Scientific and technological innovation provides critical support for all-round prosperity

According to the press conference of the State Council Information Office on July 27, since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's capabilities for original innovation in science and technology, strategic frontier breakthrough, systematic development, innovative research and development , and open science and technology collaboration have made great strides, and decisive progress has been made in building an innovative country. Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology, stated at the conference that, the important position and role of scientific and technological innovation have been increasingly obvious in the historical process of building an all-round well-off society. The great leap of China's scientific and technological strength and innovative capability is both a crucial symbol of and support for accomplishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in a comprehensive manner.

Xu Liang, director of the ministry's Strategic Planning Department, introduced that, since the 18th CPC National Congress, the annual increase in China's basic research investment has reached 16.9%, and basic research has accounted for more than 6% of R&D investment for the first time. China has become the second-largest contributor of high-quality scientific and technological theses worldwide. In 12 disciplines including material science, chemistry, engineering technology, math, and physics, the number of citations of China's high-level academic theses has reached the top two in the world. In 2019, the total number of Chinese R&D personnel reached 7,129,300, basic R&D personnel FTE reached 392,000 man-years, and the number of Highly Cited Researchers had stood second in the world for two consecutive years. Moreover, important progress has been made in the construction of scientific research bases and platforms. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has continued to build more than 500 State Key Laboratories, planning 13 National Centers for Applied Mathematics Research, and optimizing and forming 20 National Centers for Scientific Data, 31 National Resource Bank for Biological Germplasm and Experimental Materials, and 98 National Field Scientific Observation Research Stations.

In terms of the capability for strategic frontier breakthrough, China has made great progress in various fields including deep sea, deep space, deep earth, and deep blue. In several frontier fields including quantum information, nanoscience, catalytic science, and stem cell synthetic biology, China has made great achievements of international influence in original innovation. In many key technology fields, including electronic information, advanced manufacturing, new material, new energy, modern agriculture, and life and health, China has solved many basic scientific issues that may constrain pharmaceutical development and provided strong scientific support for national development and security.

Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises have demonstrated conspicuous potentials as main players in technological innovation, their R&D funding has accounted for 76.4% of the country's total, becoming the backbone of scientific and technological investment; their technology contracts and corresponding turnover have accounted for 91.5% of the country's total, becoming predominant technology exporters. Recently, a host of innovative, industry-leading enterprises have emerged, including 275,000 high-tech enterprises and 223,000 technology-based SMEs. The innovative capabilities of colleges, universities and research institutions have been further enhanced. In 2019, 3,450 colleges, universities, and research institutions signed near 420,000 contracts worth 94 billion yuan. The GDP created by 169 National High-tech Zones accounted for more than 12% of the national total.

To address the issues of unbalanced and insufficient development, China has coordinated departments, preponderant regions, and R&D institutions to enhance scientific and technological cooperation with western regions. The annual increase in R&D expenditure for nine provinces including Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, reached 13.3%, the annual increase in valid invention patents reached 29.4%, and the annual revenue increase of high-tech enterprises reached 21.2%. In addition, China has mobilized the national science and technology system, implemented 37,600 science and technology projects at all levels around rural industries in poor areas, invested more than 20 billion yuan, assigned 289,800 science and technology specialists, established 77,000 technology assistance partnerships, constructed 1,290 innovative entrepreneurship platforms, promoted 50,000 advanced applicable technologies, and a number of science and technology specialists including Li Yu, Zhao Yafu as "national models of poverty alleviation" have emerged.

Contributed by Yang Shu, Reporter with Guangming Daily

Translated by Fei Jinglun