Chinese Academy of Sciences

At its founding in November 1949, CAS included many scientists who had studied in Western countries or worked for institutions of the Kuomintang government (like the Academia Sinica or the Beiping Academy). This resulted in worries by some in PRC leadership about the ideological orientation of CAS's members.

CAS formed its Institute of Hydrobiology in February 1950. War and conflict in the late Qing era and Republic of China era had damaged aquaculture and ruined aquaculture farms across China, and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders recognized the socioeconomic importance of reviving aquaculture. The Institute of Hydrobiology focused on improving the genetic quality of the "Big Four" carp species, developing optimal practices for mixed-species farming, codifying knowledge on feeding and farm management, and developing improved fishpond fertilizer.

In 1956, China formally began its computing program when it launched the Twelve-Year Science Plan and formed the Beijing Institute of Computing Technology under the CAS.

In 1964, CAS debuted China's first self-developed large digital computer, the 119. The 119 was a core technology in facilitating China's first successful nuclear weapon test (Project 596), also in 1964.

Beginning in 1972, CAS began promoting the idea of balancing applied research with more theoretical research and in having scientific exchanges with other developing countries.

As vice premier, Deng Xiaoping in 1975 also sought to re-orient CAS towards more theoretical research, which had not been a focus during the Cultural Revolution. Deng emphasized that "the Academy of Sciences is an Academy of Sciences, not an Academy of Cabbage." Deng assigned CAS vice president Hu Yaobang to draft a plan for overhauling CAS. Deng and his aide Hu Qiaomu revised the draft and in September 1974 issued "The Outline Report on the Work of the Academy of Sciences". The Outline described scientific research in China as lagging behind the needs of socialist construction and the state of the advanced countries, and stated that to catch up, China should emphasize basic science in order to develop a sound theoretical foundation.

This approach to scientific reform fell out of political favor in 1976 when Deng was purged, although it continued to be supported by many members within CAS. A month before Deng's political return in 1977 however, the Outline Report was revived and adopted as CAS's official policy. During the Reform and Opening Up era, CAS discontinued its Soviet-style management model.

Shortly after his return, Deng hosted a series of meetings on science and education in which he stated that science should become the forerunner of China's modernization. Following these remarks, CAS prepared its goals for natural science disciplines to be achieved by 1985, stating that as a developing socialist country, China should strengthen basic scientific research through foreign exchanges.

The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth is a branch of CAS. The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth was a customer of Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which provides data transmission services from satellites for a wide range of societal functions. It was reported by Reuters on 21 September 2020 that SSC decided not to renew the contracts with China to help operate Chinese satellites from SSC's ground stations, or seek new business with China.