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We should be deeply engaged in global scientific and technological governance, contributing Chinese wisdom and helping to build a global community of shared future. Science and technology respond to the call of the times and have a global impact, so we should have a global vision in developing them. Rivers and seas are big because they never reject the small streams that flow in. Independent innovation should be pursued in an open environment, rather than behind closed doors. We should gather energy and strength from every part of the world. We will enhance scientific and technological exchange and cooperation with other countries, and promote innovation on this basis. We will take the initiative in planning and actively utilize international innovation resources, and establish a cooperative and mutually beneficial partnership with other countries to cope with the future challenges facing humanity-development, food and energy security, health, and climate change. We will bring benefits to more countries and their people while achieving our own development, and promote balanced development around the world.

We should always embrace a global vision when planning and promoting scientific and technological innovation. We should bolster international cooperation, integrate China into the global innovation network, further open up national science and technology programs, participate in and play a leading role in international mega science plans and projects, and encourage our scientists to initiate and organize international scientific and technological cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative should become an initiative of innovation: We will cooperate with other participating countries to build scientific and technological innovation alliances and bases, and create more opportunities and platforms for common development. We will use to the maximum global innovation resources, raise China's status in the global innovation landscape across the board, and increase our influence and ability to participate in rule-making in global scientific and technological governance.

We should make human resources the priority in our development, and bring together our best achievers to lay a solid foundation for innovation-driven development. Feats are accomplished by capable people; undertakings proceed because of capable people. People are our most precious resource. All innovations are created by people. Both hard and soft power are fundamentally based on strength in human resources. The whole history of science and technology proves that the country with the most capable people and scientists will gain strengths in scientific and technological innovation.

At present, China still lacks high-caliber innovative talent, especially talent that can spearhead scientific and technological development. Our talent appraisal system is flawed: It overemphasizes the number of these scientists and engineers have published, their academic titles, and educational backgrounds; our scientists and engineers are deluged with appraisals and overburdened with the scramble for honor and titles; and our human resource management does not meet the needs of scientific and technological innovation or conform to the principals governing innovation. We will reform the appraisal mechanism, aiming to establish a system that highlights the innovative capability, innovation quality, and contribution of scientists and engineers, and create institutions that allow them to concentrate on their research and innovation. We should assess the performance of both individual researchers and their teams, respecting and recognizing the contribution of all members. We will improve the incentive system to ensure appropriate remuneration for outstanding scientists and engineers, so as to ignite the passion for innovation across society. Through reform, we will change the practice of permanently labeling talent by static appraisals, and of appraising talent with quantity of theses, patents or funds. Our scientists should not get mired in red tape or waste their precious time on redundant reports and applications.

(Source: Extract from Xi Jinping's speech at the joint session of the 19th Meeting of the Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 14th Meeting of the Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, May 28, 2018)

This episode is presented by Liu Xin.