Backed by strong government funding, 16 key scientific projects will be executed and 10 national laboratories built by 2020, Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua said yesterday.

China saw a record high R&D expenditure of 300 billion yuan ($38.5 billion) 1.4 per cent of GDP in 2006, 22 percent more than in 2005.

R&D funding will continue increasing this year and beyond, Xu said, elaborating on the nation's science program at a national conference in Beijing.