CHINA: Plagiarism professor stripped of prize

A 45-year-old former professor who has been embroiled in a plagiarism scandal for the past three years has been stripped of a top national award by China's Ministry of Science and Technology, reports China Daily-Asia News.

In 2005 Li Liansheng, who was a professor at the prestigious Xi'an Jiaotong University in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, won the ministry's second prize for scientific and technological progress for his apparent research into scroll compressors. But the ministry said an investigation had confirmed that Li's material had been copied from others and data on the economic benefits of his work was faked.

The ministry said it would take back the 100,000 yuan (US$15,179) prize money and order the return of his certificate. China has more than 2.3 million workers in the science and technology field. The intense competition to get work published has led some researchers to exaggerate their achievements, said critics.
Full report on the Asia One site

Comment:
The apparent withdrawal of the national honour granted to Professor Li Liansheng is a welcome development, as this would not only deter other potential cases of plagiarism but contribute towards restoring the integrity of the Chinese, especially in the opinions of people around the world.

Dr Akeem Ayofe Akinwale