastructure. They include a summary of current research expenditures; many of these figures were made available to foreigners for the first time in 1988. The literature survey results presented in Chapter 6 and the research highlights in Chapter 7 offer the basis for a systematic analysis of the topics and quality of China's biotechnology research. Chapter 8 gives an anecdotal accounting of research at 19 institutions visited by the authors during a 1-month evaluation trip. The final two chapters discuss the role of international cooperation and areas of special interest to CSCPRC and its sponsoring organizations. The appendixes include lists of contacts for readers interested in China's biotechnology administration and research. INTRODUCTION 2
