A comprehensive national science center will be established in Shanghai by 2020, offering the city an important asset as it seeks to build itself into a science and innovation center with global influence. The science center is being developed to integrate resources from the government, universities, research institutes and businesses in an effort to promote scientific innovation. Favorable government policies and the creation of supporting systems also are expected to facilitate the speed at which products move from the laboratory to the market. Key scientific and technology projects are already being developed at the center in the core of the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone. These include the second phase of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the National Protein Science Center, ShanghaiTech University and the Shanghai Supercomputer Center. The establishment of the national science center will greatly improve the level and efficiency of scientific and technological research and development, and also improve the country's status in the global innovation network, according to the innovation promotion division of the zone's administration commission. The zone is a gathering point for Shanghai's scientific resources. With 22 branch zones and 124 industrial and high-tech parks across the city, the zone has more than 1,400 development and research facilities and about 70,000 businesses, including more than 2,800 high-tech enterprises. A large amount of the city's innovation is occurring in the zone. More than 32,000 inventions and patents were recorded in the zone as of 2014. As Shanghai nurtures its goal of becoming a global science and innovation center, the demonstration zone is working to build itself into a major innovator by offering policy support, financial aid and facilities that attract entrepreneurs and create a favorable business environment. Earlier this year, the demonstration zone released its development plan for 2015-20. The plan outlines a series of steps to promote scientific innovation in the city, including the establishment of bases focusing on key areas, industries and enterprises. According to a recent research report on Shanghai's economic development released by the Economic Research Institute at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, bottlenecks remain for Shanghai's full development of the science and innovation center. These include a lack of resources, an incomplete system for transforming scientific results into products and not enough openness to cooperation, the report said. Zhangjiang seeks to create a good environment for innovation and entrepreneurship - for example by continually improving facilities and services. Platforms for emerging industries, including smart robots, 3-D printing and biopharmaceuticals, have been established, reducing the research and development cost for entrepreneurs. Additionally, a new model allowing incubators and innovative enterprises to grow and share benefits has been formed. Private enterprises, angel investors, venture capital institutions and multinational companies are encouraged to participate in the development of a high-level incubator. wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn

SHANGHAI -- A 1.2 billion yuan (US$175 million) synchrotron radiation project in east China's Shanghai will be completed and put into use in late April, researchers said Sunday. The Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) project is a key scientific research and technology development platform in China. The project began construction in December 2004 in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park. The SSRF is a third-generation of synchrotron radiation light source that will serve as great tools for Chinese scientific research and industry community. The project has built seven beamlines and experimental stations for research and development in life science, new materials, physics and biochemical projects, according to the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, SSRF's major participant. Up to now, the Shanghai institute has received more than 140 applications to work for SSRF from research staff from around 60 domestic colleges and institutes.

SHANGHAI: Chinese President Hu Jintao has called for more efforts to promote independent innovation and upgrading of the industrial structure during his inspection tour to Shanghai which ended Sunday. Hu visited scientific research bases, industrial parks and workshops of enterprises during the four-day tour, making investigations and research on the transformation of the mode of economic growth and work to promote sound and fast economic and social development. Hu stressed promoting independent innovation and making breakthroughs in core technologies. Such breakthroughs would provide strong support for the transformation of the mode of economic growth, he said. Related readings: Hu calls for innovation during Shanghai tour Hu calls on whole nation to support Expo Hu calls for innovation during Shanghai tour Hu vows to harshly punish officials for malpractice Hu calls for innovation during Shanghai tour China's space pioneers hit new high Hu calls for innovation during Shanghai tour Police complete probe into Rio Tinto Hu calls for innovation during Shanghai tour The Chinese answer to global financial crisis During his visit to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd., Hu said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee had made a strategic decision to develop large passenger aircraft. He expressed hopes that the company stick to independent innovation and succeed at an early date. At the Spreadtrum Communication, Inc., a high-tech company founded by returned overseas students, Hu said independent innovation is the lifeline of a company. He told the company staff "I hope you could make further breakthroughs in core technologies, so as to boost China's communication industry." Hu also inspected the modern service industry in Shanghai. When visiting the logistic park of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Hu said logistic industry plays a crucial part in building Shanghai into an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center. At China UnionPay, a jointstock financial service company that has issued more than 2.1 billion bank cards in the country, Hu urged the company to make UnionPay an international brand. Hu also visited the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility project, Shanghai Electric Group and a creative industrial park. At the end of the inspection tour, Hu heard the work report by the CPC Shanghai municipal committee and the Shanghai government. He highly appreciated the work in Shanghai in recent years. He called on the cadres and people in Shanghai to stage a "successful, brilliant and memorable" World Expo. Hu said China should take the international financial crisis as an opportunity to restructure the industry and enhance independent innovation, so as to shift the pattern of economic growth. Hu also urged to promote energy conservation, emission reduction and eco-protection, as well as to improve people's livelihood, so that the shift of economic growth pattern could benefit the general public.