Research institutions have to seek public backing for future projects after the government closed the door on providing central funding.

Tuesday's China Daily quoted sources close to the Ministry of Science and Technology as saying that the reform means some 100 research institutions, which are affiliated to four ministerial-level departments, now have to be self-supporting rather than relying on central funding.

China has made it a point that large national scientific projects will be implemented via open bids rather than government designation.

"The move is to further accelerate the reform of scientific systems to build a powerful and creative research team," said Zhu Chuanbo, an official with the ministry.

The newspaper said that the institutions were formerly attachedto the ministries of land and resources, water resources, the State Forestry Administration and the China Meteorological Administration.

About 20 of the institutions will become technological firms, with the rest expected to turn into intermediate service agencies or merge with enterprises or universities.