In March, the central government issued its first 15-year plan on enhancing the understanding of science across China, part of its goal of building an innovation-led country.

Children, farmers, officials and migrant workers will be targeted by the campaign.

"Every year from now on we will organize various themed activities across the country," said Chen, who leads the campaign, speaking at the closing ceremony of the seventh national congress of the Chinese Association of Science and Technology (CAST) the country's largest science organization.

The campaign has been designed in response to increasing global concern about the world's energy shortage.

Xu Shanyan, a freshly-appointed committee member of CAST, blamed the country's education system for the low level of interest in science.

"Our education system overemphasizes the importance of exams and has a humdrum style," he said.

"To promote science in the country, we should inspire diversification," he added.

Throughout its four-day conference CAST has also selected a new committee and awarded 100 outstanding young scientists.

(China Daily 05/27/2006 page2)