The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) announced here Tuesday it will vote up to 60 up to technologists and engineers, both Chinese and foreign, as additional CAE academicians for 2005.

Shen Guofang, vice CAE president, said at a news briefing on Tuesday that the selection procedure has been under way since the beginning of this year.

The CAE will add every two years a new batch of CAE academicians, highest honorary-titles for Chinese engineers and foreign experts who are acknowledged by the Chinese engineering community.

Almost all candidates will selected among the people born after June 30, 1935, Shen said, adding that those who are older than that age limit have to be recommended by at least six incumbent academicians who know very well the work performance of the candidates they recommend.

The former candidates in 1999, 2001 and 2003 have to be suspended for candidature 2005, Shen said.

The CAE will publicize all related backgrounds on all eligible candidates on its official website after the application deadline, or April 30.

Established in 1994, the CAE now has all together 658 academicians, covering eight special areas, including machine-building and delivery division, information and electronical engineering division, chemical, metallurgic and material engineering division, energy and mining engineering division, civil engineering, water conservancy and architecture engineering division, agriculture, light industry and textiles and environmental engineering division, medical and health engineering division and engineering project management division.
 
(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2005)