Youth power sparks a new wave in China's tech innovation landscape

Editor's note: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged young people to take the lead in key areas including scientific and technological innovation, rural revitalization, green development and social services in a recent article published in Qiushi Journal. As China celebrates Youth Day on May 4, CGTN presents a three-part series recounting the stories of young individuals contributing to the country's modernization across various sectors.

From exploring the skies to building "homes in space," from the Chang'e lunar missions to the Zhurong Mars rover, China's aerospace industry has achieved remarkable accomplishments in recent years. Behind these milestones lies a surging force of youthful innovation and dedication.

At the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), a key player in the nation's space program, more than 50 percent of scientific and technical staff are 35 years of age or below.

These young talents are not just supporting players—they are engineers, operators and innovators leading the charge into uncharted territory: Zhu Junjie, born in 1995, serves as the lead payload engineer for the Mengtian lab module and Ma Wenjie, born in 1993, is the chief assembly design engineer for the core stage engine of the Long March-5 rocket.

Beyond aerospace, the energy of youth is also transforming China's digital landscape. The nation has built the world's largest 5G network, and at the heart of this technological leap is a Huawei R&D team whose core members are, on average, under 30 years old. Their work is powering the vision of a fully connected world and placing China at the forefront of global telecom innovation.

Over the years, Chinese President Xi Jinping has underscored the need to build the country into a major world center for science and innovation, encouraging the country's youth to join the endeavor.

Wang Xingxing, the robotics aficionado who founded China's industry-leading Unitree Robotics, made headlines in February when the 35-year-old was seated in the front row at a symposium on private enterprises.

During the symposium, President Xi encouraged Wang by saying, "You are the youngest here. The country's innovation needs the contribution of the young generation." This message also reflects a broader national strategy.

The Chinese president has repeatedly called for creating a massive team of young scientific and technological talents and supporting young talents taking up responsibilities and playing a leading role.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the nation has rapidly expanded its pool of young scientific talent. Youth now play a critical role in driving forward major national science and technology initiatives.

According to data from the Ministry of Science and Technology, China's total number of R&D personnel ranks first in the world, young scientific and technological talents have become the main force of scientific research, with 80 percent of the National Natural Science Foundation projects being undertaken by young personnel under the age of 45. In the national natural science award, individuals under the age of 45 represented over half of the awardees.

The average age of the core members of the research groups on the Beidou Navigation Satellite System is 36; the corresponding figures are 35 for Mozi, the world's first quantum science satellite, and 30 for Tianyuan, China's first satellite refueling system.

Thus, every year more than 3 million science and technology and engineering students graduate from Chinese universities, which continuously replenish the country's ranks of engineers.

"Youth is the future of the motherland, the hope of the nation and the future of innovation," Xi has said at the opening of the 19th Meeting of the Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the 14th Meeting of the Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).