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diff --git a/language/chinese/chtex/china.report b/language/chinese/chtex/china.report new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..f805573c1e --- /dev/null +++ b/language/chinese/chtex/china.report @@ -0,0 +1,536 @@ +From rick@cs.arizona.edu Wed Aug 14 02:55:35 1991 +From: rick@cs.arizona.edu (Rick Schlichting) +Newsgroups: comp.research.japan,soc.culture.china +Subject: Kahaner Report: Computing and related S&T activities in China (PRC) +Date: 12 Aug 91 17:29:26 GMT +Followup-To: comp.research.japan + + + [Dr. David Kahaner is a numerical analyst visiting Japan for two-years + under the auspices of the Office of Naval Research-Asia (ONR/Asia). + The following is the professional opinion of David Kahaner and in no + way has the blessing of the US Government or any agency of it. All + information is dated and of limited life time. This disclaimer should + be noted on ANY attribution.] + + [Copies of previous reports written by Kahaner can be obtained from + host cs.arizona.edu using anonymous FTP.] + +To: Distribution +From: David K. Kahaner, ONR Asia [kahaner@xroads.cc.u-tokyo.ac.jp] +Re: Computing and related S&T activities in China (PRC) +12 August 1991 +This file is named "computing.ch" + + +ABSTRACT. An overview of computing and related activities in China (PRC). + + +INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. +This report is a complement to earlier reports on Chinese computing, +(xian.rpt, 14 Aug 1991; tiawan, 17 Jan 1991; hongkong.91, 11 July 1991). +It is based on one visit to PRC during June 1991 and reading of some +English literature and English translations. + +In many ways mainland China (People's Republic of China-- PRC) is a +modern industrial nation, and in others a poor third world country. +High tech industries in China are struggling because of the usual +problems associated with partially developed countries. There are +additional problems related to restrictions on trade from the US and EC +because of political differences. Lack of good communication facilities +such as computer networks and fax machines means that information flow +is erratic; several of the scientists we spoke to were unaware of +activities in neighboring Chinese institutions, while others appeared to +be exceptionally well connected. Electronic mail is just beginning to +appear. Access to computers is generally erratic. There is a heavy +emphasis on simulation and theory when experimentation might be better. +Basic theoretical research (pencil and paper) is excellent, especially +in applied mathematical analysis. We saw no parallel computing activity +although reading available reference materials indicates that some work +is in progress. We were not able to assess research in computer +science either, except it was clear that computer engineering is very +active. Fuzzy logic, for example, has a tremendous following, and there +are a great many applications being developed for industrial processes, +perhaps more than in the US. (See the anecdotal list of applications +given below, as well as papers on the topic listed in the forthcoming +report (xian.rpt, 14 Aug 1991). + +Access to Western research information also appears spotty. Some +lectures at a conference we attended in Xi'an suggested a very out of +date view of Western literature. On the other hand senior scientists +travel to and study in the West and read and write English fairly well. +But many Chinese scientists have not travelled outside of their country, +and have not had much opportunity to use spoken English. There also +appears to be substantial library facilities at least at some +institutions. Communicating in English seems to be more of a problem +than in Japan, but this is also very variable. + +There is no doubt that China is trying very hard to push science and +technology as a means to move itself forward. Numerous studies have +emphasized that the country that invented paper, movable type, gunpowder, +and the compass has had no similar scientific achievements in recent +times. Four volumes of "S&T white papers" have been published since 1986 +describing the Chinese government's significant policy and strategy +decisions, related materials, and regulations for scientists and others. +It is hoped, for example, that by the year 2000 high-tech industries +will become pillars of China's national economy, traditional industries +will improve their productivity, the internal consumer market will fuel +other improvements, and even military research institutes will shift +strategically toward civilian products, as is now occurring in the Soviet +Union. + +Thus there is plenty of interest, ample reports, and relatively large +quantities of money to be spent on R&D, although it must be spread over +a huge infrastructure. For example, the State Science and Technology +Commission will funnel over $2B US into high-tech development during the +'90s. For better or worse, China has over 7500 scientific research +organizations at the county level or above, a high-tech work force of +more than 3 million including about 400,000 scientific research +personnel, almost as many as in the US or Japan, and more than in +England. Many of the policies for promoting S&T are common to other +industrializing countries and will not be detailed here. A typical +quote, "we should strengthen reverse engineering and digest, absorb, +improve, and develop imported technology, take advantage of our vast +population and raise design starting points. An example is importing and +digesting French engine technologies as a basis for reverse design and +absorbing new engine technologies from foreign countries for development +and innovation to design and develop our own new type of engine.." + +At the same time that the Chinese government is trying to open itself to +the international scientific community there is also a substantial +amount of of old-line inertia and flowery governmental prose in +published documents. This is compounded by official concerns about +giving away secrets to foreign intelligence agents. However, all the +experiences during our recent visit suggest that individual Chinese +scientists are just as eager as those anywhere to engage in cooperation +and free scientific information exchange. Let us do everything possible +to encourage and support this attitude. + + +CHINESE KEY NATIONAL LABORATORIES. +A plan to build national key labs in universities and research +institutes began in 1984. The focus has been on building and operating +open labs, setting up a new research system, promoting collaboration and +cooperation, personnel buildup, establishing a good academic atmosphere, +and managing the labs. More than 60 national labs were built since 1984. +In addition, the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) also has invested in +setting up a similar number of academic labs and institutes which are +university-like (including some students) but in a different +organizational chain. Further, more labs have been proposed, so that +there could be on the order of 150 by 1995. + +The Chinese government is now focusing on the fact that building a high +class laboratory involves not only a large one-time construction cost, +but a high on-going operational cost. There is now a trend to +consolidate some labs to make their operations more cost effective, make +research funds less diffuse and make sure that research directions are +not divided too finely. There are still many problems related to "turf", +and cooperation as well as communication between labs needs improving. +There are also a number of issues related to personnel, such as getting +lab leaders of international stature (the target here is the Cavendish +Laboratory with Maxwell and Rayleigh as early directors), getting (and +keeping) enough young researchers and support technicians who will make +most of the actual breakthroughs. Of course the perennial problem of +logistic support occurs too. To operate the labs it is recommended that +"operation is more important than construction", "academic atmosphere is +more important that current academic standard", and "management is more +important than current experimental condition". + +863 PROGRAM. +This is the major plan for S&T development, proposed in March 1986. It is +centered around five areas, with its main focus to catch up with advanced +technology. Five areas are of special interest. + * Biotechnology + * Information technology (see below) + * Automation technology (especially a demo production line at Qinghua + Univ, comprehensive automated manufacturing systems, high + performance sensor technology, multiphase system control technology, + and robots for precision work, work beyond 300 meters depth, and + work in difficult environments) + * New materials (especially for high temperature and shock resistance, + high malleability, for power equipment, aerospace materials, + micromaterials, thermoplastic resins, ceramic-base, semiconductor + photoelectric, optical memory, artificial crystals, membrane + materials, non-crystalline, superconducting materials, etc., to the + late 1980's levels.) + * Energy resource technology The Chinese government has also initiated a + "Torch Program" to ensure that any advances of 386 will be put into + commercial/industrial use. + + +INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT). +A large number of articles in the Chinese official, popular, and +technical literature have emphasized the importance of IT as part of +China's High Technology Development Plan, also called 863 Plan, see +above. In some articles IT is described as the most important of all the +386 projects. The IT aspects are divided into three general areas. + * Information acquisition + The plan is to develop a broad variety of information acquisition + and processing technologies for industrial and agricultural needs + especially in the areas of infrared detection, adaptive optical + telescopes, imaging radar technology (including satellite-carried + synthetic aperture radar and infrared focal plane technology), high + speed real-time signal processing and graphics. + * Optoelectronics + The plan is to develop all kinds of novel optoelectronic devices + and associated system integration technology for sensing, computing + and communications, and study new ways to fabricate VLSI in order + to lay the technical and material groundwork for new information + acquisition systems, computers, and communication equipment. It is + generally accepted in China that if the 20th century is the era of + electronic information, then the 21st will be the era of + optoelectronic information. + * Intelligent computing + The plan is to put the best people and resources in advanced + computer technology and AI together to track the latest + developments in the world, investigate the theoretical basis and + key technology of intelligent computers, and promote the widespread + use of AI to push for an intelligent computer industry in China. + Processing Chinese characters is an important part of many + projects associated with intelligent computing. + + +All together there are about 300 projects, 2,500 scientists and +technicians, and about 80 organizations. The Chinese are definitely +attempting to pool resources into national research centers. For +example, the intelligent computing work has been centered in the CAS +Institute of Computing Technology. About one third of the projects have +been completed, and the Chinese estimate that about one quarter of these +are competitive with international scientific standards. + +The Chinese have stated that "we should encourage international joint R&D +activities and strengthen cooperation among open laboratories, research +centers, research institutes and higher-learning institutions in China. A +unified, orderly, competitive and mutually complementary network of +cooperation should be established." There is also great interest in +having visiting researchers as well as sending Chinese students to other +countries. For this, as well as other international activities, however, +some non technical issues are also relevant. For example, "we must +intensify their ideological and political education to firm up their +patriotism, national pride and confidence, and faith in socialism," etc. + +As of 9/90 the Chinese government has broken out its information +technology project accomplishments as follows. + +Topic World Domestic | Intermed Design Disseminate Total + Level Leader | Results Final Applications +----- + +Intelligent + Computing 12 35 | 21 21 5 47 +Optoelectronics 7 31 | 33 3 2 38 +Information + Acquisition + & Processing 3 10 | 8 0 5 13 + -- -- -- -- -- -- +Total 22 76 | 62 24 12 98 + +The descriptions below attempt to give a very brief picture of some of +these projects. The remarks are fragmented and have all been gathered +from available documentation. I have not had personal contact with these +projects, so the descriptions may not be accurate. I should note that the +Chinese scientists I spoke with were frank and realistic about the status +of their work. But in print, projects are often described in +exceptionally positive terms. This is especially true for summary +reports. If readers are interested I will attempt to obtain further +information about selected projects. + + +COMPUTING, GENERAL. +It is estimated that there are about half million PC type computers in +China, with about two-thirds of Chinese manufacture, compared to about +25% in 1981. In 1985 about $1.2B US was spent on computer imports; in +1989 this had been reduced to $389M US. It is now hoped that Chinese +systems can be exported, perhaps up to $1B US by 1995. Production +includes complete systems, peripherals, monitors, printers, magnetic +recording equipment, as well as system and application software. A major +thrust of work has been input of Chinese characters. Computers +manufactured in China are marketed under the names of Great Wall, Taiji, +Zijin, and Legend. For example, Legend (Beijing Legend Computer Group, +part of the Chinese Academy of Science CAS) markets 286, 386, 386SX, and +486 systems. A 386 system (33Mhz) has also been developed by CAS, with +66Mbit/sec transfer rate between memory and cpu, and a RISC based +floating point unit. This system can be purchased with an independently +designed 1280x1024 color card. In 1990 about 100K 286 mother boards were +shipped to the US and Europe. China's first electron tube calculators +were also made at the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) in 1958--a copy of +a Soviet model; current production uses LSI technology. Changzou +Electronic Computer Plant also markets a laptop based on a 4.77MHz 80C88 +and supports both Chinese and standard Ascii characters. Another model +uses memory card technology based on an independently designed and +developed card. + +To the best of my knowledge China currently has no Western +supercomputers. However, I was told last fall by representatives of +Convex Computer that there were several sales close to finalization, and +in March 1991 it was announced that 4 C120 Convex minisupers were +approved for sale to arrive in late spring. Applications for these +computers are seismological, petroleum prospecting, simulation of oil +reserves, and weather. I do not know exactly where these systems are +going. + +NEURAL NETS/EXPERT SYSTEMS. +China's first neural net conference was held Dec 1990 in Beijing with +representation from 100 Chinese institutions resulting in over 350 +technical papers in the proceedings. + +Chinese Academy of Science (Institute of Automation) reports that they +have applied a neural net model to diagnosing reactor faults, and have +actually used this in practice. + +Naval Academy of Engineering professors have been promoting the use of +neural nets for inference engines, claiming that they can be more +flexible, fault-tolerant, and are more natural for learning. They have +also published very basic theoretical results on new learning algorithms +for multilayered nets which can find global minimums. Other work has +shown by simulation (on digitized data of the silhouette of a US Naval +and a Soviet Naval ship) that a simple neural net can be used for ship +silhouette recognition independent of translation, scale, rotation, or +aspect changes. + +CAS scientists have developed a Chinese speech recognition system using +artificial neural net concepts, and including a voice operated text input +system capable of recognizing over 20K dictionary entries. It is claimed +that tone-recognition is over 99% and word-recognition is over 90% even +with compound words. + +CAS researchers have developed a general purpose expert-system language, +TUILI which can be referenced from either C or Prolog, and is claimed to +be superior to Prolog. + +Qinghua Univ has Chinese character recognition system (THOCR-90) that can +handle various fonts, alphabets, numbers, and other symbols, and employs +neural-net techniques for pattern matching. Recognition speed is about 30 +chars/sec on a 386/33. Another (somewhat faster) system has been +developed at Nankai Univ. + +FUZZY. +Work in this area has been active since 1979. There have been numerous +practical applications and research results reported, perhaps more than +in any other country outside of Japan. In 1987 Chinese scientists +presented almost one quarter of the papers at an international fuzzy +society conference in Japan, equal to those presented by Japanese +attendees. Further, I was told that the (US) Journal of Fuzzy Sets and +Systems is being flooded with papers from Chinese scientists. In China +some specific applications include the following (these are all +anecdotal). + + * CAS (Institute of Semiconductors) has built almost two dozen multi- + logic circuits (two-value, multi-value, continuous-value, e.g. + fuzzy). Chinese researchers are very much aware of work in Japan by + Yamakawa who has built fuzzy-logic circuits using CMOS technology and + in fact two researchers from Tsinghua Univ (Beijing) report that they + have also built (using 5 micron) CMOS, various basic circuits that + they claim are simpler and more reliable than Yamakawa's. + * Electronics Industry Computing Center has developed a fuzzy- + information processing command decision-support system designed + specifically for use in communications networks used for military + command decision support. + * Math Dept of Beijing Teachers' Univ (BTU) developed a fuzzy inference + engine capable of 15M inferences/second. BTU has also built hardware + claimed to be able handle 30K (sic) basic rules with 2000 + input/output variables for fuzzy based inference, and that products + are being marketed this year. + * Beijing Normal Univ has proposed a new method for fuzzy inference, + called Truth-valued Flow Inference, which they claim can represent + knowledge more effectively than traditional fuzzy inference. + * North China Industrial Univ (NCIU) did a 6 year study on microcomputer + fuzzy control theory and applications. + * Various papers on fuzzy control simulation and adaptiveness of fuzzy + control. + * Staff & Workers College of Shanghai Instrument and Meter Industrial Co + have developed proportionality-factor-type fuzzy controller and + three-loop fuzzy controller. + * Hunan Univ is using fuzzy composite control in gas smelter control + systems. + * Wuha Fist Sci Research Inst of Light Industry has a fuzzy control + system for glass kilns. + * Handran Resin Plant has a fuzzy control system for PVC resin + polymerization process. + * Univ of Petroleum used fuzzy control in large hysteresis systems for + chemical engineering processes. + * Chemical Fertilizer Industrial Inst, Jilin Industrial Univ, and Metal + Products Inst have used fuzzy control for compressor regulation, + power factor compensation, DC reversible-speed regulation, and a + digital dual-frequency-channel amplitude frequency instrument. + * Air Force Inst of Engineering developed a fuzzy quantitative + evaluation expert system for aircraft maintenance. + * Nanjing Univ use fuzzy theory to analyze evaluation of sound quality + in high-fi sound systems. + * Armed Forces Eco Inst used natural fuzzy language in expert systems. + * Zhenjiang Shipping Inst used dBASE III to develop a fuzzy database + inquiry system. + * Central China Univ of S&T has used fuzzy quantization in knowledge + engineering. + * Univ of S&T for National Defense developed a PCB logic + diagram/manuscript pattern-recognition system in C, using fuzzy + relations among text areas. On a PC AT it is claimed to have a speed + of 912 characters/minute and an accuracy of 98.9%. Another + institute has also used fuzzy techniques and has complete system + including software and scanner for installation on a variety of + micros. + +It is not possible to know just how successful these projects have been +as their descriptions are often brief, but the point is that Chinese +scientists are exploring applications aggressively. At the same time +there does not appear to be much emphasis on basic research for its own +sake in this area. + +PARALLEL PROCESSING. +My visit did not lead to learning about any parallel computing except for +old ELXSI systems that appeared to be not seriously used, but the +literature does describe several projects of potential interest. + +Wuhan Digital Engin Res Inst developed the 980 STAR systolic array +computer. This is composed of a host (Intel 310/286), image subsystem, +interface processor, and systolic computing array. The latter consists of +a 4x4 matrix of cells. Pipeline beat is 200ns, and each cell is capable +of 10mips. Maximum throughput is 80Mbytes/sec. Various system software +has also been developed. This is considered mid 1980's technology. A new +model is currently being developed, and is claimed to have 100 times +greater performance. + +Programming on China's YH-1 (Galaxy-1) supercomputer has been via +vectorized Fortran. (I am trying to learn more about this.) Current work +is also in progress to develop a parallel programming capability, centered +on C. There is also research on analyzing blocks of vector Fortran for +vector block dependencies and a Pascal scheduler has been developed. It +is claimed that some Cray 1 calls such as VF.MUL (vector float mult) can +be reduced from 644 to 381 beats. The Galaxy is a 100mips machine. One +specific application has been has been for processing seismological data +from sections taken from petroleum prospecting areas. + +East China Inst of Computing Tech has a microcomputer parallel processing +system based on 12 Inmos T800 transputers grouped into three clusters +(boards), and connected to a PC-AT. One processor on each cluster is the +main control processor. Peak performance is 80mips or 10MFlops. + +Jiangnam Institute has developed and marketed a PC board insert with an +Inmos Transputer and 8Mbyte RAM, and software for development. + +Qinghua Univ has developed boards with 1, 2, or 4 transputers (TTH-1A, - +2A, and -4A) that will plug into PC-ATs, and also developed a transputer +development system. These products are claimed to be fully compatible +with European Transputers at the late 1980's level. + +Shantou & Nanjing Univ researchers have built an eight processor parallel +computer (Transcube) built around 8 Inmos T414 transputers and an +additional 1Mbyte of memory on each processor. The 8 PEs are the bottom +layer of the 3-layer system, in which the top layer is the PC AT host, +and the middle layer is an interface buffer controller. The researchers +claim that it is easy to expand the system beyond 8 PEs. + +Graduate students at a research institute of Ministry of Machine-Building +& Electronics Industry have used two TI DSP chips to design a real-time +parallel signal processing circuit for a pulse doppler ground +surveillance (moving target) radar. They claim to have solved two key +problems which had caused bottlenecks related to data input and +synchronous coordination of both chips, and that the system performs at +20M multiplications/additions per second and consumes 5 watts. + +Fudan Univ researchers have developed a sea-wave processing system based +on diffraction analysis of sea-waves. The system (which runs on an XT) +can estimate the spectrum of a 2D 512x512 image array with 16 azimuthal +inputs in 9 minutes with wave direction accuracy of 6 degrees, and 18 +minutes for 32 inputs and accuracy of 3 degrees. + +SOFTWARE. +RT/VMS is a Chinese developed military real-time operating system. The +Chinese military feels that a major threat of future wars will be from +computer viruses, rather than traditional weapons, and there has been a +substantial effort to study and eliminate computer viruses within China. +(Frankly I had not thought about this before, but it is an intriguing +view.) RT/VMS is claimed to have innovations in channel interfacing, job +scheduling, low system overhead, and hardware debugging technology. + +The Commission of Science, Tech and Industry for National Defense has +developed an Ada compiler (in C), which is claimed to be the first Ada +compiler to simulate a multiprocessor environment on a single processor +Unix systems. More than 4000 modules in the compiler have passed ACVC1.10 +verification as specified by DOD in 1989. + +CAS has moved all the Unix SVR3.1 source code from an ATT 3B2 to a Vax +11/750 by cross compilation and reverse engineering. They have also moved +the top layers of this system to a 386/Xenix. CAS claims that this is the +first domestic (Chinese) movement of a full Unix system. + +ROBOTS. +* Chinese Academy of Science reports that in the early 1980s they proposed +establishment of a robot demonstration project which began operation in +1989. The cost was 58M Yuan plus $5.9M (US) foreign exchange. This is +now called CAS Shenyang Robotics Engineering R&D Center and occupies +34,000m^2 of building space. The plan is to use this a base to produce +robots and develop and manufacture more products. Many related projects +spring from this one. + +* A medium-size underwater robot (Recon-IV-300-SIA-02) is being sold to +the US. This is claimed to be an improvement on a prototype brought from +the US. 90% of this robot's parts are of Chinese manufacture. Robot has +audio, video, sonar, two hands and can perform five or six functions. +Closed-loop control of depth and direction of navigation is included, +payload is 160kg, and maximum speed is 3knots. + +* A light-weight underwater robot (Gold Fish) also made in China is +used in oil drilling, sea rescue, dam inspection and repair. + +* Nankai and Tianjin University have jointly developed a robot with +vision, hearing and touch capability (NKRC-03), which can automatically +control the amount of force when it grabs an object. This is claimed to +be at the 1980s level world wide and state of the art in China. This +robot uses the NKV robot language to allow high level language +programming; a standard second generation robot. + +FACTORY AUTOMATION. +China Huajiing Electronics group claims that after a two year effort by +more than 100 scientists they have developed China's first independently +designed integrated-circuit CAM system, consisting of 10 subsystems +(planning, production, management, process technique, quality control, +economics, operations, materials, plate making, statistics, system +management). + +Beijing Inst of Machine Tools has built a physical simulation system for +studying the various software parts of a flexible manufacturing system +based on linear rail guided carts. The system can simulate transport, +loading/unloading, control, and specific aspects of a machining +operation. + +The above suggests that there is are a great many projects in the area of +manufacturing. Most of these are related to automation and associated +machine tool and numerical control equipment. For example, last year the +Second Chinese Machine Tool and Instruments Expo was held in Beijing, and +various newly developed machine tools, numerical control systems, +sensors, CAD software systems, etc., were on display (226 metal cutting +machines, 67 lathes, 37 grinders, turning centers, etc). There are, in +fact over 2000 machine tool products manufactured in China, mostly for +domestic use. However the Chinese machine-too building industry is also +trying to design products that will be marketable internationally (some +have been already) and have identified several products that they claim +are of world class, for example a six-axis, four-link hobbing machine +computer numerical control system which can be used for machining +ellipsoidal gears. Another example is a unit for machining small diameter +holes which is claimed to be twice as fast and equal in other +specifications to a Raycon (US) product. There are also cooperative +agreements with major international companies such as Fanuc-Besc, GE, +Werner-Kolb, and Schiess (German). It is not necessary to be an expert in +this area to appreciate the main thrust, that the Chinese want not only +to become self sufficient but also to become net exporters of this +technology. + + +OPTOELECTRONICS. +* 140Mbit/s hybrid optical terminal, and 622 Mbit/s hybrid integrated- + component module and distributed feedback laser diode. +* 1.5micron single-mode narrow-line-width tunable semiconductor laser, + semiconductor travelling-wave optical amp, Er-doped glass fiber amp, + lithium-niobate optical-waveguide high speed modulator, 1.1-1.6micron + avalanche photodiode detector, and duplex frequency-division- + multiplexing coherent optical communications devices. +* Various quantum-well optoelectronic devices. +* Optoelectronic IC made domestically. +* Superlattice growth of II-VI semiconductors and fabrication of + optically bistable devices, bismuth-silicate spatial light modulator, + molecular beam epitaxy growth of GaAs, and GaAs/Si LEDs and MESFETs + have been fabricated. + +-----------------------END OF REPORT---------------------------------- + |