BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for accelerated endeavors to pursue greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology at higher levels and forge ahead toward the goal of building China into a leading country in science and technology by 2035.
The National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the 22nd General Assembly of Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the 18th General Assembly of Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) were held on Wednesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference, presented awards to recipients of the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award and other honorees, and delivered an important speech.
Xi stressed that the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) will be a crucial stage for making breakthroughs in building China into a leading country in science and technology. It is imperative to seize historical opportunities and meet the challenges of the times, providing solid support and leadership for Chinese modernization through scientific and technological innovation.
Li Qiang presided over the conference. Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Li Xi attended. Ding Xuexiang read out the decision on the 2025 State Science and Technology Awards.
The conference began at 10:30 a.m. All attendees rose to sing the national anthem.
As ceremonial music was trumpeted, Xi first presented medals and certificates to Chen Liquan, a researcher at the CAS Institute of Physics and a CAE academician, and Ben De, a researcher at the 14th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation and also a CAE academician, both winners of the 2025 State Preeminent Science and Technology Award. Xi warmly shook hands with them and extended his congratulations.
Xi and other Party and state leaders then joined the two top award recipients in presenting certificates to representatives of the winners of the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, and the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China.
Amid enthusiastic applause, Xi delivered his important speech. He pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has placed sci-tech innovation at the forefront of the modernization drive, systematically mapped out a blueprint for building a leading country in science and technology, vigorously promoted the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, comprehensively deepened reforms of the sci-tech system, and driven the country's sci-tech endeavors to historic achievements and transformations. China is accelerating its transition from a participant in and contributor to the global science and technology, to a pioneer and leader, becoming one of the countries with the fastest-growing innovation capacity.
The new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation is profoundly changing people's work and life, as well as the global development landscape, and "we should adapt to the new circumstances and requirements, as well as adopt more robust measures," Xi said, in a bid to effectively address existing issues in China's sci-tech development. He also called for all-out efforts in implementing the CPC Central Committee's plans on sci-tech endeavors.
Xi highlighted the need to strengthen the systematic problem-solving capabilities of the country's sci-tech innovation system, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the nation's innovation system. Sci-tech endeavors should adhere to the "four orientations" framework -- facing the world's scientific frontiers, the main economic battlefield, the country's major needs, and the people's life and health. Overall arrangements should be further strengthened in areas such as sci-tech strategic planning, policy measures, major tasks, research forces, resource platforms, and regional innovation.
Xi also underlined the necessity to improve the mechanisms for deploying and implementing the nation's major sci-tech innovation tasks, and strengthen self-sufficiency in sci-tech infrastructure.
The country should optimize the functional positioning and distribution of the nation's strategic sci-tech forces, advance task coordination and resource sharing, as well as further leverage complementary advantages, Xi said. Moreover, the nation will enhance overall guidance for sci-tech endeavors at all levels and establish institutional arrangements for central-local coordination and regional linkage.
Xi stressed that it is imperative to advance the integration between scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, and open up channels to speed up the transformation of sci-tech achievements into real productive forces. He called for an application-oriented approach to seek sci-tech innovation and raising scientific questions while pursuing industrial innovation. Efforts should be made to strengthen the building of a system for national technology transfer, create diverse application scenarios and high-level industrial clusters, and advance the promotion, application, iterative upgrading of independently developed technologies and products. It is also a must to improve the intellectual property protection system and develop a sci-tech financial system that is compatible with sci-tech innovation.
The future of science lies in the hands of the young people, Xi noted, thus it is essential to optimize the talent cultivation mechanism featuring the collaboration between science and education sectors and intensify efforts to cultivate outstanding young scientific and technological talent. Efforts have to be stepped up to support researchers and help resolve their real difficulties so that they can focus on their research with peace of mind. It is also essential to focus on discovering and nurturing youths' interests, scientific literacy and experimental skills, and encourage more adolescents with scientific potential to dedicate themselves to scientific and technological endeavors.
Xi underscored increasing the efficiency of investment in science and technology, so as to achieve both an increase in the scale of investment and an improvement in its efficiency. Mechanisms should be improved for the allocation, management, and use of central government sci-tech funds, and those for sharing the responsibility for investment in major sci-tech initiatives be refined between the central and local governments. It is also essential to improve the management of sci-tech programs, strengthen the oversight, inspection, and performance evaluation of science and technology projects, guide enterprises to increase R&D investment, and mobilize more non-governmental actors to support sci-tech innovation.
Further reform of the sci-tech appraisal system should be carried on to make it a good "conductor's baton" for guiding the work of scientists and researchers, Xi noted. All project reviews, institutional evaluations, and personnel assessments should underline the orientation toward innovation capacity, quality, effectiveness and contribution. He also called for accelerated efforts to stop recognizing talent only according to their thesis, titles, education background and prizes, and to rectify the practice of indiscriminately awarding titles in the science and education sectors. And the country also strives to encourage the spirit of scientists that embraces patriotism, innovation, truth seeking, dedication, coordination, and talent cultivation, strengthen research integrity, and foster a clean and upright scientific research ecology.
Xi emphasized the need to strengthen governance over science and technology ethics and security, and to ensure that science and technology develop in a way that is positive and beneficial, safe and controllable, and conducive to the well-being of the people. Policies, systems, laws, regulations and governance norms should be improved, and a mechanism featuring participation by multiple parties and coordinated governance should be strengthened. Ethical standards and guidelines for key areas should be clarified, and assessment, monitoring, early warning and emergency response regarding sci-tech security risks should be strengthened. Furthermore, he urged deep engagement in global science and technology governance and broad spread of China's propositions and solutions.
To achieve flourishing progress in China's science and technology, concerted efforts from the entire Party and society are required, Xi pointed out. Party committees and governments at all levels should place science and technology work high on their agendas, develop and act on a correct understanding of governance performance, take concrete and sustained actions, and continue to deliver new results. The CAS and the CAE should unite the nation's science and technology community to grasp the direction of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and scale new heights in world science. The CAST should continue to explore and innovate, dedicating itself to serving scientists and engineers, serving innovation-driven development, serving the improvement of the public's scientific literacy, and serving the sound decision-making of the Party and the government.
Xi expressed his hope that academicians of the two academies would cherish their honors and persevere in their endeavors, and set exemplary and leading roles in exploring the frontiers of science and technology, undertaking major tasks, cultivating young talents and practicing the spirit of scientists. He also expressed his hope that scientists and technologists would carry forward the fine tradition of serving the country and delivering benefits to the people, and make new contributions to building up a leading country in science and technology.
Presiding over the conference, Li Qiang emphasized that General Secretary Xi's important speech fully affirmed the major achievements China has made in science and technology in recent years, profoundly analyzed the new situation facing sci-tech development, and set out clear requirements for further strengthening the sense of responsibility, urgency and mission, and for fully implementing the CPC Central Committee's arrangements for sci-tech work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
The general secretary's important speech is lofty in vision, profound in thought and rich in substance, Li said. It carries strong political, strategic and guiding significance, charting the course forward and providing the fundamental guidance for advancing science and technology in the new era. "We must study and fully understand it, resolutely implement it, and effectively align our thinking and actions with the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee," he said, and "we must further strengthen our resolve and confidence in advancing science and technology, and make new and greater contributions to building China into a great country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization."
At the meeting, Chen Liquan and Ben De spoke on behalf of all award recipients.
Before the meeting, Xi and other Party and state leaders cordially met with representatives of the recipients of the State Science and Technology Awards and had a group photo taken with them.
Also attending the meeting were some members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretaries of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and leading officials from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission.
About 4,300 people attended the meeting, including principal officials from relevant departments of the Party, government, military and mass organizations under the central authorities; members of the Central Science and Technology Commission; members of the National Science and Technology Awards Committee; officials from provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities specifically designated in the state plan, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; representatives of award recipients; academicians of the CAS and the CAE, as well as some foreign members of the academies; and delegates to the 11th National Congress of the CAST.
A total of 258 projects and 11 sci-tech experts were selected for the 2025 State Science and Technology Awards. Among them, two people received the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, 51 projects won the State Natural Science Award, including three first prizes and 48 second prizes; 58 projects won the State Technological Invention Award, including three first prizes and 55 second prizes; and 149 projects won the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, including three special prizes, 13 first prizes and 133 second prizes. In addition, nine foreign experts were conferred the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China.■
