At the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2023, British scholar and political commentator Martin Jacques said Chinese modernization will enter a very innovative stage, providing a new modernization model to the world.
Chinese modernization, according to the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC, which contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.
To vigorously advance Chinese modernization, innovation remains at the heart of its drive, and to boost innovation, well-educated talent is the core.
As the world's most populous country and the second-largest economy, China has been committed to nurturing talent and contributing to modernization.
This sentiment resonated with a recent speech made by Xi, in which he stressed the importance of fostering talent for and contributing wisdom to the CPC, as it bears the historical task of exploring the Chinese path to modernization.
The 4th Talent Recruitment & Project Matchmaking Event for Innovation and Development in Zhengzhou City, central China's Henan Province, October 23, 2021. /CFP
Talents needed in the building of Chinese modernization
Facing a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, China has stepped up efforts to cultivate highly-skilled talent to boost the country's core competitiveness.
China had 5.72 million people working in research and development (R&D) in 2021, maintaining the world's largest pool of R&D personnel for nine years, and its investment in R&D reached 3.09 trillion yuan ($450 billion), making it the second-largest R&D investor in the world, according to the latest official data.
Policy support and the cultivation system for highly-skilled talent will be optimized by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), according to a guideline issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council.
Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been a shared aspiration of the Chinese people since the beginning of modern times, Xi pointed out that the historical task of exploring the Chinese path to modernization fell on the shoulders of the CPC.
He made the remarks in February when addressing the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.
Party schools at all levels, with their founding mission of fostering talent for and contributing wisdom to the Party, play a key role in advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.
During a speech addressed at the 90th anniversary of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in early March, Xi highlighted the core value of Party schools and urged them to stay true to their founding mission.
In order to achieve this, the Party schools must keep research and practice intertwined, allowing for a smooth transition between their teaching and research and the actual economic and social development.
In doing so, talents are encouraged to go to the front line and expand their vision, enrich their knowledge and gain invaluable experience. This will help facilitate high-quality development, the first and foremost task in building a modern socialist country in all respects.