Xi Jinping hails improving public science literacy

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Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of improving public science literacy in building a community with a shared future for mankind in a congratulatory letter to the 2018 World Conference on Science Literacy (WCSL), which kicked off in Beijing on Monday.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, read the letter at the opening ceremony of the conference.

Science and technology (S&T) is the primary productive force, and innovation is a crucial driving force behind development, President Xi said.

Strengthening the coordinated innovation of the S&T industry and all sectors of the society while advancing openness and cooperation between countries is a significant way to enhance the role of S&T development in the progress of human society, he said.

Xi stressed that China had been active in exchanging ideas with other countries on promoting science and enhancing science literacy.

He said he hoped participants in the three-day conference would exchange opinions, learn from each other, contribute to improving science literacy, help share scientific achievements and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

President Xi has always attached great importance to S&T innovation, emphasizing that science popularization is as vital as innovation.

The new challenges brought by the development of S&T need to be answered by humanity as a whole, and S&T innovation must be based on the consistent enhancement of people's science literacy and abilities, he noted.

The Chinese president also called to advocate scientific spirit, popularize scientific knowledge, promote scientific approaches and disseminate scientific concepts.

He noted that China has adopted the Law of the People's Republic of China on Popularization of Science and Technology to provide convenient science services for the Chinese people.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also sent a congratulatory letter to the conference.

Themed on "Science Literacy for a Shared and Better Future," the 2018 WCSL is the first international conference dedicated to promoting public science literacy.

The conference is attended by more than 1,000 representatives from a variety of international organizations, governmental agencies, science communication organizations or institutions, universities and research institutions, as well as a host of celebrities from science, education and business communities.

(Cover: Screenshot of 2018 WCSL official website)

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)