(Yicai) Aug. 26 -- The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the country’s main funder of basic research, will fund nearly 70,000 projects this year, with the number of projects backed under a program for young researchers surging by half from a year earlier.

Over 69,560 projects will receive funding, about 31 percent more than last year, the NSFC announced today.

The number of projects funded under the General Program, the NSFC’s largest and most broadly available funding category, rose by 3,400, or 15 percent from a year earlier, while that of Young Scientists Fund (Category C) projects climbed by 12,046, or 50 percent, according to the NSFC. The increases in funded projects under both programs exceeded the growth in applications over the same period.

The General Program supports scientific and technical personnel conducting innovative basic research, while Category C provides research funding for young researchers at the beginning of their careers.

The number of newly funded Category C projects far exceeded that of other funding categories. The three-year program is often the first research grant young scientists receive and can play a pivotal role in their future career development.

NSFC Director Dou Xiankang said in a recently published article that the foundation is placing greater emphasis on nurturing young scientific and technological talent, noting that researchers under 45 undertake more than 80 percent of NSFC-funded projects.

"Significantly increasing funding for Young Scientists Fund (Category C) projects allows more young talents to shine on the stage of basic research and take on leading and prominent roles," Dou said.

The NSFC did not disclose this year's funding rate for General Program projects. Previously released data showed that the approval rate for such projects was about 12 percent in 2025.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine