The Torch Program Center, a part of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, has received 2102 project applications for the year of 2005. Of the applications heading for the National Torch Program, the one with industries as major players accounts for 1,535 in number, or 73% of the total applications. The 2,102 applications have registered 4,768 patent applications, or 2.27 patent applications per project. Of the patent applications, domestic invention patents take 2,319, and foreign ones 226. The cited data reflects the increasingly important innovation status of industries. Small and medium S&T businesses with fresh vitality are becoming the mainstream of S&T finding spin-offs. Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises have demonstrated their enhanced consciousness for intellectual property protection.

Of the project applications received by the National Torch Program, electronics and information comes to 396 in number, or 18.8% of the total, genetically engineering and new drugs 297, or 14.1%; advanced materials and applications 605, or 28.7%; optic-machinery-electronic integration 577, or 27.4%; new and efficient energy 139, or 6.6% , and environmental protection 88, or 4.1%. In the context of technical sources, the National Natural Science Foundation, 863 Program, National Key Technology Program, Small and Medium S&T Businesses Foundation, and major local S&T programs have produced 450 projects, or 21.4% of the total applications; the one applied by industries account for 1,535, or 73% of the total; and the one under the category of foreign technology digestion and associated innovations takes 117, or 5.6% of the total.