Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 10, 2003
China's Military Equipment to Reach Advanced World Standards by 2020
In the first two decades of the 21st century China's research and production of important weapons and military equipment will come up to or approach to the advanced world standards, Liu Jibin, minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, told a national conference in Beijing, January 8.
In the first two decades of the 21st century China's research and production of important weapons and military equipment will come up to or approach to the advanced world standards, Liu Jibin, minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, told a national conference in Beijing, January 8.
This is the top of the four main objectives for rejuvenating China's defense industry during the first 20 years of the century brought forward at the 2003 annual meeting of the Commission. The other three goals are to quadruple economic aggregate over the year 2000 based on optimized structure and improved performance; to form a new system of research and production characterized by cooperation between the army and the people and for dual military and civilian use; and to adapt the management and operation mechanisms to the demands of equipment development and social market economy.
The objectives for rejuvenating the sci-tech industry for national defense in an all-round way are in line with those of building a well-off society as a whole as well as the nation's defense modernization, said Liu. It is an objective need for the development of defense industry in a new era.
During the first ten years, Liu said, the defense industry would bending on narrowing its gap with advanced world standards in equipment research and production on the basis of complete implementation of the nation's tenth five-year plan, with technological level, economic strength and returns raised to a new level. The following ten years are for rejuvenating the defense industry in an all-round way. Then, on these bases, after decades' efforts, we are to achieve the defense modernization at the 100th anniversary of founding of New China.
As a strategic industry of the nation, the defense industry must serve to provide strong guarantee for protecting national security and unification, as well as building a well-off society. In the new century, Liu stressed, the industry must make contribution to modernization drive, national reunification, maintain world peace and promote common development, and further realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.