The 863 Plan

Since the 1970s, a new round of revolution in science and technology has seen a surge in creativity and the productive forces, and brought profound changes to the economy and the military, and to politics, society and culture. As high technology has become the focus of international competition, many countries have increased their input to this field and made it a major component of their national strategies.

On March 3, 1986, four renowned Chinese scientists – Wang Daheng (1915-2011), Wang Ganchang (1907-1998), Chen Fangyun (1916-2000) and Yang Jiachi (1919-2006) – wrote a letter to the central leadership in which they proposed developing China's own high technologies. This was endorsed by Deng Xiaoping, who instructed on March 5 that an immediate decision be made on the matter.

Subsequently, the central authorities invited more than 100 experts and specialists to conduct research and work out a plan for high-tech research and development. Fifteen projects in seven fields – biology, information, space technology, lasers, automation, energy and new materials – were chosen as the focus of the effort. As the plan was formulated in March 1986, it was given the name "863." Marine technology was added in 1996.

The goals of the 863 Plan were to tackle pioneering and forward-looking high-tech issues that bore strategic importance to China's future development and national security, to develop high technologies with intellectual property rights, to coordinate their integrated application, and to guide development of new industries. The plan began to be carried out in March 1987, with scientists in different fields working together in pursuit of breakthroughs. This has generated a wealth of experience in high-tech development and industrial transformation.

“八六三”計劃

20世紀70年代以來，以高科技為核心的新一輪科技革命對社會生產力的提高和人類創造力的發揮產生了巨大的影響，引起了經濟、政治、軍事、社會、文化等各方面的深刻變化。為了搶占高技術這一未來國際競爭的制高點，世界上許多國家紛紛加大投入，把發展高技術作為國家戰略的主要內容。

1986年3月3日，王大珩、王淦昌、陳芳允和楊嘉墀4位科學家聯名給中共中央寫信，提出要跟蹤世界先進水平、發展中國高技術的建議。鄧小平充分肯定了這份建議，并于3月5日作出批示：“此事宜速作決斷，不可拖延。”據此，中共中央、國務院迅速組織上百位專家進行嚴格全面的調查論證，研究制定《高技術研究發展計劃綱要》，即堅持“有限目標、突出重點”的方針，選擇生物、信息、航天、激光、自動化、能源、新材料等7個技術領域的15個主題項目作為研究發展重點。這一計劃產生于1986年3月，又稱“八六三”計劃。1996年，這一計劃又增加了海洋技術領域。

“八六三”計劃是解決事關國家長遠發展和國家安全的戰略性、前沿性和前瞻性高技術問題，發展具有自主知識產權的高技術，統籌高技術的集成和應用，引領未來新興產業發展的計劃。這一計劃于1987年3月正式組織實施，各領域科學家協同合作、持續攻關，實現了一系列重大技術突破，探索了中國高技術及其產業發展的道路，為國家高技術進一步發展奠定了堅實基礎、積累了寶貴經驗。