Gong Xiaonan (center), a professor at Zhejiang University's College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, talks with his team members. The project on composite foundation led by Gong was honored as the first prize winner of the State Science and Technology Progress Award at the 2018 China State Science and Technology Awards in Beijing on Jan 8. [Photo by Lu Shaoqing/Zhejiang University]

Scientists from East China's Zhejiang province clinched 25 awards for their outstanding scientific and technological achievements at a national science and technology awards ceremony in Beijing on Jan 8.

The 2018 China State Science and Technology Awards, which are aimed at encouraging scientific and technological progress, are the most prestigious awards for science and technology in China.

The 25 awards were attributed to seven projects dominated by Zhejiang-based universities, companies and institutions, and 18 other projects of which Zhejiang was a participant.

The 25 award-winning projects came from various fields such as life health, construction engineering and agriculture.

The team led by Gong Xiaonan, a professor at Zhejiang University's College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, won the first prize of the State Science and Technology Progress Award for its research into composite foundation.

Gong's team established a theoretical engineering system catering to the strong demand for construction upon soft ground. With a higher efficiency and lower cost than traditional methods, the technology has been applied in a variety of construction projects including those for high-speed railways and airports.

The field of life health, one of the cornerstones of Zhejiang's scientific and technological development, yielded good results with six projects scooping awards.  

A batch of original research on cell growth factor conducted by a team from Wenzhou Medical University won the second prize of the State Science and Technology Advancement Award. Medical products based on these pieces of research have been applied on 68 million patients at 5,500 hospitals in China, according to Li Xiaokun, president of the university and leader of the research team.

An official from the province's science and technology department said these projects are effectively bolstering the high-quality and rapid development of related industries, and generating positive economic and social effects in China.

The ceremony for the 2018 China State Science and Technology Awards is held in Beijing on Jan 8. [Photo/Xinhua]