腾讯基金会将投10亿启动资金资助'科学探索奖'

Chinese tech giant Tencent launched an award program with the country's leading scientists to support research and development in life sciences, advanced manufacturing and other key science and technologies fields.

近日，中国科技巨头腾讯与中国顶尖科学家携手发起了一项奖励计划，以资助生命科学、先进制造和其他关键科学技术领域的研发。

The Xplorer Prize will be awarded to 50 science professionals, aged below 45, each year.

“科学探索奖”每年将颁发给50名年龄在45岁以下的科学专业人士。

Prize winners will receive 600,000 yuan (86,300 US dollars) annually for five consecutive years to support their exploration in fundamental science and cutting-edge core technologies, according to a statement from Tencent Foundation, the company's charitable platform.

根据腾讯慈善平台腾讯基金会的一份声明，获奖者将连续5年、每年获得60万元（折合86300美元）的奖励，以支持他们在基础科学和前沿核心技术方面的探索研究。

The Tencent Foundation will offer one billion yuan as the initial fund for the award, which is open to registration in next January and will announce its first batch of winners in July.

腾讯基金会将提供10亿元人民币作为该奖项的启动资金，该奖项将于明年1月开放注册，并将于7月公布第一批获奖者。

The award will focus on supporting nine fields including mathematical physics, life sciences, astronomy and geosciences, new chemical materials, information electronics, energy and environmental protection, advanced manufacturing, transportation and construction technology as well as cutting-edge and cross-disciplinary technology.

该奖项将重点支持包括数学物理、生命科学、天文学和地球科学、新化学材料、信息电子、能源和环境保护、先进制造、运输和建筑技术以及尖端和跨学科技术在内的九个领域。

China's top leadership has called for enhanced efforts to facilitate fundamental science and cutting-edge technologies to boost the country's innovative competitiveness.

中国最高领导层呼吁加大力度，来促进基础科学和尖端技术的发展，以提高中国的创新竞争力。

Cutting-edge science and technologies are crucial to lifting China's development to a higher level, and it's important to support young science professionals, said Rao Yi, a life sciences professor with Peking University and one of the 14 Chinese scientists who co-initiated the award.

北京大学生命科学学院教授、14位共同发起该奖项的中国科学家之一的饶毅称，尖端科学技术对于提升中国的发展水平至关重要，对支持年轻的科学专业人士也十分重要。

Tencent Chairman and CEO Pony Ma said it is natural for Tencent to contribute to advances in science and technologies.

腾讯董事长兼首席执行官马化腾表示，腾讯理应为科学技术进步做出贡献。