Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for accelerating the development of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. He emphasized that technological innovation should be a key pillar and driving force for China's modernization.
Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a grand ceremony in Beijing. The event combined the National Science and Technology Award Conference, the general assemblies of members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology.
According to Xi Jinping, the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) will be a crucial stage in building China into a world science and technology powerhouse.
“We must seize historical opportunities, address contemporary challenges, accelerate the development of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, and strive to achieve the goal of becoming a leading global science and technology power by 2035,” he said.
During the ceremony, Xi presented China's highest state awards for science and technology for 2025 to two scientists – Chen Liquan, a researcher from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an academician of CAE, and Ben De, a researcher at China Electronics Technology Group Corporation and also an academician of CAE. Both awardees received medals and certificates directly from the president.
Xi, along with other leaders of the party and state, subsequently presented awards to representatives of other laureates.
The meeting was chaired by Premier Li Qiang, and also attended by Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Li Xi, and Ding Xuexiang, who announced the decisions regarding this year's awards.
The president stated that China is gradually transforming from a significant participant in global scientific development into its pioneer and leader, and today it ranks among the countries with the fastest-growing innovation capacity.
He recalled a number of important achievements over the past two years. These included the Chang'e-6 mission, which was the first in history to bring samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth, progress in the development and industrial application of intelligent robots and drones, the development of original, world-class drugs, or the fact that domestic crop varieties now cover more than 95 percent of China's agricultural land.
At the same time, he pointed out that the country still faces shortcomings in basic research, an unbalanced structure of scientific talent, and insufficient efficiency of investment in research and development.
According to Xi Jinping, a new wave of science and technology revolution and industrial transformation is fundamentally changing people's way of life and the landscape of the world economy. Therefore, China must take more effective measures to address persistent problems and consistently implement the strategy for the development of science and technology.
He called for better coordination of strategic planning, policies, research capabilities, shared platforms, and regional innovation centers. He also emphasized the need to strengthen self-reliance in scientific infrastructure and improve the organization of key national research projects.
He identified areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biological sciences, integrated circuits, advanced manufacturing, and strategic research focused on the deep sea, space, and the Earth's interior as priority areas.
Xi also emphasized the importance of connecting scientific innovation with industrial production. According to him, it is necessary to accelerate the translation of research results into practical applications, strengthen technology transfer systems, create new scenarios for their application, and support the development of advanced industrial clusters.
These steps should also include better protection of intellectual property rights and the creation of a financial system that meets the needs of technological innovation.
The President also focused on developing young talent. He stressed the need to connect research with education, strengthen support for scientists in solving practical problems, and foster interest in science, technology, and experimental skills among children and young people.
He recalled that during the 14th five-year plan (2021–2025), China's spending on research and development grew by an average of ten percent per year. At the same time, he pointed out the persistent inefficient use of resources and duplicate investments. According to him, it is necessary to ensure that every amount invested brings the highest possible effect.
Xi called on businesses to increase their own investment in research and development and, at the same time, to involve more social resources in supporting technological innovation.
He also emphasized the need to reform the system for evaluating science and research so that it is based primarily on the quality of innovations, their actual benefits, and practical results.
In conclusion, he highlighted the importance of ethics and safety in scientific research. According to him, technological development must be safe, ethical, and beneficial to society. He therefore called for strengthening monitoring of technological risks, early warning systems, and crisis mechanisms.
Finally, he urged the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the China Association for Science and Technology to lead the Chinese scientific community towards further development, support innovation, increase public scientific literacy, and contribute to the quality creation of state policy.
At the award ceremony this year, a total of 258 projects and 11 scientists were recognized. The State Prize for Natural Sciences was awarded to 51 projects, the State Prize for Technological Inventions to 58 projects, and the State Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress to 149 projects. In addition to the two main laureates, nine foreign experts also received the China International Award for Cooperation in Science and Technology.
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