Technology in The People’s Republic of China

By: Caroline Dickensheets, Shaina Patel and Kirsten Schulz

Political cartoon reflecting China’s advances in space technology.

1949: The People’s Republic of China is officially established.

1956: A Sino-Soviet agreement is signed in Moscow that allows the soviets in terms of nuclear technology.

1958-1961: Mao Zedong announces his ideas of rural industrialism.

1960: Gas and electricity are available to farmers which allow them to use tube wells as irrigation in Northern China. Technological conflict begins between China and Russia.

1970: The first satellite launch was made (Long March) 1971: First successful satellite launch into orbit. 1978: An email connection is set up between China and

Germany. 1980: Timothy Berners-Lee writes the “Enquire” which

provides the basis for the later World Wide Web.

Chronology

1981: The launch of 3 satellites on one rocket is achieved.

1988: The first fully communicational satellite is launched into orbit.

1992: The Republic signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that states that China will not use nuclear weapons against states that don’t possess nuclear weapons.

1994: The Republic becomes connected to the NSFNET, or the internet.

1994: The Republic begins the “Three Gorges Dam” project.

1995: plans for high speed rail systems begin circulating through the 9th five year plan but would not officially begin until the first 10 years of the 21st century.

Chronology (cont.)

1996: The Long March 3B Orbital is launched as a carrier rocket for communicative satellites.

1998: Microsoft and Intel build high-tech research labs in Beijing.

1998: The government planned on dissolving the positions of many scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

1998: The government launched “Project Yangtze” which gives extra funds to leading scientists and researchers.

2002: China figures out the genome sequence of a certain type of rice which leads to more progress in genetics.

2003: China’s internet is connected to information across the Russian border.

2003: The first manned space shuttle is launched by the Republic into orbit by "Long March 2F“ piloted by Astronaut Yang Liwei.

Chronology (cont.)

Chronology (cont.) 2004: The introduction of CERNET2 (internet) now

connects about 25 universities. 2004: The number of internet users rises to about 94

million. 2005: Researchers and scientists at the Institute of

Computing Technology create a powerful processor called Godson-2.

2005: The number of internet users rises to 103 million along with 45.6 million computer owners and about 677,500 websites.

2005: Two astronauts are sent into space to circle the earth in the Shenzhou VI space capsule

2007: The Chang’e 1 orbiter is launched into space to explore the Earth’s moon.

2007: The number of Internet users rises to 210 million people.

Chronology (cont.) 2007: The Republic launches its first passenger

jet, Xiang Feng. 2010: The Republic is uncovered to be the host

of the most cyber attacks in the world with most originating from the city of Shaoxing.

2010: The Republic’s Nebulae machine is ranked at #2 on the Top 500 supercomputer list. The republic is also home to 2 of the world’s top 10 fastest machines.

2010: The first Chinese developed high speed train is put into working use. China also begins the research for a new high speed train.

The successful construction of one of China’s numerous wind turbines.

One of the annual meetings held between China and other countries of the world to discuss technological partnership

Employees at work on the production on one of China’s many solar panels.

China’s newly programmed supercomputer.

China’s progress in sciences including stem cell research and genetics.Scientists and

researchers meet with members of the government to show their findings.

One of China’s nuclear plants

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The Chinese were officially the third country to explore space following the Soviets and the US. After numerous satellite launches they finally launched a manned space craft piloted by Yang Liwei.

Change Over Time In the People’s Republic of China during the period

of 1922-1989, further industrialization and the beginnings of space exploration was very important.

Electricity and gasoline were being incorporated into daily life by the government.

Near the 1970s, after numerous tests, the Republic began launching satellites into space to orbit earth following the Soviets and the United States.

The idea of the “World Wide Web” came about during this time. Email connections were also established.

Nuclear technology rose with the increase in global conflict and competition including improved weaponry, tanks, missiles and bombs.

The number of internet users increased over the years as the internet was only introduced to China in 1994.

After much research and programming, the Republic was able to be ranked among the supercomputers of the world.

With the rise of technology, came extra funding for researchers and scientists as well as more support by the government to make more progress in technology and science.

There were also advances made in separate sects of science including biology, chemistry and genetic studies.

After years of steam powered trains, China began to have thoughts of high speed “bullet trains” that would move at more than 48 mph. Plans for these trains began in the mid 1990s.

Change Over Time (cont.)

PIRATES: CHINA Politics:•Various technological advancements have been required to stop due to the dangers they pose to the people and messages they send.•China gave consent to the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1992 and supported its extension in 1995.

•In 1996, it signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and agreed to search for an international ban for the production of nuclear weapons. However, China has yet to ratify the CTBT.•In 1997, China ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention along with getting stricter control on the exportation of new chemical weapons

Intellectual Innovation:•In order to improve China’s technology, more emphasis has been put on improving education through providing public schools for the youth.•There is a large competition for the best students created by having limited space at universities.

Technology:•A 5 year agreement was signed to extend the Science and Technology Agreement in 2006. This agreement is the longest-standing US-China accord and includes many US federal agencies and branches that participate in cooperative exchanges under the agreement.

Religion:•Because most people’s lives revolve around their work in the technological fields, religion has most often been overlooked.•The rise of communism in China and having an atheist supporting government have also attributed to a lack of religious followers through out the country.

Economy:•As China becomes more connected to the global economy, more emphasis is put onto technology by the government.•Better economic standing allows for money to be spent on technological research.

Arts/Architecture:•Although working in technological factories and other jobs involving technology make up most of people’s jobs in China, many people continue to pursue careers in art.•Modern art from China is incredibly popular with porcelain as a main attraction. •With technology, porcelain is able to be produced quicker and faster so more can be distributed throughout the world.

Society:•Although technology has created many jobs for the people, they pay low wages resulting in a low standard of living.•Many families are split up when parents have to leave the countryside for work in technological factories in the cities

China had been in a state of transition beginning in 1949 when the republic was officially established. Due to the changes in government, the new administration had encouraged the progress of technology more than the former administration.

Although China went through many changes between 1922-1989 and 1990-2001, there were also consistencies.

The People's Republic of China placed science as an important aspect after being established in 1949.

However, science was already an important aspect in China not making this too much of a change.

Ever since then China has remained connected to the world through their level of technology.

This differs from many other Asian countries that did not, and continue to not, have a high level of technology.

Comparisons Between the Timeframes of 1922-1989 and 1990-2011

Nuclear technology had become more important to the government after changing to the Republic than before. Recurring conflict and competition gave rise to more nuclear weapons.

More emphasis has been put on genetics and other branches of science including medicine during the 1990-2011 timeframe.

From 1990-2011, there has also been more interest in green technology.

Overall technology is newer compared to that of years between 1922 and 1989. Newer ideas and better materials allowed for more success in creating new technology and improving the old.

Much more space exploration and satellite launches also took place during the late 1970s and early 80s than compared to the 90s and early 2000s. Although there is still Chinese space exploration today, the majority began before 1990.

Comparisons Between the Timeframes of 1922-1989 and 1990-2011 (cont.)

Today’s World In today’s world, the Republic’s government has deemed

technology expansion crucial to a strong stable national economy. China has the world's second largest research and development budget so they have been able to make incredible developments in technology in the fields of agriculture, medicine, genetics, global trade and space science have been made thus far.

China, today is the world’s leading investor in renewable energy technologies having invested about 34.6 million dollars in green research and technology.

China is one of the leading producers of wind turbines and solar panels per year than any other country in the world.

China has opened the Harbin Institute of Technology and the University of Science and Technology if China in Hefei to promote further study in technology.

China today is beginning plans to build a space station in the near future and to achieve a lunar landing in the next decade. There are also plans for a manned mission to planet Mars.

China has been engaging in the second largest amount of study in stem cell research and gene therapy through their Program on the Construction of National Key Laboratories.

China is focusing on further developing, its supercomputer, which is currently the fastest in the world. China is also actively developing its software.

In the area of medicine, China has developed new insecticides, hepatitis vaccines, HIV treatments, and other antibiotics.

Today, China is involved with 152 other foreign countries in dealings and research technological improvement.

China has established numerous national programs to help their state achieve the best technological advancements possible. Examples of these programs include the Climbing Program, 863 Program, 973 Program, Torch Program, Spark Program, Dissemination program, S&T Program for Social Development, National New Products Program, and several others.

Today’s World (cont.)

Who Did What? Caroline: PIRATES and Comparisons Shaina: Chronology and Change Over Time Kirsten Schulz: Pictures and Today’s World Websites Used:

› http://www.china-profile.com/history/indepth/id_243.htm

› http://www.chinatoday.com/science/a.htm› http://www.china-profile.com/history/hist_technology_1

.htm› http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Republic_of_C

hina_history› http://www.2chinable.com/china-internet-resources/18

5-china-internet-development-history-timeline-2008› http://www.spacetoday.org/China/ChinaSatellites.html› http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_China