President Xi Jinping presented China's top science awards to explosives expert Wang Zeshan and virologist Hou Yunde on Monday.
The president has addressed the importance of science and technology on different occasions over the years.
Here we highlight some of Xi's remarks that revealed his vision for the country's scientific innovation.
China should ramp up investment and channel more energy into research and development to spur development of the equipment manufacturing sector. Many core technologies cannot be bought.
--Remarks during an inspection tour to Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group in Jiangsu province Dec 12, 2017.
We should target cutting-edge technology and mobilize prime resources to make breakthroughs in developing core big data technology, and accelerate building an independent and controllable industrial chain, value chain and ecosystem of big data.
--Address at a collective study session of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Bureau on Dec 8, 2017
Innovation is the most powerful lever for development. As new technologies emerge and the new industrial revolution gains momentum, we face a rare historic opportunity for innovation-driven development.
--Speech at Session I of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam on Nov 11, 2017
We will launch the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovative Cooperation Action Plan, which consists of the Science and Technology People-to-People Exchange Initiative, the Joint Laboratory Initiative, the Science Park Cooperation Initiative and the Technology Transfer Initiative.
--Opening speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14, 2017
China should establish itself as one of the most innovative countries by 2020 and a leading innovator by 2030.

--Address at a national conference on science and technology May 30, 2016
Online services should play a bigger role in reducing poverty by promoting agricultural goods produced by impoverished people and by making high-quality education accessible to more children in remote, mountainous regions via the Internet.
--Presiding over a symposium on cyberspace security and informatization on April 19, 2016
Business should be encouraged to use the Internet to transform their model of development and make innovations in technology, service and business models.
--Remarks made during a visit to the Light of the Internet expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, Dec 26, 2015
We should follow the strategy of innovation as an impetus for development. Independent innovation should be the essence of this strategy, and the most urgent thing to do is to eliminate the systemic and mechanism obstacles so as to free up the huge potential of science and technology as the primary force of productivity.
--Address at the biennial conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering on June 9, 2014
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