China's Fourth National Conference on Science and Technology opened in Beijing on January 9. As the first such event in the country since 1996, the milestone conference has drafted the country's middle-and-long-term program for science and technology development from 2006 to 2020.

At the conference, Chinese President Hu Jintao highlighted innovation as the core of the nation's competitiveness and the strategic theme of China's future science and technology development. He also announced at the conference that the country will spend 15 years in turning itself into an innovation-oriented country.

Toward this end, Hu said that Chinese research institutes and universities are encouraged to build joint laboratories and research centers with overseas research organs; China will support enterprises to increase exports of hi-tech products and establish R&D bases overseas; international enterprises are also encouraged to set up R&D organizations in China. Hu also identified technologies of energy resources, water resources and environmental protection as development priorities.