2009 approved project implementation meeting of National Key Basic Research Development Programme (973 project), organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology was held on Oct. 19, 2009. The project named the organization control theory and technology basic research of high-performance steels was approved, of which Professor Dong Han, director of Structural Materials Research Institute of CISRI was awarded chief scientist. This is another major basic research project (973 III) in China’s steel materials field after major basic research of a new generation of iron & steel materials (973 I) and metallurgical basic research of improving the quality anf life of steel materials. Prof. Wen Yuqing, chief scientist of 973 I and II, is the consultant of 973 III.  
The 973 III project will formally be launched from Jan. 1, 2010 and last for 5 years. The project includes 6 topics on which basic research will be developed around building facilities steels, automotive steels and heat resistant steels and their organization characterization, inclusion control and uniformity control. Research units who cooperate in the project include China Iron & Steel Research Insitutte Group, Beijing Science and Technology University, Northeastern University, etc. Meanwhile, major steel enterprises will participate in the works.