In the early 1980s, 89 academicians (members of the Faculty) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences sent a letter to the Party Central Committee and the State Council, proposing to learn from international successful experience and set up a national natural science foundation, which was approved by the Party Central Committee and the State Council. Subsequently, on February 14, 1986, the State Council formally approved the establishment of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Natural Science Foundation", known in English as national Natural Science Foundation of China, abbreviated as NSFC).
According to the categories of funding, the Natural Science Foundation can be divided into surface projects, key projects, major projects, major research programs, national outstanding youth science fund, overseas, Hong Kong and Macao young scholars cooperative research fund, innovative research group science fund, national basic science talent training fund, special projects, joint funding fund projects, and international (regional) cooperation and exchange projects. Some funding categories can be further refined through sub-category descriptions and note descriptions. All of these funding categories have their own emphases and complement each other, which together constitute the current natural science funding system.
For details, please visit the official website of the National Natural Science Foundation of China: https://www.nsfc.gov.cn/