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China's first science theme park - Huishan Life Science & Technology Park - broke ground recently, symbolizing the country's growing focus on the development of the life sciences.

The park has a total investment of 20 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion). It occupies 1,100 hectares of land here in this tourist haven and is expected to be built into a national-level base of research and development of new medicine, tonics and medical equipment.

"The era of exploring life's mysteries is here, and we must not waste any time," said Zhou Yucheng, chairman and chief executive officer of the Shanghai-based China Worldbest Group (CWGC), a large manufacturer of textile and farming machinery.

Copying others' prescriptions was common among Chinese medicine makers but had to end because of restrictions by the World Trade Organization, Zhou said.

So to succeed in this field, China has to develop medical products with independent property rights. That demands a well-equipped environment and many talented scientists, Zhou said.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Peking University co-operated with CWGC in setting up two industrialization bases of life science and technology in the park. Other higher learning institutions such as Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and even Harvard University in the United States have agreed to join CWGC in forging this "Chinese Life Valley."

"The alliance between entrepreneurs and intellectuals fulfils the country's goal of developing this into a national industry," said CAS vice-president Chen Zhu.

The park, set in two phases, is expected to take eight to 10 years to complete. In the first phase, CWGC will set up two academies of life science and traditional Chinese medicine as well as four research institutes dedicated to cancer, diabetes, blood vessels and senior health.