Wen wants basic research beefed up

The wellspring of economic and social development lies in science and technology and that is why they should be better integrated, Premier Wen Jiabao has told a leading US science magazine.

He also said he would like to see increased spending on basic research in China and a reduction of energy consumption by 4 percent annually.

In a two-hour, wide-ranging interview with Bruce Alberts, editor-in-chief of Science, Wen also vowed to improve food safety and leverage science to help the poor.