"These key projects are vital to upgrading China's innovation capacity and consequently its economic competitiveness," said the minister.

    The ministry will invite experts to discuss budget requirements and the feasibility of these projects. Several projects will get underway by the end of this year, said Xu.

    Large planes, a new generation of wireless communications and exploration of large oil and gas fields will also be high on the government's agenda.

    Xu pledged to implement several other important projects in fields such as renewable energy and the environment, to help solve the pressing difficulties met with in current economic and social development.

    In its national guidelines for medium- and long-term science and technology development, China vowed to make breakthroughs in key state projects over the next 15 years. It promised to invest public and private funds into a variety of projects covering energy resources, agriculture and manufacturing areas, space exploration and research on protein and nanotechnology.