The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics showcased the progress of China's technology sector.

Here are some facts and figures about the sector through 2006, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST). 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (S&T) WORKERS: 4.1 million

GROSS DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT(R&D): 300.3 billion yuan (about 43.8 billion U.S. dollars)

GOVERNMENT S&T APPROPRIATION: 168.9 billion yuan

DOMESTIC PATENT APPLICATIONS:470,342 cases

DOMESTIC PATENTS GRANTED: 223,860 cases

FOREIGN PATENT APPLICATIONS: 102,836 cases

FOREIGN PATENTS GRANTED: 44,142 cases

GROSS HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT IN TOTAL: 4.19 trillion yuan

-- AIRCRAFT AND SPACECRAFT:82.8 billion yuan

-- COMPUTERS AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT: 1.25 trillion yuan

-- ELECTRONIC AND TELECOM EQUIPMENT: 2.12 trillion yuan

-- MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND METERS: 242.1 billion yuan

-- PHARMACEUTICALS: 501.9 billion yuan

TOP SCIENCE AWARD: The State Scientific and Technological Award, a 5 million yuan top award, was established in 2000. Qualified recipients must have made great breakthroughs or have prominent establishments in modern science. In addition, their research must have produced tremendous economic or social benefit. The prize, usually presented by the country's president, is annually granted to no more than two outstanding scientists.

Wu Wenjun, a mathematician, and Yuan Longping, a leading hybrid-rice expert, were the first two to win the prize back in 2000. Only 12 scientists have received the award to date.