Build sci-tech powerhouse, says Xi

President calls on workers in sector to strive for greater levels of self-reliance

President Xi Jinping on Friday called for the accelerated transformation of China into a scientific and technological powerhouse, and for it to achieve higher levels of self-reliance and strength in science and technology to provide strategic support for national development.

Meanwhile, the country will enhance international cooperation in areas such as climate change and human health, and proactively integrate into the global innovation net-work to contribute more in building a community with a shared future for mankind, said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi made the remarks when addressing the 20th general assembly of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the 15th general assembly of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 10th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology. The three meetings started in Beijing on Friday morning.

In recent years, China's science and technology capabilities have witnessed a qualitative leap, characterized by many historic achievements and breakthroughs in innovations, basic research, strategic high-tech fields, and high-end manufacturing, Xi said.

"Reality has proven that our indigenous innovation undertakings have a bright future, and our science workers are high achievers capable of accomplishing great deeds," he said.

Xi said State laboratories, national research institutions, high-quality research universities and leading science and technology enterprises are all key components of the nation's strategic science and technology capability.

He called for China's scientific community to tackle the world's scientific and technological frontiers, create innovations that can serve the economy and major national needs, and promote the health and well-being of the people.

Xi also urged them to create more strategic and critical scientific and technological achievements, and focus on solving major science and technology issues that are limiting the nation's overall development and long-term interests.

Research universities should become a main driving force behind basic research and major scientific and technological breakthroughs, while leading enterprises should help modernize the nation's basic industrial capabilities and industrial chains, he said.