Data sharing project helps scientists
By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-23 00:32

A national sharing project will give Chinese scientists and researchers wider access to scientific data.

Vice-minister of science and technology Cheng Jinpei said sharing data is vital to sharpen the competitiveness of Chinese researchers and scientists.

Science and technology development has been hindered by inefficient data sharing and duplication of theoretical research.

"We are still inefficient in using such data," Cheng said yesterday in his keynote speech at a three-day international seminar in Beijing.

China has accumulated vast reservoirs of scientific data, most of which is kept on shelves or in archives.

Meanwhile, barriers against sharing still remain between different organizations, institutes and research fields.

"Some basic data is just exclusively owned by a single institute and exchange is scarce between research organizations," said Cheng.

He said China badly needs international experience in scientific data sharing.

The government has realized the problem and in 2002, a national project was launched to promote data sharing.

The Scientific Data Sharing Programme, part of National Facility Information Infrastructure, aims to maximize the efficiency of the country's investment in science and technology.

"We aim to make optimal use of previously scattered research data resources," said Cheng.

With a meteorological research team taking the lead, the data sharing platform is gradually being built around areas such as mapping, geology, agriculture and sustainable development.

The China Meteorological Administration has already collected and integrated data resources, said Director Qin Dahe.

"Now we can provide services," said Qin, adding that the public and research organizations are allowed free access to these data.

Qin expected extensive co-operation and exchange with domestic and overseas meteorological websites, institutes and organizations.

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