By Xinhua
Beijing : The Chinese government is to invest $51.04 million in transforming military technologies for civilian use in 2008, 20 percent more than this year’s budget.
According to the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (COSTIND), responsible for China’s defence industry Tuesday, the funds will go towards alternative energy, electric equipment, information technology, heavy equipment, and to energy-efficient and environment-friendly equipment.
COSTIND’s website said the fund will be channelled into 17 projects, but did not elaborate on what specific technologies the commission has an interest in developing in the coming year.
The COSTIND is mandated to organise technological development and production of national defence contractors, leads China’s first moon exploration effort.
In recent years, COSTIND has encouraged defence manufacturers to develop more dual technologies and products for a better performance in their balance sheets.
The so-called ‘dual-use technologies’ are those developed by the defence sector primarily for military use, but which may later have a use in hi-tech civilian-use products.
An official with the COSTIND said that more dual technologies should be commercialized in the civilian market, and in so doing creating a defence sector, which is both more competitive and more profitable.