Academician Chen Hesheng: It is necessary to prevent the low-level redundant construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure

Source: China Youth Daily client

Beijing, July 17 (China Youth Daily) -- This afternoon, the national high-end forum on the evaluation of major engineering decisions and innovative development was held in Beijing, and Chen Hesheng, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former director of the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in his speech that it is necessary to prevent low-level duplicate construction and disorderly competition in major scientific and technological infrastructure, and strengthen the planning and management of major scientific and technological infrastructure.

"Many places have proposed grand plans to build major scientific and technological infrastructure, and the enthusiasm of these local governments to care about scientific and technological innovation is commendable, but this overheating may also bring serious problems." Chen Hesheng pointed out that some localities bypass the planning and approval of the National Development and Reform Commission, adopt unconventional methods, and rush to launch major scientific and technological infrastructure construction projects without long-term planning and no professional team.

In addition, he stressed that some construction units do not have the construction team and management mechanism for major scientific and technological infrastructure, lack key technical capabilities, and can only recruit people with high salaries from relevant research units that are undertaking extremely heavy major scientific and technological infrastructure construction tasks, and impact the existing construction teams of major national scientific and technological infrastructure projects.

Chen Hesheng believes that this trend will destroy the tradition of unified planning of major scientific and technological infrastructure at the national level and the management of international practice, resulting in low-level redundant construction and disorderly competition, affecting the overall planning of the country, not to mention solving the challenges faced, and may also form a new batch of "rotten tail" projects. To this end, he made three suggestions:

First of all, strengthen the top-level design, the whole country is a game of chess. The construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure throughout the country should be incorporated into the system of major national scientific and technological infrastructure and uniformly deployed from the national level. Give full play to the advantages of all aspects, respect scientific laws, and avoid the "Great Leap Forward" and low-level redundant construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure construction.

Second, scientific planning and rational layout. The National Development and Reform Commission will organize experts from all walks of life to investigate domestic demand and international development trends, assess domestic needs and construction forces, scientifically plan fields and geographical distribution, and formulate a clear development roadmap. Major scientific and technological infrastructure construction projects carried out in accordance with the plan shall be uniformly incorporated into the national "five-year" plan, and the National Development and Reform Commission shall examine and approve the projects, and at the same time actively strive for the support of local supporting construction funds.

Finally, give full play to local enthusiasm and support joint construction. Consideration can be given to neighboring provinces and cities jointly participating in the construction of a major scientific and technological infrastructure planned by the state, establishing an appropriate management mechanism, giving full play to the enthusiasm of local governments, forming a joint force with the scientific community, and concentrating on the construction and operation of major scientific and technological infrastructure.