THIRTEEN scientific research projects in Qingdao, including those on a shrimp virus and mitten crab breeding, have won awards at the annual State Top Scientific and Technological Awards.

    Foreign experts, such as Russian professor Folker Helfrid Wittmann, who works at the Qingdao Technological University, were also awarded for international scientific cooperation.

    Zhan Wenbin and other professors from the Ocean University of China spent more than 10 years researching white spot syndrome virus in shrimps. The virus broke out in China in 1993. Zhan’s projects give technological support to the shrimp industry.

    In recent years, the annual output of China’s river crabs has been 500,000 tons, which has caused a decrease in the number of crabs. After 20 years of research by Qingdao experts, key technology was developed in breeding mitten crabs.

    Wittmann was one of five foreign experts to receive this year’s State award. His project was to monitor the concrete strength of Jiaozhou Bay’s undersea tunnel.

    (Li Hao, Wang Leijiang)