Jiang Cheng: Accelerate High-Level Science and Technological Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening with Systems Thinking
Chinese-path modernization must be supported by the modernization of science and technology. Centering on economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period [1], the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party emphasized the need to "accelerate high-level professional self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, and lead the development of new quality productive forces." Currently, as the world's great changes unseen in a century [2] accelerate their evolution, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is unfolding in depth. Accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is a complex systems engineering project involving multiple subjects, links, and levels. We must adhere to systems thinking to coordinate the overall situation of scientific and technological innovation; strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and holistic advancement; grasp the general trend, face problems head-on, and apply precision force. We must continuously enhance the overall efficacy of the national innovation system and forge a Chinese path from being a large country in science and technology to becoming a global power in science and technology.
Promoting Systemic Integration of the Innovation System
Adhere to holistic planning to build an efficient and collaborative national innovation system. Systems thinking emphasizes holism; it involves coordinating various elements and links from a strategic height to achieve the optimization of system functions. Scientific and technological innovation is a complex ecosystem composed of diverse interconnected and interacting subjects, including the government, enterprises, universities, research institutes, and financial institutions. The overall efficacy of the system depends not only on the strength of individual subjects but even more on the network structure and collaborative efficiency between them. Currently, the scale of China's scientific and technological resources is massive, and a relatively complete system of research facilities has been established. However, problems such as poor connection in the innovation chain, fragmented resources, and redundant construction persist, constraining the realization of overall efficacy. We must break down organizational barriers and disciplinary boundaries, promote the deep integration of the "four chains"—the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain—and build a unified, efficient, open, collaborative, and benignly interactive national innovation system. We should optimize the layout of national strategic scientific and technological forces, clarify the functional positioning of national laboratories, high-level research universities, and leading technology enterprises, and form a systematic pattern of hierarchical connection and complementary advantages. This will promote deep integration and benign interaction between various innovation subsystems, achieving the systemic gain effect where "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Reinforce dynamic evolution to achieve "energy-level transitions" in innovation capability. Systems develop dynamically, and competition in science and technology is essentially a competition of dynamic capabilities. Sustained competitive advantage stems from the ability to integrate internal and external resources to adapt to rapidly changing environments. China has achieved "parallel running" or even "leading" status in some frontier fields [3], but certain shortcomings remain in basic research and original innovation capabilities. To this end, we must strengthen the source supply of basic research, improve mechanisms for long-term stable support, smooth the channels for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and establish a sound evaluation system centered on actual contribution and innovation value. Through the continuous interaction and reconstruction of various elements within the system, we can stimulate the "emergence effect" of the innovation system, generate new systemic characteristics and functions, and achieve "energy-level transitions" in innovation capability.
Construct an open architecture to form an innovation pattern with a solid core and an open outer circle. Systems are open, constantly exchanging matter, energy, and information with the external environment. In the era of economic globalization, conducting innovation behind closed doors is neither realistic nor feasible. We must correctly handle the dialectical relationship between independent innovation and open cooperation, building a collaborative innovation pattern with a "solid core and open outer circle." For general competitive technologies and common industrial technologies, we should adhere to open innovation, actively integrate into the global innovation network, and utilize international knowledge spillovers to improve innovation efficiency. By reasonably opening and sharing large-scale scientific facilities and building joint laboratories, we can attract global top talent and resources and enhance China's discourse power [4] in international scientific and technological governance. In fields involving key core technologies related to national security and the overall development situation, we must persist in taking the lead and innovating independently, leveraging the advantages of the new-type whole-nation system [5] to concentrate forces for systematic breakthroughs.
Promoting the Organic Integration of the Innovation Ecosystem
Promote the transformation of governance models toward "agile governance." Current technological development is characterized by high uncertainty and rapid iteration, which traditional, linear, and plan-oriented research management models find difficult to accommodate. This requires us to promote the transformation of research organization models and technological governance methods toward "agile governance." Agile governance emphasizes adaptability, responsiveness, and participation. It requires establishing research organization methods that can respond quickly to technological changes and market demands; promoting a shift in research evaluation from a single "paper-oriented" approach to a multi-dimensional "value-oriented" one that places greater emphasis on actual contributions; and innovating resource allocation methods to guide social capital toward basic research and frontier fields. We must establish and improve mechanisms for allowing, correcting, and learning from trial and error in innovation, "backing and encouraging" those who dare to explore, and building a modern technological governance system capable of stimulating internal vitality and effectively dealing with uncertainty.
Achieve "coordinated operations" among innovation subjects. Strengthen the principal position of enterprises in technological innovation, promote the aggregation of innovation elements toward enterprises, and support leading enterprises in spearheading the formation of innovation consortia to undertake major national technological tasks. Deepen the reform of universities and research institutes, grant greater autonomy to research institutions and personnel, and establish a scientific and technological talent evaluation system guided by innovation value, capability, and contribution. Break down institutional and mechanistic obstacles that restrict the free flow of innovation elements such as knowledge, technology, and talent. Promote the deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, forming a benignly interactive innovation ecosystem of "government, industry, academia, research, finance, service, and application." Fully leverage the organizational platform advantages and leading effects of major technology enterprises, and encourage private enterprises to play an important role in breakthroughs in major technological fields, forming a coordinated mechanism for national technological forces with clear priorities and functional links.
Promote the "systemic integration" of innovation policies. Since the dawn of the New Era, China's scientific and technological innovation policies have focused on the allocation of elements such as talent, funds, and projects, undergoing a series of adjustments and achieving phased results. As reform enters "deep water" [6], deep-seated contradictions restricting innovation have become increasingly apparent. Facing the requirements of the new stage, the development of innovation during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period needs to shift from a primary drive relying on "single-point breakthroughs" to an advanced empowerment relying on "policy integration" innovation. We must use systems thinking to optimize the policy system, building a governance system with aligned goals, coordinated measures, and multiplied efficacy. We must actively plan "integrated upgrade plans" for policy supply, using the holism of top-level design to resolve the fragmentation caused by ministerial maneuvering, and using the systematic nature of coordinated efficiency to eliminate the losses incurred through hierarchical transmission, effectively activating the institutional efficacy of innovative development.
Achieving Continuous Enhancement of Innovation Efficacy
Strengthen basic research to solidify the foundation of scientific and technological self-reliance. Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the "master switch" for all technical problems. To achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, we must strengthen the source supply of basic research, improve long-term stable support mechanisms, and guide social capital into basic research and frontier fields. We should aim at the global frontiers of science and technology, increase support for basic disciplines such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and arrange a series of basic discipline research centers. We should encourage basic research oriented toward major national strategic needs and the needs of industrial innovation, opening up the innovation chain from basic research to technical development and then to industrial application. Through sustained and stable investment and scientifically effective evaluation mechanisms, we can stimulate the innovative vitality of researchers and produce a batch of original results with global influence.
Break through key core technologies to seize the initiative in innovative development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized many times that "key core technologies cannot be begged for, bought, or pleaded for." We must leverage the advantages of the new-type whole-nation system, aligning with major national strategic needs to deploy a batch of forward-looking and strategic major technological projects and programs. We must achieve key breakthroughs in frontier directions such as artificial intelligence, quantum information, life and health, and energy materials, and open up new tracks for future industries such as humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and quantum technology. We should establish a dynamic list system for key core technologies and organize superior forces for systematic breakthroughs. We must improve the "rank-and-file competition" [7] system for tackling key core technologies, regardless of seniority or status, allowing capable innovation subjects to stand out. Through breakthroughs in key core technologies, we will drive the optimization and upgrading of industrial and supply chains, promoting the deep integration of scientific innovation with industrial innovation, and enhancing the nation's capacity to guarantee industrial security.
Cultivate an innovation culture to stimulate the creative vitality of the whole society. Vigorously promote the spirit of scientists and craftsmen, and strengthen the construction of research integrity and technological ethics. Improve the intellectual property protection system and the incentive mechanism for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Strengthen the popularization of science and technology to improve the scientific literacy of all people. Promote the formation of a thick atmosphere throughout society that respects knowledge, advocates innovation, respects talent, loves science, and is dedicated to science, providing lasting cultural environment support for the operation of the innovation system.