From doctors to engineers, Chinese researchers are pledging to build the country into a leader in science and technology, after Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Wednesday 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.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the statement at a meeting in Beijing that brought together the national science and technology award conference, the general assemblies 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.
He said the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) is a critical phase for tackling tough challenges in building up the country's strength in science and technology.
"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," he said.
At the meeting, Xi presented China's top sci-tech award for the year 2025 to two scientists.
Xi and other Party and state leaders, together with the two top-award winners, presented other awards, including the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, and the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
After the meeting, award recipients said they were inspired by Xi's speech, and will continue to dedicate themselves to advancing development in their professions.
"Over the past 10 years, we have grown from learning from international experience and benchmarking against international standards to leading clinical research, developing original diagnostic and treatment technologies, formulating international clinical guidelines, and promoting Chinese medical solutions globally. This is a testament to our innovative strength," said Wang Jianliu, vice-dean of Peking University People's Hospital, and one of the recipients of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
"We have always adhered to the principle of enterprise-led development, coordinating collaborative efforts across the entire industrial chain. Through innovative collaboration mechanisms between industries, universities, research institutes, and end-users, the enterprise-led and demand-driven deep integration has enabled a number of core manufacturing units in the industrial chain to achieve independent design, manufacturing, and operation and maintenance capabilities. We will keep in mind the general secretary's instructions, ensuring the proper operation and maintenance of crucial national projects, to make significant contributions to promoting high-quality development and securing strong progress toward a green transition in all areas," said Wang Zhilin, chief expert on the science and technology committee for major hydropower projects at China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), and one of the recipients of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
"We are fortunate to live in a period when this country places great emphasis on scientific and technological development. What impressed me most was the general secretary's emphasis on the development of young scientific and technological talents, who are a crucial reserve force for future development. With the support of the research environment, including ecological construction and the strength of the country's emphasis on scientific research, we are very confident that future generations will have even more outstanding talents willing to engage in scientific research," said Jiang Peng, chief engineer of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), and one of the recipients of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Chinese researchers pledge greater contributions to China's sci-tech advances
