The National Natural Science Foundation of the People's Republic of China (NSFC; ) is a vice-ministerial institution under the Ministry of Science and Technology responsible for managing the National Natural Science Fund, the country's primary funding mechanism for basic research.
NSFC was founded on February 14, 1986, by theoretical chemist Tang Aoqing, with the approval of the State Council. Its mission is to support basic research, encourage free scientific exploration, identify and cultivate scientific and technological talent, and promote scientific and technological progress to support economic and social development.
In 2010, NSFC launched a medical department, analogous to the United States' National Institutes of Health.
In 2018, the NSFC was reorganized from an institution directly under the State Council to one administered by the Ministry of Science and Technology. It remains responsible for planning funding programs, designing projects, organizing peer review, allocating grants, and overseeing their implementation. In March 2023, under the Reform Plan for Party and State Institutions issued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the China Agenda 21 Management Center and MOST's High Technology Research and Development Center (also known as the Basic Research Management Center) were transferred to the NSFC.
The main functions of the NSFC include supporting research, managing funding, and promoting scientific and technological development in line with national policies. In particular, the NSFC: