BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a campaign to gather the strength of academicians and experts to promote high-quality national science popularization.

The "Science and China" academician and expert lecture tour issued a proposal at the launch ceremony on Saturday, calling on Chinese academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) to play a leading role in the national science popularization cause and push forward international exchanges and cooperation.

The initiative aims to have more than 1,000 academicians from the two institutes in more than 1,000 science popularization activities every year tell the stories of China's innovation.

At the first report meeting held on Saturday, eight academicians from the CAS and the CAE made reports on astronomy, geography, life, and information.

The "Science and China" academician and expert lecture tour was launched in December 2002. Since then, more than 2,000 science popularization activities have been held nationwide.