The center is established under cooperation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the country's top science research institution and couple of research organizations.

According to local government officials, the center will focus on synthesis and processing of new materials, such as nano structured materials, amorphous materials, thin films and composites.

Chen Zhenggao, mayor of Shenyang, said that the government plans to build the center into an engine to accelerate the industry based on nanotechnology, which is also a very hot target of scientists of other countries.

Officials assume that the center will bring about production value of 2 billion yuan (US$240 million) by 2005 and form an even more far-reaching impetus for related industries.

Global scientists estimate that the thriving nanotechnology might stimulate another industrial revolution.

Since the 1980s, China has deployed dozens of state key labs on materials science, which have achieved lots of outstanding scientific goals and cultivated groups of professionals.

(People's Daily 07/01/2001)