295个项目获国家科学技术奖 最高科学技术奖空缺

A big day for science in China. 295 achievements have been recognised through the country's three highest honors in science and technology -- the state Natural Science award, the State Technical Invention award, and the National Science and Technology progress award.

President Xi Jinping attended the ceremony with Premier Li Keqiang and other top officials. They presented some of the awards to the winners. Although the quantity of awards is a twenty-percent decrease on 2011, it's largely agreed that the quality is on a higher level.

All of the decorated projects this year displayed great innovative vitality, most of them being authentic works that pioneer emerging industries. Seven foreign scientists picked up the International scientific and Technological Cooperation award. However, the State Supreme award in Science and Technology -- which always generates a lot of debate and interest -- remains vacant this year.

Tu Youyou -- a joint-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or medicine -- was favorite to claim this award, but she failed to meet the procedural requirement. Candidates have to be nominated and approved by more than two-thirds of a judging panel -- it's the first time the award was left vacant since 2004.