Adopted at the 28th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People’s Congress on June 29, 2002; Amended at the 15th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Fourteenth National People’s Congress on December 25, 2024
Effective: December 25, 2024
Table of Contents
Chapter I — General Provisions
Article 1 — This Law is enacted for the purpose of implementing the strategies of rejuvenating the country through science and education, strengthening the country through talent, and driving development through innovation, comprehensively advancing science popularization, strengthening the country’s capacity for independent innovation, improving the scientific literacy of citizens, and promoting the socialist modernization drive.
Article 2 — This Law shall apply to the activities of science and technology popularization carried out within the territory of the People’s Republic of China by state organs, the armed forces, public organizations, enterprises, public institutions, rural grassroots organizations, and other organizations, as well as by individual citizens.
Article 3 — For the purposes of this Law, science and technology popularization means activities that popularize scientific and technological knowledge, promote scientific methods, disseminate scientific ideas, and carry forward the scientific spirit, conducted in a manner that the public can readily understand, accept, and participate in.
Article 4 — Science popularization is a cause in the public interest and constitutes an integral part of the socialist material civilization and spiritual civilization. The state shall support, encourage, and regulate science popularization activities and promote the development of science popularization as a cause.
Article 5 — The state shall protect the legitimate rights and interests of science popularization workers and organizations, encourage them to carry out science popularization activities independently, and establish a science popularization system oriented to the whole society in accordance with the law.
Article 6 — Science popularization work shall adhere to the mass line, be oriented to society and the public, adapt to local conditions, and adopt various forms. Science popularization activities shall be conducted in a scientific spirit, and all forms of pseudoscience opposed and combated.
Article 7 — Citizens shall have the right to participate in science popularization activities and the freedom to choose the content and form of popular science. The state shall support the publication and distribution of popular science works and shall protect the intellectual property rights of popular science workers.
Article 8 — The state shall encourage and support the innovation and development of science popularization activities and promote the deep integration of science popularization with scientific and technological innovation. The state shall support the application of new technologies such as the internet in science popularization, enrich the means and forms of science popularization, and enhance the effectiveness of science popularization.
Chapter II — Organization and Management
Article 9 — The people’s governments at all levels shall incorporate science popularization work into the national economic and social development plan and provide the necessary human, material, and financial support for carrying out science popularization work.
Article 10 — The administrative department of science and technology under the State Council shall be responsible for formulating plans for science popularization work throughout the country, implementing policy guidance, supervising and inspecting science popularization work, and promoting the development of science popularization.
Article 11 — The administrative departments of science and technology of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall be responsible for the science popularization work within their respective administrative areas. Other relevant administrative departments of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall be responsible for the science popularization work within their respective areas of responsibility.
Article 12 — Science and technology associations are the principal social force in science popularization work. Science and technology associations shall organize and carry out science popularization activities that are mass-oriented, socialized, and regular, support relevant social organizations, enterprises, and public institutions in carrying out science popularization activities, and assist the government in formulating science popularization plans and providing policy recommendations.
Article 13 — Science popularization activities conducted by science and technology associations, research and development institutions, universities and colleges, social organizations, enterprises, and public institutions shall be protected by law, and their lawful rights and interests shall not be infringed upon.
Chapter III — Social Responsibility
Article 14 — Popular science work is the common task of the whole society. All sectors of society shall organize and participate in all types of science popularization activities. All citizens shall participate in science popularization activities.
Article 15 — Research and development institutions and universities and colleges shall organize and support scientific and technical personnel and teachers to carry out science popularization activities, encourage them to combine their professional expertise with social needs in conducting science popularization, and open their science and technology facilities to the public when conditions permit.
Article 16 — Enterprises shall, in conjunction with technological innovation and employee skills training, carry out science popularization activities. Enterprises with the necessary conditions shall open their science popularization facilities, such as exhibition rooms, science museums, and laboratories, to the public.
Article 17 — All types of schools and other educational institutions shall make science popularization an integral part of quality education, organize students to carry out science and technology activities of various forms, and cultivate students’ interest in science and technology and their innovative spirit and practical ability.
Article 18 — Entities engaged in science and technology publishing, broadcasting, television, websites, and other media shall play their respective roles in science popularization and dissemination. Comprehensive newspapers and periodicals and radio and television stations shall have special columns, pages, or programs for science popularization; film production, distribution, and screening organizations shall strengthen the production, distribution, and screening of science popularization films.
Article 19 — Medical and health care, family planning, environmental protection, land and resources, sports, meteorology, seismology, cultural relics, tourism, and other state organs and public institutions shall, in conjunction with their respective work, carry out science popularization activities.
Article 20 — Trade unions, Communist Youth Leagues, women’s federations, and other public organizations shall, in light of the characteristics of their respective working targets, organize and carry out science popularization activities.
Article 21 — Community and village-level grassroots organizations, including urban neighborhood committees and rural villagers’ committees, shall make use of local resources such as science popularization galleries and columns to carry out science popularization activities suited to the needs of local residents and villagers.
Chapter IV — Safeguard Measures
Article 22 — The people’s governments at or above the provincial level shall strengthen the construction of science popularization infrastructure and incorporate the construction of science popularization venues and facilities into urban and rural construction planning. The science popularization venues and facilities constructed with government investment shall be made available to the public and shall not be converted or used for other purposes without authorization.
Article 23 — Science popularization venues such as science and technology museums, science centers, and other science popularization education bases shall give preferential treatment or free admission to young people and organized social groups such as community residents.
Article 24 — The state shall gradually increase the overall level of investment in science popularization funds. The people’s governments at all levels shall include science popularization funds in their budgets at corresponding levels. Other state organs, public institutions, and public organizations shall also arrange certain funds for science popularization.
Article 25 — The people’s governments at all levels shall support the work of science popularization through measures such as government procurement of services, project subsidies, and incentives by substituting subsidies.
Article 26 — The state shall encourage domestic and foreign social organizations and individuals to donate property for science popularization; the donated property shall be used for science popularization causes. Social organizations and individuals that donate property for science popularization shall enjoy preferential tax treatment in accordance with the law.
Article 27 — The funds for science popularization and the property donated to science popularization shall be used exclusively for science popularization causes. No unit or individual shall withhold, intercept, or misappropriate such funds or property.
Article 28 — Science popularization workers shall be recognized for their achievements. Relevant departments of the people’s governments at all levels and science and technology associations shall give awards to organizations and individuals that have made outstanding contributions to science popularization work.
Chapter V — Legal Liability
Article 29 — Where anyone, in the name of science popularization, engages in activities that endanger national security, harm public interests, or infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of others, the relevant departments shall impose penalties in accordance with the law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law.
Article 30 — Where anyone embezzles, intercepts, or misappropriates science popularization funds or donated property, the relevant competent departments shall order the violator to return the funds or property within a prescribed time limit and shall impose sanctions on the persons directly in charge and other persons directly responsible in accordance with the law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law.
Article 31 — Where a functionary of a state organ, in the course of science popularization work, abuses power, neglects duties, or engages in malpractice for personal gain, such functionary shall be given sanctions in accordance with the law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law.
Article 32 — Where anyone converts or occupies a science popularization venue or facility built with government investment for other purposes without authorization, the competent department shall order the violator to restore the venue or facility or to provide alternative facilities within a prescribed time limit and shall impose sanctions on the persons directly in charge and other persons directly responsible in accordance with the law.
Chapter VI — Supplementary Provisions
Article 33 — The specific measures for the implementation of this Law shall be formulated by the State Council in accordance with this Law.
Article 34 — This Law shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.
Disclaimer: This English translation is provided for informational and reference purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness, this translation is not an official or legally binding version of the Science and Technology Popularization Law of the People’s Republic of China. The official Chinese text as promulgated by the National People’s Congress shall prevail in all legal matters. Readers should consult qualified legal professionals for advice on specific legal issues. Dan Young Business Consultancy makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose of this translation.
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