Xi stresses role of education in supporting sci-tech, talent development

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday stressed strengthening the role of education in supporting scientific and technological advancement as well as talent development.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for a deep understanding of the needs of Chinese modernization for education, science and technology, and talent.

The goal is to cultivate a steady stream of talent, unlock their full potential, and ensure their abilities are fully utilized, Xi said while attending a joint group meeting during the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body.

The meeting was attended by national political advisors from the China Democratic League, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and the education sector.

Xi at first extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life ahead of the International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. At the joint group meeting, Xi listened to comments and suggestions such as pushing for coordinated development of vocational education and regional industries, optimizing the allocation of basic educational resources, building a national educational intelligence network, and promoting traditional Chinese culture based on school curriculum.

Xi recognized the achievements of the CPPCC in the past year in its political consultation and policy-making suggestions.

Xi stressed that to strengthen China's education, science and technology, and workforce, it is essential to follow the guidelines for running schools and nurture a new generation of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and professional skills.

To build a high-quality education system, it is essential to deepen comprehensive education reform by establishing a scientific educational evaluation system, improving the school management system, and meeting the needs of modernization, Xi said.

Xi said to achieve a positive interaction between independent innovation in science and technology and the independent training of talent, education should further play a leading and basic supporting role.

Efforts should be made to improve the application of scientific and technological achievements, Xi said.

It is necessary to improve the adaptation mechanism between talent training and economic and social development, he said.

Xi also called for efforts to implement the national educational digitization strategy.

Noting that building a country strong in education, science and technology, and talent resources is the shared responsibility of the entire Party and society, Xi said the CPPCC should give full play to its role as a special consultative body to broadly rally the people's support, consensus, wisdom, and strength, and promote high-quality development of education, science and technology, and human resources.

Xi stresses role of education in supporting sci-tech, talent development

Xi stresses role of education in supporting sci-tech, talent development

Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf on Saturday condemned the United States and Israel for attacking Iranian academic institutions and research facilities, saying that more than 30 universities across the country have been directly targeted since the war started in late February.

The official made the condemnation when speaking to reporters at the site of the damaged Shahid Beheshti University in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Simaei-Sarraf said five university professors and more than 60 students had been killed in the strikes so far, describing attacks on Iranian infrastructure as "crimes against humanity."

Those killed include Saeed Shamghadri, an associate professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology. "Since the war started, five university professors, including Professor Shamghadri, and more than 60 university students have been killed. As I mentioned before, more than 30 universities in Iran have been attacked. It is unbelievable that in an era when democratic values, rights, international law, and human rights are being promoted, the most obvious of these rights are being trampled, violated, and attacked," said Simaei-Sarraf.

An U.S.-Israeli air raid hit the laser and plasma research center of the Shahid Beheshti University on Friday, destroying the interior of the entire building and shattering all the windows. The force of the strike also shattered almost all the windows on another building about 100 meters away from the explosion site.

A researcher at the university said it is incomprehensible that such a facility could become a target of attacks.

"You can see that there's neither any military personnel or military activity here. This is a place where only research was being conducted. Why did it become a target of attacks? What was the motive for this crime?" Azimi, the researcher, said in an interview with China Media Group.

Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran started, the Iranian government has repeatedly denounced the two countries for targeting the country's academic institutions and research facilities, calling such attacks serious war crimes.

Iranian official condemns U.S.-Israeli strikes on universities