Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the importance of building a science and technology powerhouse by 2035, calling for the development of advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and quantum technology. He emphasized the need for efficiency in scientific and technological innovation, expressing a commitment to enhancing the quality of innovation amid the US-China tech competition.
According to the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, Xi made these remarks during a significant speech at the National Science and Technology Awards ceremony, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering conference, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology held in Beijing on July 8. He stated, "Technological strength and innovation capabilities are increasingly becoming the core competitiveness of a nation," and noted that the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) is a critical period for achieving the goal of becoming a science and technology powerhouse by 2035.
Xi stressed the need to accelerate high-level self-reliance in science and technology and to support Chinese-style modernization through scientific and technological innovation.
He identified AI as a key technology that will determine national competitiveness, highlighting its rapid development based on innovations in data, computing power, algorithms, neuroscience, and mathematics. He remarked, "This is urgent and significant. We must seize this historic opportunity." He called for concentrated research and development in advanced fields such as AI, quantum technology, and life sciences, as well as core areas like integrated circuits and advanced manufacturing, and strategic fields including deep-sea, deep-space, and deep-earth exploration.
A notable aspect of his speech was the emphasis on 'efficiency.' Despite significant investments in strategic industries like AI, there have been concerns about the slow pace at which research outcomes translate into industrial competitiveness. Xi mentioned 'efficiency' six times, stating, "We must enhance the efficiency of investment in scientific and technological innovation and strike a balance between expanding investment scale and improving efficiency."
He pointed out issues in China's scientific and technological development, including a lack of original innovation capabilities, an imbalanced talent structure, and low efficiency in scientific and technological investment. He noted that there are institutional bottlenecks hindering innovative development and called for improving the overall efficiency of the national innovation system. He urged for deeper integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, ensuring that research outcomes quickly convert into productive forces.
Xi highlighted the low commercialization rate of research and development (R&D) outcomes as a deep-rooted issue in China. To address this, he called for strengthening the national technology transfer system and establishing concept verification centers and pilot testing platforms to alleviate bottlenecks in the commercialization of early research outcomes. He also suggested creating various application scenarios and advanced industrial clusters, and utilizing financial, monetary, scientific, technological, and industrial policies comprehensively to encourage long-term investment from financial capital in early-stage and small core technology companies.
Additionally, Xi emphasized the importance of attracting outstanding overseas talent. He stated, "We must actively leverage opportunities for global talent mobility," urging the recruitment of young researchers and research teams from abroad while maintaining a balance between scientific and technological development and ethics.
During the National Science and Technology Awards ceremony, Xi personally awarded the top prize to Chen Liquian, known as the 'Father of China's Lithium Battery,' and to Fan De, an authority in military aviation radar.
The National Science and Technology Award is the highest honor given by the Chinese government to scientists who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology, established in 2000. To date, 39 individuals have received the award, which is seen as a 'barometer' of China's strategic technology development direction.
This year's recipient, Fan De, is recognized as the founder of China's airborne pulse Doppler radar technology and a pioneer in phased array radar technology. He led the development of China's first airborne pulse Doppler fire control radar and large long-range phased array early warning radar, laying the foundation for the development of China's land, sea, air, and space-based early warning systems.
Military expert Song Zhongping commented to the Global Times that this year's awardees reflect China's policy direction, which emphasizes independent innovation in key technologies directly related to national security. Notably, recent awardees have increasingly included researchers in strategic technologies linked to defense and security, such as Cheng Kaijia, who led nuclear weapon development, and Yu Min, known as the 'Father of Explosives,' among others.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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