China Science & Technology Digest:
July 15-31, 2004

ATIP

This digest summarizes S&T-related articles that appeared in the media ATIP monitored in the second half of July 2004. Some articles reference a relevant website to assist readers in obtaining further information. For questions or to request additional information, please send email to ChinaST@atip.or.jp. The exchange rate used for this issue is RMB8.287 against the U.S. dollar.

Three Chinese Bio-Scientists Granted SCBA Awards
Three Chinese bio-scientists received SCBA awards at the 10th International Symposium of the Society of Chinese Bio-scientists in America (SCBA) in Beijing. Wu Min was granted the award of bio-scientific contribution, Li Jiayang the award of bio-scientific achievement, and Zhang Yaping the award of bio-scientific initiative.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/24/2004

Chinese Medicine May Help Soothe SARS Sequelae
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) announced that traditional Chinese medicine with herbs can help patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) sequelae. HKBU's Institute for the Advancement of Chinese Medicine conducted a pilot clinical study to assess the efficacy of Chinese medicine on 15 post-SARS patients with avascular necrosis (AVN) and patients with bone pain. Results show the treatment using natural herbs improved the daily life of patients by relieving symptoms such as pain in the joints, lack of vitality, poor quality of sleep or insomnia, aversion to coldness, depression, and frequent urination.
Source: China Daily 07/22/2004

Scientists Announce the Development of Therapeutic HBV Vaccine
Wen Yumei, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, announced that her research team has developed a therapeutic vaccine for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and has begun phase two clinical testing.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/22/2004

China & UK Create Mainland China's Largest Diabetes Hospital
China and Britain jointly formed the Beijing Changyang Diabetes Hospital, the largest of its kind in the Chinese Mainland. The hospital, which occupies nearly 10,000 square meters, adopts the same diagnostic and therapeutic standards as the Royal College of Physicians in Britain. Some 3.2 million people worldwide die of diabetes every year and the figure is still on the rise.
Source: People's Daily 07/18/2004

China Recruits Biomedical Scientists
China has begun global recruitment for major posts at the newly established Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBS) at Fudan University, a prestigious university in east China's Shanghai municipality. The IBS will cover fundamental and applied research in the interdisciplinary areas of biology and medicine.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/22/2004

Sino-US Molecular Life Sciences Center Created
Shanghai Life Science Institute (SLSI) from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of California at Berkeley recently opened a joint research center in Shanghai. UC Berkeley will send professors and graduates to work year-round in the center to study molecular life sciences. In the first stage of cooperation, research teams will cooperate on research in such fields as signal transmission, rice functional genomics program, as well as metabolism and photosynthesis.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/26/2004

DNA Plays Key Role in Solving Murder in China
DNA technology has been used for the first time in Guangdong to solve a homicide case. Police in Zhongshan, in South China's Guangdong Province, found a nude body of a woman in a suitcase at a park in the city's Xiaolan Township and used DNA to identify the woman and find her killer. All suspects who have once been detained in Guangdong now have their DNA samples logged into the DNA data bank at the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Public Security.
Source: China Daily 07/21/2004

China Becomes World's 2nd Most Wired Nation
The Internet community in China has already multiplied 140 times in more than six years, soaring to its current level of 87 million "netizens" from just 620,000 users in 1997. China's web savvy population surpassed Japan's by the end of 2002, becoming the second largest in the world after the United States. Although large in size, the current number represents just 6.6 per cent of the country's total population, leaving room for vast growth. Interestingly, using the Internet for leisure ranks second among users, higher than study, getting to know friends, conducting research or sending or receiving e-mails.
Source: People's Daily 07/21/2004

Newspaper on Mobile Phones Appears
China has launched a new mobile newspaper, which will be available to cellular phone users at the touch of a button. Not only can users make phone calls and send and receive short messages, but they can also now read daily newspapers from a single handset. A single handset can store a whole year's worth of the newspaper.
Source: China Women Daily 07/22/2004

Alcatel to Provide China with Broadcasting Satellite
Alcatel will design and produce a new-generation broadcasting satellite, known as "Chinasat 9," for the China Satellite Communications Corp. Launching the satellite will make China Satcom the first Chinese company to provide a satellite broadcasting service in China. Some 280 million Chinese farmers will have access to state-run TV programs with "Chinasat 9" going into operation in 2006.
Source: People's Daily 07/17/2004

Oracle to Establish More Research Centers in China
The world's second largest software company Oracle is considering establishing a new research and development center in China. The location of the new center is expected to be in west China, northeast China, or the Yangtze River Delta region near Shanghai. Oracle already has two research centers in the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shenzhen.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/18/2004

Opera Joins Move to 3G in China with Datang Mobile
Opera Software has signed a licensing agreement with China's Datang Mobile to provide its full Internet browser to Datang's third generation handsets. According to the agreement, Datang will offer a 3G mobile phone solution with Opera to provide users of the new system a feature-rich experience with Internet access.
Source: Xinhuanet 07/20/2004

China Launches Arctic station
A team of eleven Chinese scientists arrived at the North Pole to carry out research at Svalbard Island, Norway, in the Arctic region and opened the country's first scientific research station, Yellow River Station, on July 28, 2004. The station is a two-storied building with a total area of 500 square meters. It consists of laboratories, offices, reading rooms, storerooms, and dormitories that can accommodate 20 to 25 people. At the top of the building is an observatory. Scientists will carry out research on atmospheric physics, maritime life, meteorology, glaciers, and GPS tracking. The eleven scientists, aged between 27 and 65, are from the China Polar Research Center, the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Wuhan University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Science and Technology of China, and the State Oceanic Administration.
Source: China Daily 07/28/2004

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