Authorized release | Xi Jinping: Speech at the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, and the Conference of Academicians of the Two Academies Science and Technology Power | Science and Technology Talents | Xi Jinping

Speeches at the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, and the Conference of Academicians of the Two Academies

This conference is a grand scientific and technological event held at a critical time when China's modernization is comprehensively promoting the construction of a powerful country and the great cause of national rejuvenation. First of all, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, I would like to extend warm congratulations to the collectives and individuals who have won the National Science and Technology Awards in 2023! I would like to extend my sincere greetings to the academicians of the two academies and the vast number of scientific and technological workers! I would like to extend a warm welcome to the foreign academicians and friends from the international scientific community who are attending the conference!

When science and technology flourish, the nation flourishes; when science and technology are strong, the country is strong. Our Party has always attached great importance to the development of science and technology. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has deeply promoted the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, put forward the strategic task of accelerating the construction of an innovative country, established the goal of building a strong country in science and technology by 2035, continuously deepened the reform of the science and technology system, fully stimulated the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of scientific and technological personnel, and vigorously promoted scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. my country's science and technology has achieved historic achievements and undergone historic changes. New breakthroughs have been achieved in basic frontier research, and a number of major original achievements have been made in the fields of quantum technology, life sciences, material sciences, space sciences, etc. Two core conjectures of differential geometry have been successfully proved, chemical small molecules induce human cells to achieve reprogramming, and carbon dioxide artificial synthesis of starch has achieved "technological creation". The strategic high-tech field has ushered in a new leap, "Chang'e" has embraced the moon, "Tianhe" has stationed in the sky, "Tianwen" has explored Mars, "Crust No. 1" has advanced into the depths of the earth, "Struggler" has explored the deep sea of ​​10,000 meters, and the world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant has been put into commercial operation. Innovation-driven development has led to new achievements in high-quality development. Emerging industries such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence have flourished. The first 6G satellite was successfully launched. Beidou navigation provides global precision services. Domestic large aircraft have achieved commercial flights. High-speed rail technology has set an international benchmark. New energy vehicles have added new impetus to the global automotive industry. Biological breeding, new drug creation, and green and low-carbon technologies have helped food security and the construction of a healthy and beautiful China. The reform of the science and technology system has opened up a new situation. The science and technology management system has been reshaped. The layout of national strategic scientific and technological forces has been accelerated, and the vitality of innovation entities and talents has been further released. New progress has been made in international open cooperation. We have taken the initiative to launch international science and technology cooperation initiatives and take the lead in organizing international major scientific plans. my country's influence as an important pole of global innovation has continued to increase. All these have laid a solid foundation for building a strong country in science and technology.

In the practice of the development of science and technology in the new era, we have continuously deepened our understanding of laws and accumulated many important experiences. The main points are: adhere to the overall leadership of the Party, strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee over scientific and technological work, observe the general trend, plan the overall situation, grasp the fundamentals, and ensure that the development of science and technology always moves in the right direction. Adhere to the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, rely on self-reliance and hard work, give full play to the advantages of our socialist system in concentrating forces to do major things, promote high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and firmly grasp the lifeline of science and technology and the initiative of development in our own hands. Adhere to innovation to lead development, establish the concept that grasping innovation is grasping development and seeking innovation is seeking the future, and use scientific and technological innovation to lead high-quality development and ensure high-level security. Adhere to the strategic orientation of "four orientations", face the world's scientific and technological frontiers, the main battlefield of the economy, the major needs of the country, and the people's life and health, strengthen the full chain deployment and full field layout of scientific and technological innovation, and comprehensively enhance scientific and technological strength and innovation capabilities. Adhere to stimulating innovation vitality through deepening reform, resolutely break the ideological concepts and institutional and mechanism obstacles that restrict scientific and technological innovation, and effectively transform institutional advantages into scientific and technological competitive advantages. We must continue to promote a virtuous cycle of education, science and technology, and talents, coordinate the implementation of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through talents, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, and promote education development, scientific and technological innovation, and talent cultivation in an integrated manner. We must continue to cultivate an innovative culture, inherit the innovative genes of China's excellent traditional culture, create a good environment that encourages exploration and tolerates failure, and make the advocacy of science and the pursuit of innovation a trend in the whole society. We must persist in open cooperation in science and technology for the benefit of mankind, pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win open strategy, and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to responding to global challenges and promoting human development and progress. These experiences are invaluable and must be adhered to for a long time and continuously enriched and developed in practice.

At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing in depth. Scientific research is expanding to the extreme macroscopic level, deepening to the extreme microscopic level, advancing to extreme conditions, and making efforts to cross the extreme comprehensive cross-examination, constantly breaking through the boundaries of human cognition. Technological innovation has entered an unprecedented period of intensive activity, and cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and biotechnology have emerged in a concentrated manner, triggering chain changes. At the same time, the world's unprecedented changes in a century are accelerating, the scientific and technological revolution and the game between major powers are intertwined, and the high-tech field has become the forefront and main battlefield of international competition, profoundly reshaping the global order and development pattern. Although my country's science and technology development has made great progress, its original innovation capabilities are still relatively weak, some key core technologies are controlled by others, and there is a shortage of top scientific and technological talents. We must further enhance our sense of urgency and further increase our efforts in scientific and technological innovation to seize the commanding heights of scientific and technological competition and future development.

The 20th CPC National Congress clearly defined the central task of comprehensively promoting the construction of a powerful country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. Chinese-style modernization must be supported by scientific and technological modernization, and the realization of high-quality development must rely on scientific and technological innovation to cultivate new momentum. We must fully recognize the strategic leading position and fundamental supporting role of science and technology, anchor the strategic goal of building a strong country in science and technology by 2035, strengthen top-level design and overall planning, and accelerate the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance.

The science and technology power we want to build should have world-leading scientific and technological strength and innovation capabilities, support the overall leap in economic strength, national defense strength, and comprehensive national strength, enhance human well-being, and promote global development. The following basic elements must be possessed: First, it must have strong basic research and original innovation capabilities, and continuously produce major original and disruptive scientific and technological achievements. Second, it must have strong key core technology research capabilities, and strongly support high-quality development and high-level security. Third, it must have strong international influence and leadership, and become an important scientific center and innovation highland in the world. Fourth, it must have strong high-level scientific and technological talent training and aggregation capabilities, and continuously expand the international top scientific and technological talent team and national strategic scientific and technological forces. Fifth, it must have a strong science and technology governance system and governance capabilities to form a world-class innovation ecology and scientific research environment.

Now we are only 11 years away from achieving the goal of building a strong country in science and technology. We must seize the day, work hard, and turn this strategic goal into reality step by step with the firm determination and tenacious will of "ten years to sharpen a sword".

First, give full play to the advantages of the new national system and accelerate the promotion of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance. It is necessary to improve the system of centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee over scientific and technological work, strengthen the overall planning of strategic planning, policies and measures, major tasks, scientific research forces, resource platforms, regional innovation, etc., build a coordinated and efficient decision-making and command system and organizational implementation system, and gather a strong synergy to promote scientific and technological innovation. It is necessary to give full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of scientific and technological resources, better play the role of all aspects of the government, mobilize the enthusiasm of all links of industry, academia and research, and form a working pattern to jointly promote the research of key core technologies. It is necessary to strengthen the construction of national strategic scientific and technological forces, optimize the positioning and layout, improve the national laboratory system, and enhance the integration capacity of the national innovation system. It is necessary to maintain strategic determination, adhere to what should be done and what should not be done, highlight national strategic needs, implement scientific and technological strategic deployment in several important fields, condense and implement a number of new major scientific and technological projects, form competitive advantages, and win strategic initiative. It is necessary to improve the degree of organization of basic research, improve the investment mechanism combining competitive support and stable support, strengthen the collaborative research on major scientific issues, and at the same time encourage free exploration, strive to propose original basic theories, master the underlying technical principles, and lay a solid foundation for scientific and technological innovation.

Second, we should promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, and help develop new quality productivity. The basis of integration is to increase the supply of high-quality science and technology. We should focus on the key areas and weak links in the construction of a modern industrial system, and increase the intensity of technological research and development to ensure the autonomy, security and controllability of important industrial chains and supply chains. We should aim at the commanding heights of future science and technology and industrial development, accelerate scientific and technological innovation in the fields of new generation information technology, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, etc., and cultivate and develop emerging industries and future industries. We should actively use new technologies to transform and upgrade traditional industries, and promote the high-end, intelligent and green development of industries.

The key to integration is to strengthen the dominant position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation. We should give full play to the leading role of science and technology leading enterprises, encourage scientific and technological innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises and private enterprises, and support enterprises to take the lead or participate in major national scientific and technological projects. We should guide enterprises to work closely with universities and scientific research institutions to jointly condense scientific and technological problems, jointly carry out scientific research, and jointly cultivate scientific and technological talents in response to industrial needs, so as to promote enterprise-led industry-university-research integration and innovation.

The way to integrate is to promote the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements. We should rely on our country's industrial foundation advantages and super-large-scale market advantages to strengthen the construction of the national technology transfer system, improve policy support and market services, promote the promotion and application of independent research products and iterative upgrades, so that more scientific and technological achievements can be transformed from samples into products and industries. We should do a good job in science and technology finance and guide financial capital to invest early, small, long-term, and hard technology.

Third, comprehensively deepen the reform of the science and technology system and mechanism, and fully stimulate the vitality of innovation and creation. We must adhere to the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation, and deepen the reform of the science and technology management system to address the low degree of organization and coordination of scientific and technological innovation in my country, the dispersion and duplication of scientific and technological resources, and other issues. We must coordinate the construction of various innovation platforms, strengthen the coordination of innovation resources and the organization of forces. Improve the regional scientific and technological innovation layout, strengthen the coordination and linkage between the central and local governments, and create an innovation highland with global influence. We must improve the management of science and technology plans, deepen the reform of the mechanism for the allocation, management and use of science and technology funds, give scientific research units and researchers greater autonomy, and improve the efficiency of scientific and technological innovation investment.

In recent years, positive progress has been made in easing the burden on scientific researchers, but many researchers have also reported that various non-academic burdens are still heavy. We must adhere to the combination of "breaking the four criteria" and "establishing new standards" to accelerate the establishment of a classification evaluation system and assessment mechanism that conforms to the laws of scientific research activities. We must improve incentive systems such as scientific and technological awards, income distribution, and empowerment of achievements, so that more outstanding talents can receive reasonable returns and unleash innovative vitality. We must continue to rectify the trend of indiscriminate issuance of "hats" and "brands" so that scientific researchers can concentrate on their research without distractions, and effectively reduce the distractions caused by reporting projects, publishing papers, evaluating awards, and competing for resources.

Fourth, we should promote the development of education, science and technology talents in an integrated manner and build a competitive advantage in talents. Scientific and technological innovation relies on talents, and talent cultivation relies on education. Education, science and technology, and talents are inherently consistent and mutually supportive. We should strengthen the concept of systems, deepen the reform of the system and mechanism of education, science and technology talents, improve the mechanism of collaborative education between science and education, and accelerate the cultivation of a large-scale, well-structured, and high-quality innovative talent team.

At present, the structural contradiction between talent cultivation and technological innovation supply and demand in my country is quite prominent. We should adhere to the needs of technological innovation, optimize the discipline settings of higher education institutions, innovate talent cultivation models, and effectively improve the level and quality of independent talent cultivation. We should make accelerating the construction of national strategic talent a top priority, focus on cultivating strategic scientists, first-class scientific and technological leaders and innovation teams, and focus on cultivating outstanding engineers, great craftsmen, and highly skilled talents. We should focus on strengthening the cultivation of young scientific and technological talents, fully trust them, let them use them, carefully guide them, and warmly care for them, so that more young top talents can stand out.

We must implement more proactive, more open and more effective talent policies, accelerate the formation of a talent system with international competitiveness, and build an innovation highland that gathers global wisdom resources.

The growth and development of talents cannot be separated from the nourishment of the soil of innovative culture. We must continue to create a social atmosphere that respects labor, knowledge, talents, and creativity, vigorously promote the spirit of scientists, and encourage the majority of scientific researchers to have lofty ambitions, patriotic dedication, and determination to innovate. We must strengthen the construction of scientific research integrity and work style and promote the formation of a clean and upright scientific research ecology.

Fifth, we should deeply practice the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and promote open cooperation in science and technology. Scientific and technological progress is a global and contemporary issue, and only open cooperation is the right way. The more complex the international environment is, the more we should open our minds and doors, coordinate openness and security, and achieve self-reliance and self-strengthening through open cooperation.

We should thoroughly implement the international science and technology cooperation initiative, expand channels for government and private exchanges and cooperation, give full play to the role of platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, take the lead in organizing international large-scale scientific plans and projects, and support researchers from various countries to jointly tackle key problems. We should actively integrate into the global innovation network, deeply participate in global science and technology governance, and work with countries around the world to create an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory international science and technology development environment, jointly respond to global challenges such as climate change, food security, and energy security, and make science and technology better benefit mankind.

Building a strong country in science and technology is a heavy responsibility and a glorious mission on the science and technology front! I hope that the academicians of the two academies, as outstanding representatives of the science and technology community, will charge ahead and shoulder heavy responsibilities, be good pioneers in the forefront of science and technology, undertake major tasks, guide the growth of young talents, and demonstrate the spirit of scientists, and make new contributions to the development of my country's science and technology! I hope that the majority of scientific and technological workers will consciously integrate their academic pursuits into the great cause of building a strong country in science and technology, forge ahead with determination, pursue excellence, and create new achievements that are worthy of the times and the people!

Building a strong country in science and technology is the common responsibility of the whole party and the whole country. Party committees and governments at all levels should conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee, effectively strengthen the organizational leadership and scientific management of scientific and technological work, and do their best to provide service and support. Leading cadres at all levels should attach importance to learning new scientific and technological knowledge and enhance their ability to lead and promote scientific and technological work.

Building our country into a strong country in science and technology has been the dream that the Chinese nation has been pursuing since modern times. Generation after generation of Chinese people have worked hard and tirelessly for it. Now, the baton of history has been passed to our generation. We must set up ambitious goals, work hard, work hard, unite and strive, and move forward courageously towards the grand goal of building a strong country in science and technology!