China's tech hub Shenzhen mandates leniency for innovators whose state-funded projects fail
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The first policy statement of its kind from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission comes as China aims to cement the city's status as a hi-tech powerhouse and reduce reliance on foreign technology amid a
sustained strategic rivalry with the United States.
The new rules applied to all universities, hospitals and companies that undertake technical innovation with government financial aid, the commission said in a statement on its website last Monday.
It said that if the mistakes did not involve misconduct, there was no abuse of power and the innovators took reasonable actions to correct the errors, then they should not be punished.
The statement further listed scenarios where such exemptions could be made, such as goals stalled due to technical difficulties, products developed but rendered unviable due to market changes, or research remaining incomplete because of the need to explore new mechanisms, methods, models or technologies.
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'These units and individuals should not be held accountable, nor should their performance evaluations be affected. They should not be hindered from applying for government-funded scientific and technological projects again,' the document said.
It urged that researchers be encouraged to 'boldly explore uncharted territories and strive to become creators of significant scientific achievements', as well as to set up a long-term mechanism to avoid losses caused by failed innovations.
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