Law of the People's Republic of China on Popularization of ience and Technology

(adopted at the 28th Meeting of the Ninth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on June 29, 2002)

Contents

　　Chapter Ⅰ  General Provisions

　　Chapter Ⅱ  Organization and Administration

　　Chapter Ⅲ  Responsibility of the Society

　　Chapter Ⅳ  Safeguards

　　Chapter Ⅴ  Legal Responsibility

　　Chapter Ⅵ  Supplementary Provisions

　　Chapter Ⅰ General Provisions

　　Article 1  This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution and the purpose of  implementing  the strategy of invigorating the country through  science and  education other related laws for and the strategy of sustainable development, redoubling the efforts to popularize  science and technology, raising the citizens' scientific and cultural level and promoting economic development  and social progress.

　　Article 2   This Law shall apply to activities conducted by the State and the community to popularize scientific and technological knowledge, promote scientific approaches, disseminate scientific ideas and  carry  forward scientific spirit.
　　For  popularization of  science and technology (hereinafter referred to as PST), such ways as may make it easy for the general public to understand, accept and participate in shall be adopted.

　　Article 3   State organs, armed forces, public organizations, enterprises and institutions, rural grass-roots organizations and other organizations shall work for PST.
　　Citizens have the right to participate in PST activities.

　　Article 4   PST  is a public welfare  undertaking and an essential  component of  the socialist  material  and  spiritual  civilization. It is a long-term task of the State to develop the PST undertaking.
　　The State supports  efforts  for PST made by  people in ethnic minority areas and in outlying and poverty - stricken areas.

　　Article 5  The State protects the lawful rights and interests of the PST organizations and workers, encourage them to carry out PST activities independently, and initiate PST undertakings according to law.

　　Article 6   The  State  supports all  quarters of society to initiate PST un dertakings. Such undertakings may be operated under market mechanism.

　　Article 7  Work for PST shall be characterized by mass participation, socialization and regularity and shall be integrated with practice and carried  put in light of local conditions, and take various forms.

　　Article 8   In  PST, the scientific spirit shall be upheld and  pseudoscience  shall be opposed and resisted.No unit or individual may, in the name of PST, engage in activities at the expense of public interests.

　　Article 9   The State supports and promotes cooperation and exchange with foreign countries in die field of PST.

 

　　Chapter Ⅱ Organization and Administration

　　Article 10   To exercise leadership over PST, people's governments at various levels shall  incorporate it into their plans for national economic and social development, in older to create a  good environment  and  favorable conditions for PST.
　　People's governments at or above the county level shall establish a coordination  system  for PST.

　　Article 11   The administrative department for science and technology under the State Council shall  be in charge of  formulating  national  plans  for PST, provide  policy-related orientation and exercise supervision  and  inspection, in order to advance work in this field.
　　Other administrative departments under the State Council shall, within the limits of their functions and duties, be in charge of work related to PST.
　　The administrative departments for science and technology of the local people' s  governments  at  or  above  the county level and other administrative departments shall, under the leadership of the people' s governments at the same level and  within the limits of  their respective functions and duties, be in charge of work related to PST in their own regions.

      Article 12    The  science  and  technology  associations  constitute the main quarters of the society working  for  PST. The associations shall carry out activities for PST  which are characterized by mass participation, socialization and regularity, support related public organizations, enterprises  and  institutions  in their efforts  to carry out activities  for PST, assist the government in formulating PST plans, and  put forward suggestions to the governments when-the  latter makes policy decisions on PST.

　　Chapter Ⅲ Responsibility of the Society

　　Article 13   PST is a common task of  the society  as a whole. People from all circles of  the society shall  get organized  to  participate in different kinds of  PST activities.

　　Article 14   Various  kinds  of  schools  and other institutions of education shall make education in  popular  science  and technology an essential  component of quality-oriented education  and  make arrangements  for students to carry out varied forms of activities for PST.

　　Science  and  technology  halls ( stations), science and  technology centers  and  other education  bases  for  PST  shall arrange extracurricular activities for education in popular science and technology among teen-agers.

　　Article 15   Institutions of scientific research and technological development, institutions of higher education and public organizations in the fields of natural and social sciences shall  get  science  and  technology  workers and teachers  organized and support  them in carrying  out  activities for  PST and  shall  encourage them to publicize  the importance of PST in combination with their own jobs. Where conditions permit, laboratories, exhibition looms and other places and  facilities shall be open to the general public, for holding lecturesand  providing consultancy there. Science and technology workers  and  teachers  shall give full play to their advantages and expertise and take an active part in and support activities for PST.

　　Article 16   Institutions and organizations of the press and publishing, radio, film and television media, and culture shall give full play to their own advantages to make a success of PST.
　　In comprehensive newspapers and periodicals there shall be a special column or page for PST; radio and TV broadcasting stations shall have a PST program or relay such programs; film and television  program production, distribution and showing  institutions  shall redouble their efforts in the  production, distribution  and  showing of films  and TV  programs  on  PST; institutions  for  publishing  and  distributing  books  and  periodicals  shall support (he publication and distribution of books and periodicals on PST; comprehensive internet websites shall have PST pages; science and technology  halls (stations), libraries, museums, culture centers and other places for cultural activities shall play role of education in popular science and technology.

　　Article 17   State organs and institutions in charge of medical  service and health care, family planning, environmental protection, land resources, sports, meteorology, earthquake, cultural relics, tourism, etc. shall  conduct  activities  for PST in combination with their own functions.

　　Article 18    Trade  unions, Communist Youth League  organizations, women's  federations and other public organizations shall arrange  activities  for PST  in combination  with the characteristics of the different groups of people they work among.

　　Article 19    Enterprises shall conduct activities for PST in combination with technical up-dating and training in workers' skills and may have, where conditions permit, halls and facilities open to the general public for PST.

　　Article 20    The  State  strengthens  work for  PST  in rural areas. Rural grassroots organizations  shall,  in  light of  me local need for economic and social development and centering on  scientific production  and a cultured  life, play the role of town or township PST organizations or rural  schools  in the efforts for PST.
　　The  various  forms of  rural  economic organizations, institutions  for  the  spread of agricultural  technology  and  professional  technology  associations  in  rural areas shall, while  spreading  the  use of  advanced  and  applicable technologies, disseminate scientific and technological knowledge among the fanners.

　　Article 21   Urban grass-roots organizations and communities shall, by making use of  the  local  resources  in  science and  technology,  education, culture, public  health, tourism, etc. conduct  activities for  PST  in combination  with  the needs  of me  residents in their  daily lives, study, health care, recreation, etc.

　　Article 22   Units  in  charge  of  the  operation  and  management  of  parks, department stores, airports, railway stations,  ports and other public places shall, within the limits of their jurisdiction,  increase  publicity  of  the need for PST.

　　Chapter Ⅳ   Safeguards

　　Article 23   People's  governments at various levels shall incorporate the expense for PST into their budget at the same  level  and  gradually increase the input in PST, in order to guarantee that work in this field will go smoothly.
　　Related departments of people' s governments at various levels shall arrange a certain amount of funds for PST.

　　Article 24   People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under  the Central  Government and other local  people's governments  where conditions permit shall incorporate the construction of halls and facilities for PST into their plans for urban and rural construction and plannings  for  capital construction; they shall make better  use of, maintain or refurbish the existing halls and facilities for PST.
　　The  halls  for  PST  built  with  government  investment  shall  be manned with the necessary full-time staff and be open to the general public all the year round, teen-agers shall enjoy  preferences, and  the halls may not be used  for other purposes.
　　Where they are short of funds, the government at the same level shall provide them with subsidies to enable them to operate normally.
　　Where conditions are lacking for building halls for PST activities, the existing facilities for  science and  technology, education, culture, etc. may  be used for such  activities and galleries and show windows for PST may be set up.

　　Article 25    The  State  supports work for PST and, in  accordance with law, applies preferential taxation policies for undertakings in this field.
　　For conducting  PST activities and initiating PST undertakings, PST organizations may, in accordance with law, obtain subsidies and donation.

　　Article 26   The State encourages public organizations and  individuals  at home and abroad to establish PST funds in support of PST undertakings.

　　Article 27   The  State  encourages  public organizations and individuals at home and abroad to donate property in  support of  PST undertakings. Where such property is used for  PST undertakings or is invested in the construction of  PST  halls or facilities, preferences shall be given in accordance with law.

　　Article 28    Funds  earmarked  for  PST  and  property donated  by public dganizarions and individuals for PST undertakings shall  be used for such undertakings, and no unit or individual may pocket, withhold or misappropriate them.

　　Article 29   People's governments and science and technology associations at various levels and related units shall support  PST workers in their weak  and shall commend  and award the organizations and individuals that have made importdht contributions to PST.

　　Chapter Ⅴ   Legal Responsibility

　　Article 30    Whoever,  in the name of  PST, engages  in  activities at the expense of public interests, disturbs social order or obtains money or things of value by cheating shall be criticized  and  educated  by a  competent department  and  be stopped; if  he  violates provisions  on  security  administration,  the public  security organ  shall impose a  security administration  punishment on  him  according  to law; if a crime is constituted, he  shall be investigated far criminal responsibility in accordance with law.

　　Article 31   Whoever, in  violation of  the  provisions of this Law, pockets, withholds or misappropriates  government  funds earmarked for PST, or embezzles or misappropriates  money  or articles donated  shall  be ordered by a  competent  department  to return them within a time limit; the  persons who are  directly  in  charge  and  the other  persons who are directly  responsible shall  be  given  administrative sanctions  in accordance with law; if  a  crime  is  constituted, he  and  the  persons  shall  be  investigated   for  criminal responsibility.

　　Article 32   Whoever, without  authorization, puts to other uses the PST halls constructed with government  investment shall be  ordered by a  competent  department to set it  right within a time limit. Where  the  circumstances  are  serious, the  persons  who are directly  in  charge and  the other   persons  who  are  directly responsible shall  be given administrative sanctions in accordance with law.
　　Whoever  disturbs order in  PST  halls or damages  PST halls or facilities shall be ordered to desist from the wrongdoing, put the halls or  facilities back  to  their former state or compensate for the damages. If a crime is constituted, he shall be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with law.

　　Article 33   Any state functionary who abuses his power in PST, neglects his duties or engages in malpractices for personal gain shall be given an administrative sanction  in accordance with law. If a crime is constituted, he shall be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with law.

　　Chapter Ⅵ Supplementary Provisions

　　Article 34  This law shall go into effect as of the date of  promulgation.