Wan Jinbo: Consolidating the Scientific Foundation for the Construction of a Leading Power in Science and Technology [1]
On January 13, the National Science and Technology Work Conference was held in Beijing. The conference emphasized "strengthening organized basic research." Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the "command center" [1] for all technical problems. Currently, the AI-driven paradigm of scientific research is evolving deeply; the cross-pollination and integration of disciplinary frontiers are continuously advancing; and science and technology are integrating profoundly with economic and social development. International competition in science and technology is focusing on commanding heights and foundational frontiers, while the cycle for transforming scientific discoveries and technological inventions into actual productive forces and new quality productive forces has significantly shortened. To respond to international competition and achieve high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, we urgently need to comprehensively strengthen organized basic research and technical sciences. We must accelerate the creation of "cradles" [2] for original innovation, strive to propose original basic theories, master underlying technical principles, and continuously produce major original and disruptive scientific and technological achievements.
Basic research sits at the starting end of the research chain—from research to application and then to production. It is the cornerstone and source of scientific and technological innovation, providing the underlying depth and sustained momentum for innovative development.
In recent years, China has continuously increased investment in basic research. Funding has grown from 49.88 billion yuan in 2012 to 249.7 billion yuan in 2024. Its share of total R&D expenditure rose from 4.8% in 2012 to 6.91% in 2024, exceeding 6% for six consecutive years. Simultaneously, there has been a continuous reinforcement of the development of national strategic scientific and technological forces and national strategic talent pools. There has been a marked strengthening of "organized basic research" that is forward-looking, strategic, and leading. National laboratories have been established and put into operation, and the reorganization of national key laboratories has been completed, forming a system of national laboratories with Chinese characteristics. National research institutes and high-level research-oriented universities are placing greater emphasis on long-cycle, high-risk, and high-value basic research and disciplinary construction. Leading science and technology enterprises are focusing more on market-oriented applied basic research. Furthermore, a series of major scientific tasks have been deployed, world-class major scientific and technological infrastructure has been constructed and operated, and China has taken the lead in or participated in international big science plans. By deepening international cooperation, the overall strength and academic level of basic research have been significantly enhanced. The overall status of disciplines such as chemistry, materials science, physics, and engineering has risen markedly. A series of original and leading major achievements with international influence continue to emerge in frontier fields like quantum technology, life sciences, matter sciences, and space sciences.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s "Global Innovation Index 2024" report, China's ranking rose from 34th in 2012 to 11th in 2024, making it the only middle-income economy in the top 30. According to the "2024 Research Fronts" report, based on the number and citation frequency of core and citing papers across 11 disciplinary fields, the United States continues to hold the top overall spot, ranking first in over half of the research fronts. China remains firmly in second place, ranking first in over 30% of research fronts. In the 2024 Nature Index, which measures basic research levels, seven of the top ten global universities and research institutions are from China. Among them, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has ranked first globally among universities and research institutions for 12 consecutive years, highlighting the advantages of its systemic and institutionalized (jianzhina) [3] structure.
Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, and competition for global commanding heights and foundational frontiers is becoming more intense. Looking to the future, we must persist in strengthening basic research, further optimize the positioning and layout of national strategic scientific and technological forces, and advance—in an organized manner—strategy-oriented systemic basic research, frontier-oriented exploratory basic research, and market-oriented applied basic research. We must strive to seize the commanding heights of technological competition and future development, solidly promote the deep integration of science, technology, engineering, and industry, and provide the "source supply" for the development of new quality productive forces.
Strengthening organized basic research and technical sciences requires accelerating the construction of a world scientific center and innovation highland.
Strong international influence and leadership in basic research are hallmark signs of a leading power in science and technology. They profoundly affect the shift of world scientific, talent, and education centers, as well as the adjustment of the international competitive landscape. China possesses the world’s largest contingent of scientific and technical talent and a comprehensive technological innovation system. Our technological innovation is shifting from "following and learning" to "original leadership," moving from "quantitative accumulation" to a "qualitative leap," and escalating from "individual breakthroughs" to "systemic capacity enhancement." This provides the foundation for producing world-class scientific masters, top-tier and excellent scientific talents, and scientific elites, as well as leading, landmark scientific discoveries, ideas, and original theories. Addressing issues such as relatively weak original innovation capacity, the fact that some key core technologies are still "strangled" by others [4], and the shortage of top-tier talent, China needs to continue deepening the reform of the education, technology, talent, and economic systems. We must strive to create a world-class research environment and innovation ecosystem to fully stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of researchers and innovators.
In 2024, Beijing, Shanghai, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Nanjing ranked among the top 10 global science and technology innovation clusters, laying a solid foundation for China to build scientific, talent, and innovation highlands. According to the seventh edition of the "World’s Top 2% Scientists 2024" list released by Stanford University and Elsevier, 10,687 scientists from mainland China were selected, accounting for 4.92% of the total. We have the foundation, the confidence, and the ability to seize the opportunities of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, build a "Chinese School" [5] that leads global scientific development, and continuously produce major original and disruptive achievements that significantly impact scientific progress and human civilization.
Only ten years remain until the goal of building a world leader in science and technology is to be achieved. We should leverage the value-driven and strategic-steering roles of systems and policies, and strengthen the coordination of major tasks, research forces, platforms, resource allocation, policy measures, and international cooperation. In organizing and implementing major scientific projects, we must highlight forward-looking and strategic needs that lead the future, while also accounting for realistic and urgent needs that support high-quality development in the present. We must build national laboratories, national research institutes, high-level research universities, and leading enterprises with clear positioning, complementary advantages, and open synergy, forming a systemic layout. Focusing on national strategic needs and world scientific frontiers, we must accelerate the construction of high-level basic research bases and high-energy innovation platforms. We need to improve investment mechanisms that combine competitive support with stable support, steadily increase diversified investment in basic research, and strengthen collaborative problem-solving for major scientific questions. We must establish basic research systems and mechanisms compatible with the construction of a leading science and technology power, deepen and expand international cooperation in basic research, and participate deeply in global technology governance.
We should strengthen research in foundational frontier exploration and modern engineering and technical sciences characterized by multi-disciplinary integration, forming a complete modern scientific and technological system. We must promote enterprise-led collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and research, working together to define scientific problems based on industrial needs, conduct joint research, and collaboratively train talent. We must build a system, market, and cultural environment friendly to innovation, making respect for knowledge, advocacy for innovation, openness, inclusivity, and the protection of intellectual property rights the common philosophy and value orientation of the whole society. We must shape an innovation culture and ecosystem conducive to basic research. With the persistent effort of "sharpening a single sword for ten years" [6], we will enhance our capacity to train, introduce, and aggregate high-level scientific talent, continuously expanding our national strategic scientific forces and talent pools, and turning the strategic goal of becoming a world power in science and technology into reality.
(Author: Wan Jinbo, Researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Source: Guangming Daily (February 27, 2025, Page 16) Web Editor: Huihui