Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for accelerated efforts to achieve high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and leverage sci-tech innovation to underpin and drive Chinese modernization.

Speaking at a meeting that brought together the national science and technology award conference, the general assemblies of the 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, Xi outlined priorities for building China into a science and technology powerhouse.

What priorities did Xi's latest remarks highlight? In interviews with CGTN, two Chinese scholars said the speech points to two key areas: strengthening the talent pipeline to accelerate innovation and advancing high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

Building the talent pipeline for innovation

In his speech, Xi highlighted the importance of cultivating young sci-tech talent, saying research should be integrated with education, and that greater support should be provided to researchers to help them overcome practical challenges.

Efforts should be made to identify and nurture young people's interests, strengths, scientific literacy and experimental skills, inspiring more young talents to pursue careers in science and technology, he added.

For Liu Shaoxuan, vice dean of the Antai College of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, talent is the critical link connecting scientific research with industrial application.

"Talent is the fundamental support for overcoming bottlenecks in the transformation of scientific achievements," Liu said.

He noted that China needs professionals who not only understand science and technology but also possess expertise in industry, finance, law and management to facilitate the commercialization of research.

Liu cited Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Master of Technology Transfer (MTT) program, the first degree program of its kind in China, as an example of cultivating interdisciplinary professionals. By integrating education with real-world industrial practice and involving experienced experts as mentors, the program aims to prepare professionals capable of supporting the entire process of transforming scientific research into industrial innovation.

According to Liu, such efforts respond directly to Xi's call for deeper collaboration between education and scientific research and will help provide sustained talent support for China's innovation-driven development.

High-level self-reliance 

"We must seize the historic opportunity, rise to the challenges of the times, accelerate efforts to achieve high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and make steady progress toward the 2035 goal of becoming a leading country in science and technology," Xi said in his speech.

Cui Yong, professor with the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Tsinghua University, said Xi's remarks underscore that high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology are compatible with greater international cooperation.

"Self-reliance does not mean closing the door to innovation," Cui pointed out.

He said China should continue strengthening research in key core technologies while actively participating in international cooperation in frontier fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, as well as contributing to discussions on global technology governance.

Maintaining a balance between security and openness, he added, will enable China to enhance its scientific capabilities while contributing more actively to global innovation through cooperation and mutual learning.

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