In the early 1980s, 89 academicians of China Academy of Sciences wrote to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, suggesting that the National Natural Science Foundation should be established by drawing on international successful experience, which was approved by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Subsequently, under the cordial care of Comrade Xiaoping, the State Council officially approved the establishment of the National Natural Science Foundation Committee (NSFC) in February 1986.

Since its establishment, under the correct leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, with the support of the relevant departments and the vast number of scientific and technological workers in the State Council, the Natural Science Foundation has adhered to the principle of supporting basic research and taken deepening reform as the driving force, established the evaluation principles of relying on experts, promoting democracy, supporting the excellent, being fair and reasonable, established the operating mechanism of scientific democracy, equal competition and encouraging innovation, and improved the management system of coordinating decision-making, implementation, supervision and consultation. It has formed a system of rules and regulations with the regulations of the National Natural Science Foundation as the core, including organization management, procedure management, fund management, supervision and guarantee, and formed a funding pattern consisting of four series: exploration, talents, tools and integration. The National Natural Science Foundation of China focuses on foundations, frontiers and talents, and pays attention to innovative teams and interdisciplinary subjects, which has made important contributions to comprehensively cultivating China's original innovation ability and has become the main channel to support China's basic research.

20 18 according to the plan for deepening the institutional reform of the party and the state, the National Natural Science Foundation of China was changed from the institution directly under the State Council to the Ministry of Science and Technology, which managed the National Natural Science Foundation according to law and operated relatively independently, and was responsible for organizing the implementation of funding plans, project establishment and evaluation, and project establishment and supervision.