A news release from the Chinese Academy of Sciences announces that the Academy plays an important role in informing Chinese government decisions.

“Over the past one year or so, the Academic Divisions of CAS (CASAD), being the top-level advisory body of the State in science and technology, have actively taken part in the strategic studies for, and review of, the national long and medium-term plan for scientific and technological (S&T) development. Prof. Lu Yongxiang, CAS President, made the remarks at the on-going CAS General Assembly.”

You might ask, as Shep Ryen (aka Father of Prometheus) asked me, so what?

This matters a great deal because it also means that science and technology policy – decisions about science and technology in support of decision making – takes on added significance in China. The press release also notes:

“The national long and medium-term plan for S&T development, which is currently under preparation, will be China’s first governmental document in the new century to guide the national S&T development, and also the first such plan after the establishment of China’s socialist market economy and China’s entry into the WTO.”

Science and technology policy matters. It matters more than ever in our increasing global, technology- and science-based society. Consequently science and technology policy research as a boundary activity between scientific and technological research and decision making also takes on greater importance.