Science, Innovation and Sustainability News Highlights Sweden’s Office of Science and Innovation - Beijing, May 2021

• National Natural Science Foundation of China launched special projects (April 30), intending to provide special funding for research on major basic scientific issues, challenges and measures for reaching China’s carbon neutrality goal by 2060.1 • Chinese researchers find new mechanism for ultrahigh-speed memory devices (Nature Nanotechnology, May 3). Such memory devices can achieve reading and writing operations within the range of 20 nanoseconds and store data for at least ten years.2 • Chinese researchers demonstrate reversible fusion and fission of graphene oxide–based fibres (Science, May 7). A way to bind multiple strands of graphene oxide together, creating a process that could prove useful in manufacturing complex architectures.3 • China has selected 22 domestic academic journals (May 18). to spearhead the development of China’s scientific publishing industry. The selected journals will be provided with more funding, policy incentives and training for young editorial staff members and reviewers.4 • Tsinghua launched its quantum information program (May 24), led by Turing Award winner Yao Qizhi. It is the third talent training program initiated at Tsinghua by Professor Yao, after his computer science experimental program and artificial intelligence program. As the first undergraduate training program in this field, the program is affiliated to Tsinghua’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences.5

• Torch Centre under Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) promotes “Yangtze-River-Delta semiconductor industrial national high-tech zones innovation development alliance” (April 29). 6 high-tech zones joined the alliance to cooperate on basic research platforms, innovation programs and industry ecosystems of semiconductors.6 • 6 pilot cities of smart infrastructure and intelligent connected vehicles are confirmed (May 8). Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Wuxi will be the pilot cites, aiming at upgrading intelligent city infrastructures and promoting intelligent connected vehicles industry development and applied scenarios.7 • First national green technology exchange centre will be set up in Zhejiang, approved by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) (May 12). The centre will focus on technology exchange and promotion, market-driven innovations in the fields of energy saving, green manufacturing, clean energy, environment protection and green infrastructure.8 • National disease control and prevention bureau officially inaugurated in Beijing (May 13). Under the administration of the National Health Commission (NHC), the bureau will take on responsibilities in policy formulation, supervision and management for infectious disease containment and public health, and guide the construction of several systems for disease containment, epidemic monitoring and early warning and scientific research.9 • Tencent announced to invest 50 billion RMB in “Tech for Good” (May 20). The investments in the first phase will be used in areas including basic science, education innovation, rural revitalization, carbon neutrality, FEW (food, energy and water), public emergency and elderly care technology.10

• 14th Five-Year Plan for waste management and sorting (May 13). Aims to re-use 60% of its urban household waste by 2025 and increase incineration rate to about 65%.11 • Emission Trading System (ETS) to initiate trading in June with cement and building material industries as future focus (May 17). The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) released three sets of regulations for the national ETS which is set to initiate trading by the end of June.12 The MEE has entrusted the China Building Materials Federation to conduct quota allocation scheme and benchmark calculations in cement and building materials industry to prepare its inclusion in the national ETS.13 • Policy measures for carbon peaking and neutrality (May 18). The NDRC is accelerating the formulation of top-level planning documents for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality as well as studying policies and measures for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality for different industries and fields.14 • First national survey to map metrological disasters (May 19). China will promote an early warning service to address increasing meteorological risks resulting from climate change and is conducting the first national survey on national disaster risks.15 • Minister level roundtable in preparation of COP15 (May 20). Minister for Ecology and Environment, Runqiu, presided over a roundtable meeting to prepare for COP15 in Kunming, Yunnan and an ambitious post-2020 framework in biodiversity.16

1 2021年度国家自然科学基金专项项目指南
——面向国家碳中和的重大基础科学问题与对策 (nsfc.gov.cn) 2 Chinese researchers find new mechanism for ultrahigh-speed memory devices - Chinadaily.com.cn 3 Reversible fusion and fission of graphene oxide–based fibers | Science (sciencemag.org) 4 Scientific journals on the rise - Chinadaily.com.cn 5 姚期智担纲，清华今日成立量子信息本科班！“着眼学术尖端，致力国家战略需求“ (toutiao.com) 6 科技部火炬中心推动成立“长三角集成电路产业国家高新区创新发展联盟”，协同优势力量开展“补链强链” (most.gov.cn) 7 两部门确定智慧城市基础设施与智能网联汽车协同发展首批试点城市_部门政务_中国政府网 (www.gov.cn) 8 【关于同意在浙江设立国家绿色技术交易中心的复函(发改办环资〔2021〕387号)】-国家发展和改革委员会 (ndrc.gov.cn) 9 China inaugurates national disease control and prevention bureau - CGTN 10 Tencent 11 China aims to re-use 60% of its trash by 2025 | Reuters 【关于印发《“十四五”城镇生活垃圾分类和处理设施发展规划》的通知(发改环资〔2021〕642号)】-国家发展和改革委员会 (ndrc.gov.cn) 12 关于发布《碳排放权登记管理规则（试行）》《碳排放权交易管理规则（试行）》和《碳排放权结算管理规则（试行）》的公告 (mee.gov.cn) 生态环境部发布碳排放权三项管理规则-新华网 (xinhuanet.com) 13 建材行业纳入全国碳市场相关工作将开展，八大高耗能行业逐步纳入_新浪财经_新浪网 (sina.com.cn) 14 国家发改委：加快推进碳达峰、碳中和顶层设计文件制定-新华网 (xinhuanet.com) 15 国务院新闻办就第一次全国自然灾害综合风险普查情况举行发布会_新闻发布_中国政府网 (www.gov.cn) 16 “汇聚各方力量，共赴昆明之约”部长级在线圆桌会议在上海举行_中华人民共和国生态环境部 (mee.gov.cn)