The 863 Plan
Since the 1970s, a new round of revolution in science and technology has seen a surge in creativity and the productive forces, and brought profound changes to the economy and the military, and to politics, society and culture. As high technology has become the focus of international competition, many countries have increased their input to this field and made it a major component of their national strategies.
On March 3, 1986, four renowned Chinese scientists – Wang Daheng (1915-2011), Wang Ganchang (1907-1998), Chen Fangyun (1916-2000) and Yang Jiachi (1919-2006) – wrote a letter to the central leadership in which they proposed developing China's own high technologies. This was endorsed by Deng Xiaoping, who instructed on March 5 that an immediate decision be made on the matter.
Subsequently, the central authorities invited more than 100 experts and specialists to conduct research and work out a plan for high-tech research and development. Fifteen projects in seven fields – biology, information, space technology, lasers, automation, energy and new materials – were chosen as the focus of the effort. As the plan was formulated in March 1986, it was given the name "863." Marine technology was added in 1996.
The goals of the 863 Plan were to tackle pioneering and forward-looking high-tech issues that bore strategic importance to China's future development and national security, to develop high technologies with intellectual property rights, to coordinate their integrated application, and to guide development of new industries. The plan began to be carried out in March 1987, with scientists in different fields working together in pursuit of breakthroughs. This has generated a wealth of experience in high-tech development and industrial transformation.
“八六三”计划
20世纪70年代以来，以高科技为核心的新一轮科技革命对社会生产力的提高和人类创造力的发挥产生了巨大的影响，引起了经济、政治、军事、社会、文化等各方面的深刻变化。为了抢占高技术这一未来国际竞争的制高点，世界上许多国家纷纷加大投入，把发展高技术作为国家战略的主要内容。
1986年3月3日，王大珩、王淦昌、陈芳允和杨嘉墀4位科学家联名给中共中央写信，提出要跟踪世界先进水平、发展中国高技术的建议。邓小平充分肯定了这份建议，并于3月5日作出批示：“此事宜速作决断，不可拖延。”据此，中共中央、国务院迅速组织上百位专家进行严格全面的调查论证，研究制定《高技术研究发展计划纲要》，即坚持“有限目标、突出重点”的方针，选择生物、信息、航天、激光、自动化、能源、新材料等7个技术领域的15个主题项目作为研究发展重点。这一计划产生于1986年3月，又称“八六三”计划。1996年，这一计划又增加了海洋技术领域。
“八六三”计划是解决事关国家长远发展和国家安全的战略性、前沿性和前瞻性高技术问题，发展具有自主知识产权的高技术，统筹高技术的集成和应用，引领未来新兴产业发展的计划。这一计划于1987年3月正式组织实施，各领域科学家协同合作、持续攻关，实现了一系列重大技术突破，探索了中国高技术及其产业发展的道路，为国家高技术进一步发展奠定了坚实基础、积累了宝贵经验。