Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an accelerated push in artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing as China seeks to cement its position as a global science and technology powerhouse.
Speaking at China’s National Science and Technology Awards Conference in Beijing, Xi said the country is moving from being a participant in global scientific progress to becoming a pioneer and leader in innovation. The event honoured 258 scientific projects and 11 leading scientists and technology experts for their contributions to the country’s research and development.
Xi said China had achieved a series of major breakthroughs over the past two years, citing the Chang’e-6 mission, which completed humanity’s first-ever sample return from the far side of the Moon, advances in smart robots and drones, world-first innovative medicines, and domestically developed crop varieties now covering more than 95 per cent of the country’s farmland.
Despite these achievements, Xi acknowledged that significant challenges remain.
He said China still faces shortcomings in original innovation, an imbalanced scientific talent pool and inefficient use of research funding, warning that these issues must be addressed if the country is to compete at the forefront of the next technological revolution.
“The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is profoundly changing the way humanity lives and works, as well as reshaping the global development landscape,” Xi said.
He called for stronger national coordination in science and technology planning, research resources and innovation policies, while urging greater self-reliance in critical scientific infrastructure.
Focus On AI, Quantum And Strategic Technologies
Xi identified artificial intelligence, quantum technology and life sciences as priority frontier technologies, alongside strategic industries such as integrated circuits and advanced manufacturing.
He also urged greater investment in deep-sea, deep-space and deep-earth exploration, describing them as key strategic domains for China’s long-term development.
Calling for closer links between research and industry, Xi said scientific breakthroughs must be translated more quickly into practical technologies and commercial products.
He urged the government to strengthen the national technology transfer system, create more industrial innovation clusters and expand opportunities for domestically developed technologies to reach the market.
Xi also stressed the importance of strengthening intellectual property protection and building a financial system better suited to supporting scientific innovation.
Backing Young Scientists
The Chinese leader placed particular emphasis on developing the country’s next generation of researchers.
He called for closer integration between education and scientific research, greater support for researchers and stronger efforts to cultivate scientific curiosity among young people.
Xi said schools should encourage students to develop scientific literacy, practical skills and an interest in innovation, inspiring more young Chinese to pursue careers in science and technology.
Better Use Of Research Funding
While highlighting China’s growing investment in research and development, Xi warned that simply spending more money would not guarantee better results.
He noted that China’s total R&D expenditure grew by an average of around 10 per cent annually during the current Five-Year Plan, but said problems such as wasteful spending and duplicated research projects still persist.
Xi called for reforms to improve the efficiency of research funding, saying every yuan invested should deliver greater scientific value.
He also encouraged Chinese companies to increase investment in research and development while calling for greater participation from private capital and society in supporting innovation.
Reforming Scientific Evaluation
Xi argued that China’s systems for evaluating research projects, institutions and scientific talent should place greater emphasis on innovation, quality and real-world impact rather than traditional assessment methods.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening oversight of scientific ethics and national security, saying emerging technologies should remain safe, controllable and beneficial to society.
China, he said, should improve ethical standards in key scientific fields while strengthening risk assessment and emergency response mechanisms for new technologies.
China Honours Leading Scientists
The annual awards ceremony recognised 258 scientific projects, including 51 State Natural Science Awards, 58 State Technological Invention Awards and 149 State Scientific and Technological Progress Awards.
In addition, nine foreign scientists received the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award for their contributions to international scientific collaboration.
The ceremony was attended by Premier Li Qiang and other senior Communist Party leaders, with Li describing Xi’s speech as a blueprint for China’s science and technology development during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.
The latest address underscores Beijing’s determination to strengthen technological self-reliance and compete for global leadership in critical technologies as competition with the United States intensifies across sectors ranging from artificial intelligence and semiconductors to advanced manufacturing and space exploration.
(with inputs from agencies)
