Research funding in the People's Republic of China is embedded in a system of state-sponsored growth and development programs, including so-called "perspective plans" which typically span a period of eight to 15 years. In the wake of the new policy of reform and opening-up, further plans have evolved and passed into law, some of which are modeled after the five-year plans for economic development, while others give special attention to more specific areas.

The First Development Plan for Science and Technology (1956-67) was unveiled in 1956. It contained 582 research …