Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas

Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas

• China’s reform and opening up has made remarkable achievements, with important
innovations and developments in many fields, which have significantly enhanced its overall
national strength and improved its people’s living standards .

1 Achievements in high technology

• High technology is a general term for the most advanced technologies in the fields of
aerospace, information, biology, energy, transportation and so on.

1.1 Research infrastructure

• Research infrastructure refers to the equipment or devices that support scientific research.
• The achievements of China＇s scientific research infrastructure in recent years:
(1) 552 national key laboratories are established
(2) 15 national technology innovation centres
(3) Develop a number of advanced world-level infrastructural
facilities for scientific research.(such as Aperture Spherical
Radio Telescope , the Three Gorges Project)

1.2 Exports of technological products

• In recent years, China＇s scientific research strength has improved:
(1) Ranked first in the world in terms of the
number of international patent
applications for nine consecutive years
(2) Ranked second in the number of
citations for scientific papers .

1.3 Major technological achievements

A Space technology
Category Example Benefit
Dongfanghong 1,
Artificial satellites Making immense
“BeiDou Navigation Satellite System”
contributions to
Spacecraft Shenzhou V human space
Space station “Tiangong” space station exploration and
technological
Exploring
“Jade Rabbit” Rover,“Zhurong”Rover development
the Moon and Mars

B Information technology
Category Achievements Benefit

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Modern Citizenship and Social Development Student’s Quick Revision Notes for Examination
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Dominated the “supercomputer 500 list” Deliver, analyse ,and
Supercomputers Had the largest number supercomputer’s apply information
on more accurately
Built the world’s largest 5G network. 🡫
5G communication
Applied in intelligent production, Promoting technological
technology
telemedicine,etc. innovation and
Artificial Had the second largest number of related socio-economic
Intelligence companies in the world development.

C Biotechnology
Category Example Benefit
Stem cell and regenerative Contribute to the
CiPS cell research
medicine research development of
Clone technology Replication of primates medical and
Genetic engineering Gene chips technological industries

D Transportation technology
Category Example Benefit
High-speed trains Fuxing trains are exported to Thailand, Improve the
Indonesia and other countries. transportation
C919 aircraft marks the formation of a efficiency in the
Large civil airliners
complete aircraft production chain in China country and enhance
Leads the world in car power battery its economic
Electric vehicles
technology competitiveness .

2 Achievements in medical and health care

Has upgraded its medical and healthcare facilities and services 🡪

Improve people’s health .
Domestic
Has established a basic health care system🡪reduce the medical burden on
the grassroots
Has actively made medical collaboration with other countries🡪
International Contributing to the advancement of the world’s medical and healthcare
industry.

2.1 Improving the health of residents

(1) Increase healthcare personnel and facilities
(2) Advancements in health technology
(3) Enhanced public health awareness

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 Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas
2.2 Establishing basic medical security
• In recent years, a basic medical security network covering the entire population has been
established.
Type People covered Benefit
Basic medical insurance for Urban working
urban workers population Different people can get medical
Urban subsidies from the Government.
Basic medical insurance for
non-working 🡫
urban residents
population Basically ending the era of completely
The new rural cooperative self-financed medical care .
Farmers
medical system
• Patients with infectious diseases (e.g AIDS, tuberculosis) will be provided with free drug
treatment🡪 improve the effectiveness of the prevention and treatment of infectious
diseases🡪 protect residents’ health

2.3 Contribution to the world’s medical and health care industry

A Medical treatment
• In recent years, China has cooperated with overseas traditional Chinese medicine institutions
in medical care, education and research .🡪 Traditional Chinese medicine was spread
around the world🡪 recognised by the international community.
Chinese medicine inscribed on the UN lists Relevant UN lists
Acupuncture and moxibustion UNESCO’s Representative List of the
of traditional Chinese medicine Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
“Inner Canon of Huangdi ”,
“Compendium of Materia Medica ” UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register
and other classics of traditional Chinese medicine
• Scientist Tu Youyou , who developed artemisinin from traditional Chinese medicine to
effectively treat malaria , was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015,
signifying the important contribution of traditional Chinese medicine to the maintenance of
human health.

B Medical aid
Provided medical services to developing countries
In recent (1) Set up medical teams to carry out medical
years cooperation projects in Africa
(2) Sent naval hospital ship Ark Peace
Since the Sent medical expert teams to many countries:
COVID-19 (1) Share experience in epidemic prevention
epidemic (2) Provide vaccine assistance

3 Cultural and educational achievements

3.1 Enhancement of cultural influence
• China’s cultural industries (such as film and television entertainment, press and publication
and game development) occupy an important place in the international market, contributing to
the rapid growth of China’s cultural trade .
• China has made outstanding achievements in cultural heritage protection , showing the
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Modern Citizenship and Social Development Student’s Quick Revision Notes for Examination
Topic 2 Situation of the Country and Sense of National Identity
charm of Chinese culture to the world.

A Film and television entertainment

• Performance of domestic film and television works (such as films, animations, TV dramas) in
recent years:
The production volume, production level ,
box office earnings or ratings were all on the rise

B Press and publication

• The benefits of the increasing abundance of press and publications (such as newspapers,
periodicals, books):
(1) Facilitate the transmission of knowledge and information🡪raise the cultural literacy
of the public.
(2) Attract many foreign publishers to purchase the copyright of Chinese books.
🡪 export Chinese books🡪 beneficial to China’s cultural exchanges with foreign
countries

C Game development
• The wide availability of the Internet, computers and smartphones, as well as the mature
development of e-sports 🡪 game development has become an emerging cultural industry.
🡪 The total export value of Chinese game products has increased significantly🡪
spread Chinese culture abroad.

D Cultural heritage
• China attaches great importance to cultural conservation .
(1) Listed a number of historical and cultural sites as “ Major Historical and Cultural Sites
Protected at the National Level ”
(2) Joined the United Nations’ Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural
and Natural Heritage
(3) Applied for inscribing its natural and cultural heritage on the World Heritage List . (As
of 2021, its World Heritage sites ranked second in the world, and its World Intangible
Culture Heritage ranked first in the world)
• Cooperated with foreign cultural and educational institutions to showcase the traditional
Chinese arts through different cultural performances .
🡪 increase foreigners’ understanding of Chinese intangible cultural heritage

3.2 Booming education

• Since reform and opening up:

A Popularisation of education
Measures Achievement
Compulsory Education Law：
Since 2000, compulsory education in China
Compulsory Ensures that school-age
has been basically popularised 🡪the
education children receive nine-year
illiteracy rate in China has kept declining
compulsory education.

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 Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas
Actively promotes the An increase in the number of people with
Higher
popularisation of higher senior secondary qualifications or even
education
education university degrees

B Quality of education
• “having access to education”🡆“ having access to good education ”🡆
gradually moving towards an “ education power .”
Compulsory
• Basic education is at the world’s top level：according to the 2018
education
Programme for International Student Assessment, students in China won
the first place in three key competencies
• Recognised by the international community ：six higher education
Higher institutions in the Mainland have been listed among the world’s top 100 in
education the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021

C Educational equity
Measures Target Achievement
Exempt tuition and Urban and
“ Two miscellaneous fees rural The dropout problem of rural
Exemptions Provide free textbooks students students is mitigated.
and One Students from 🡫
Subsidy ” economically The gap between urban and rural
Provide subsidies disadvantaged
policy education is narrowed
families
Support them to continue their
The Nutrition education
Other aid Improvement Plan for Students in
policies rural students in poor areas 🡫
compulsory education Enhance the completion rate of
compulsory education in China

D Foreign students in China

(1) The improvement of China’s education level
(2) Enhancement of its international influence
4 Infrastructural achievements
• Infrastructure includes municipal and public utilities and public living service facilities

China has developed different

types of infrastructure projects

4.1 Transportation construction

A Bridges
• China has seen a rising standard of bridge design and construction
🡪built several internationally renowned bridges (e.g. the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
is the longest cross-sea bridge in the world at present)
🡪facilitate city-to-city connections 🡪enhance economic cooperation and exchanges
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Modern Citizenship and Social Development Student’s Quick Revision Notes for Examination
Topic 2 Situation of the Country and Sense of National Identity
B Airports
• In recent years, China has attached importance to air traffic construction and built many
airports (e.g. Beijing Daxing International Airport is the biggest airport in the world. It is
conducive to enhancing the status of Beijing as an international aviation hub .)
🡪 promote the development of civil aviation .
• The total number of passenger flights in China ranks second in the world🡪 increase the
passenger and cargo capacity of China’s airports

C Ports
• China has seven of the world’s ten busiest ports, with Shanghai Port being the busiest port
of the world in 11 consecutive years, signifying China’s role as a key player in
international trade .
• Many ports in China are equipped with advanced freight facilities, such as the fully
automated terminal at the Port of Qingdao, where robots are used to automatically load and
unload containers to increase the efficiency of logistics.

D Rails and roads

• China is committed to expanding its railroad and highway networks: ranks first in the world in
terms of mileage of its high-speed rails, subways and highways
🡪facilitate the connection between major urban agglomerations as well as small and
medium-sized cities
• In 2016, China proposed to establish an “ eight vertical and eight horizontal ” high-speed rail
network to further increase the coverage of high-speed rails, strengthen the socio-economic
interaction between coastal and inland areas, and promote the common development of urban
and rural areas .

4.2 Postal construction

• Since reform and opening up：
Various means of transport🡪 established a modern postal network that connects urban and
rural areas, covers the whole country and reaches to the world
🡪 enhance the receiving and delivery capacity of China’s postal services
• In recent years：
The development of information technology + prevalence of online shopping = China’s postal
and delivery services have become more high-tech (such as using robots for automatic
parcel sorting and setting up smart lockers for convenient delivery pick-up)
• SF Express and JD.com are two well-known express delivery companies in the Mainland

4.3 Network construction

• In order to promote industrial upgrade and improve people’s lives, China regards network
construction as an important part of new infrastructure construction .
• The progress of China’s network construction in recent years:
(1) Overall: the length of the fibre optic network and the number of 5G base stations in
China have continued to climb. China boasts the world’s largest 5G network.
(2) Rural area: accelerated the construction of 4G base stations 🡪 have “ the same network
and speed ” as urban areas🡪 narrowing the “ digital divide ” between urban and rural
areas🡪promoting e-commerce, remote medical services and e-learning.

4.4 Energy construction

• China is vigorously developing renewable energy construction or equipment (the Three Gorges

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 Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas
Project in Yangtze River , the Jiuquan Wind Power Base in Gansu)
🡪 China becomes the top of the world in terms of hydro, wind and solar power generation
🡪 increase the proportion of renewable energy in China’s energy mix
🡪 establish a sound and stable energy supply system + mitigate climate change

5 Poverty alleviation achievements

• Since reform and opening up, China has been actively addressing the problem of poverty and
has set the goal of achieving common prosperity .
• By 2020, China has declared its success in eliminating absolute poverty , ensuring the basic
livelihood of residents and making an important contribution to the global fight against
poverty.

5.1 Poverty alleviation strategy

• In the early years of reform and opening up, the strategy of “ letting some people get rich first
” was implemented in China
🡪 promoting rapid economic growth in major cities and coastal regions vs.
rural and inland areas have relatively slow development
🡪 giving rise to an extreme disparity between the rich and the poor such as “rural-urban
disparity” and “regional disparity”
• China has been vigorously carrying out poverty reduction plans in recent years, including
developing the poverty alleviation standard and implementing targeted measures of poverty
alleviation.

A Working out the poverty alleviation standard

Implement large-scale , planned and organised poverty
Reason
alleviation.
Concept adopted “absolute poverty”
Unit of measurement Household (family)
“One The household’s annual net per capita income is steadily
Income ” above the existing national poverty alleviation standard
Measuring “Two
“No need to worry about food and clothing ”
standard Assurances ”
“Three Having access to “compulsory education , basic
Guarantees ” medical services and safe housing ”

B Implementing targeted measures of poverty alleviation

• In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the strategy of “targeted poverty alleviation”,
emphasising the use of big data and other scientific methods to analyse the conditions of
different poor areas and peasant households, so as to accurately identify and help the poverty
alleviation targets, “winning the tough battle against poverty”.
Eight poverty alleviation strategies
1. Developing Making use of the resource advantages of poverty-stricken
competitive industries areas to develop industries with regional characteristics
2. Support to Providing job training or referring jobs to the poor to help them
employment change jobs

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Modern Citizenship and Social Development Student’s Quick Revision Notes for Examination
Topic 2 Situation of the Country and Sense of National Identity
3. Relocations from Relocating the poor to new resettlement areas with better
inhospitable areas environments, comprehensive social facilities and more job
opportunities.
4. Improving education Promoting education for all in poverty-stricken areas
5. Providing better Ensuring that the poor can receive basic medical protection so
health care that they will not become poor again because of illness, or return
to poverty due to illness.
6. Ecological Developing green industries or encouraging the poor to
conservation participate in ecological protection construction
7. Guaranteeing basic Providing basic living security for the poor who suffer from
living standards for natural disasters, serious illnesses, disabilities, or those who
people unable to work lose their ability to work .
8. Social assistance in Providing assistance to the poor through enterprises,
poverty alleviation non-profit social organisations or volunteers

5.2 Poverty alleviation achievements

• Domestic Progress： Rural and regional poverty in China has been
eliminated in 2020, and the goal of eliminating absolute poverty has
been accomplished.
• International Contribution：From 1979 to 2020, China’s
poverty-stricken population accounted for more than 70% of global
poverty reduction population in the same period. China achieved
the poverty alleviation target of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development of the United Nations 10 years in advance.

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 Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas
6 Achievements of the country and sense of national identity
Achievements of the country
5G equipment is in a pioneering
position in the world
High
technology
National high-tech scientific
research projects
Establishing basic healthcare
insurance;
Participating in international
medical and health affairs actively
Medical and Promoting the coordinated
health care development of Chinese and
Western medicine;
Chinese medicine is getting
more recognition by the
international community
The country’s cultural products
such as film and TV entertainment
and games are widely popular
overseas
Commitment to the conservation
of cultural heritage
Culture and
education
Active development of education
Continued development of
infrastructure, including
Infrastructure high-speed rail network and the
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao
Bridge
Poverty
Eradicating absolute poverty
alleviation
Experiences and feelings of
Hong Kong residents
Many Hong Kong telecommunications
companies improve network speed with
the use of it
🡪Hong Kong residents benefit from
them🡪 enhance the sense of national
identity
Tertiary institutions in Hong Kong
participate in R&D of aerospace
instruments
🡪Have the first-hand experience
of the country’s rapid development of
science and technology
🡪Enhance sense of superiority as
Chinese
🡪 impressed with the country’s
progress
Hong Kong residents can enjoy Chinese
medicine services of better quality
🡪Raise their self-confidence in
Chinese culture
🡪Enhance their recognition of Chinese
culture.
🡪Maintain Hong Kong residents’
cultural identity as Chinese nationals.
Boost confidence in the Chinese national
education system
🡪Many young people further their
studies in Mainland institutions
🡪 Integrate into the Mainland society
🡪Identify themselves as part of the
country
🡪Promote economic, social and cultural
exchanges between the two places
🡪Feel that their relationship with the
Mainland is as close as the
connection between blood and veins
Enhance recognition of the country’s
governance , also proud of participating
in the country’s poverty alleviation work.
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Modern Citizenship and Social Development Student’s Quick Revision Notes for Examination
Topic 2 Situation of the Country and Sense of National Identity

Synopsis of core content

Achievements of the country and national identity
of Hong Kong residents

An English - Chinese Glossary of Key Vocabulary

Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas
Scientific research infrastructure 科研基礎設施
space technology 航天科技
information technology 資訊科技
5G communications technology 5G 通訊技術
artificial intelligence 人工智能
biotechnology 生物科技
transportation technology 運輸科技
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 Chapter 3 Recent achievements of the country in different areas

energy construction 能源建設

life expectancy 人均預期壽命
infant and child mortality rate 嬰幼兒死亡率
medical security network 醫療保障網
traditional Chinese medicine 中醫藥
medical aid 醫療援助
cultural industry 文化產業
cultural heritage 文化遺產
compulsory education 義務教育
educational equity 教育公平
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge 港珠澳大橋
“eight vertical and eight horizontal” high-speed rail 「八縱八橫」高鐵網
network
digital divide 數碼鴻溝
absolute poverty 絕對貧困
national poverty alleviation standard 國家扶貧標準
targeted poverty alleviation 精準扶貧

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