Member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang said that a new national system is needed to ensure high-level technological self-reliance and strength, to win the battle for breakthroughs in key core technologies, and to empower scientific research through artificial intelligence, thereby accelerating scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the second plenary session of the Academician Conference of the two national academies was held in Beijing on Thursday afternoon (July 9), attended and addressed by Ding Xuexiang.
Ding Xuexiang emphasized that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period (2026-2030) is a critical period for building a technologically strong nation. He called for thoroughly studying and implementing the important speeches of CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping and making every effort to implement the CPC Central Committee’s deployments regarding scientific and technological undertakings, and to accelerate the advancement of high-level technological self-reliance and strength. He stated that strengthening basic research is essential to lay a solid foundation for building a strong technological nation, improve the organization of basic research, and continuously produce major original and disruptive scientific and technological achievements.
He pointed out that it is necessary to guarantee high-level technological self-reliance and strength through a new national system, to make full use of the Party's leadership—its greatest political advantage, adhere to the strategic direction of the "Four Orientations," strengthen synergy, coordinate resources, and promote synergy between central and local authorities to win the battles for breakthroughs in key core technologies. Through integrated development, the vitality and driving force of scientific and technological innovation should be enhanced, with a focus on both innovation supply and industrial demand, while advancing the development of education, science and technology, and talent as a whole, and accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces. Artificial intelligence should be used to empower scientific research, expand application scenarios, lead transformative changes in scientific research paradigms, and accelerate scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs.
"Four Orientations" refers to China’s proposed strategic direction for scientific and technological innovation, which includes: facing the world’s scientific and technological frontiers, facing the main economic battlefield, facing major national needs, and facing people's lives and health.
Ding Xuexiang stated that the CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to the development of the academician team. Academicians of the two national academies enjoy high prestige among the people. Becoming an academician is not only an honor, but also a responsibility, not only a recognition of academic achievement but also a commendation of moral character, not only a new height in one’s academic career but also a new starting point to press forward.
He proposed further improving the academician system, enhancing the quality of academician selection, serving and managing academicians well, and enabling them to play a better role. He hopes that the academicians of the two academies will take the lead in promoting the spirit of scientists, foster a clean and upright research environment, concentrate on tackling challenging scientific problems, and apply scientific research achievements in the cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation.
The National Science and Technology Award Conference of China, the 22nd Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the 18th Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology were held in Beijing on Wednesday (July 8).
At the meeting, Xi Jinping said that there are still some areas where China lacks original innovation capacity in science and technology development, "We must pay great attention to this and take stronger measures to resolve it." He called for seizing the global window of talent mobility and actively introducing outstanding young talents from overseas.
Against the backdrop of ongoing China-US tech competition, Xi Jinping also said that the situation both urges and compels us, and that we must seize the historic opportunity to accelerate the advancement of high-level technological self-reliance and strength.