China Academy of Sciences (CAS) was founded in Beijing on November 1, 1949. Its first president was Guo Moruo and current president is Lu Yongxiang. CAS has developed from 40 institutes and 500 researchers half a century ago to more than 120 scientific research institutes, five academic divisions, three universities, more than 400 technology enterprises and 50,000 researchers at present.

In the past 50 years or so, experts from the CAS together other scientists in China, made a large number of scientific and technological achievements. From 1956 to 1988, altogether 794 major achievements won national prizes. Among them, 255 got national awards of natural science, 148 national invention awards, and 391 national awards of technology progress.

CAS has cultivated many excellent technological talents. From 1955 to 1965, 1,518 students graduated from it. From 1978 to 1999, it had 36 first-grade disciplines authorized to confer doctor's degree, established doctorial stations in 104 units, 276 specialized stations, graduate stations in 122 units and 431 specialized stations. It admitted altogether 659 candidates for doctor's degree, 711 candidates for master's degree, and awarded 464 with doctor's degrees and 158 with master degrees during the period. Since 1985, CAS has set up 102 post-doctor stations in 85 units, admitted 2,248 doctors, of whom 1,329 have graduated from it. In the past 20 years, CAS has sent abroad about 14,000 students and visiting scholars, of whom more than 9,000 have returned to China. Till now, CAS has awarded 859 scientists as academicians, including 21 foreigners.