Wang Zhang and Yang Xun: A Five-Dimensional Interpretation of Xi Jinping's Important Expositions on Achieving High-Level Self-Reliance and Strength in Science and Technology
Since the 18th Party Congress, Xi Jinping has balanced the two overall situations of domestic and international affairs. Standing at the strategic height of global scientific and technological development trends and the construction of a scientific and technological powerhouse, and proceeding from the need to enhance the independence, autonomy, and security of our country’s development, he has repeatedly emphasized "accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening." Furthermore, he has delivered a series of important discourses on the directional, fundamental, and overall issues regarding the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. These discourses scientifically answer major theoretical and practical questions such as why and how we must achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, thereby enriching and developing Marxist thought on science and technology. They provide theoretical guidance and an action manual for accelerating the construction of a scientific and technological powerhouse and realizing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. This article intends to discuss the understanding of Xi Jinping’s important discourses on realizing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening from five dimensions: significant importance, strategic planning, principal forces, key tasks, and strong safeguards.
I. The Significant Importance of Realizing High-Level Scientific and Technological Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening
Xi Jinping has pointed out from a commanding height [1] that "when science and technology stand tall, the nation stands tall; when science and technology are strong, the country is strong," and that "scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening are the foundation of national prosperity and the key to national security." He further noted that "scientific and technological undertakings have always held an extremely important strategic position and played an extremely important strategic role in the cause of the Party and the people." These discourses profoundly clarify the significant importance of realizing scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. Currently, our country has entered the new journey of achieving the Second Centenary Goal [2] and is situated at a historic intersection where a new round of global scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation meets our country’s shift in development methods. Facing the extreme risks and challenges of the great changes unseen in a century [3]—including global structural conflicts and turbulence, the escalation of major power competition, tightening resource constraints, the rise of anti-globalization trends, increasing protectionism, and the constraints of "bottleneck" [4] problems—the importance of accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening has become increasingly prominent.
(1) An Inevitable Choice to Meet the Challenges of the New Scientific and Technological Revolution and Industrial Transformation
Science and technology are the primary productive forces and the primary source of competitiveness. Since ancient times, science and technology have driven the development of human society forward with an irreversible and irresistible force. The four industrial revolutions since the British Industrial Revolution in the 1760s were all driven by scientific and technological revolutions. Each caused profound changes in global production and lifestyles and the global balance of power, while pushing the level of social productive forces to continuous leaps. Since entering the 21st century, global scientific and technological innovation has entered a period of unprecedented intensity and activity. With the in-depth development of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the scope of scientific and technological innovation is broader, the degree deeper, the speed faster, the precision higher, and the difficulty greater. New industries, technologies, formats, and models are constantly emerging; the digitalization, networking, and intellectualization of manufacturing are accelerating; and the contribution of science and technology to improving social productive forces has become more prominent. Modern science and technology are profoundly affecting and changing the face of the world and human life with unprecedented momentum. The capacity for independent innovation has become the core competitiveness of a nation. Competition in science and technology, especially in revolutionary and disruptive technological fields, has increasingly become the high ground of global competition and the main battlefield of international strategic maneuvering. Xi Jinping keenly pointed out: "A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is reconstructing the global innovation map and reshaping the global economic structure." He further noted, "Looking to the future, it can be said that the new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation will be one of the most difficult to control yet must-be-faced uncertainties. If we seize it, it is an opportunity; if we fail to seize it, it is a challenge." Therefore, in the face of fierce international competition, "only the innovators advance, only the innovators grow strong, and only the innovators prevail" [5]. We must increase our awareness of potential dangers, keenly grasp the development trends of global scientific and technological innovation, actively adapt to and lead the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, vigorously promote independent innovation, and rely on high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening to seize the initiative in future economic and technological development.
(2) The Key to Chinese-path Modernization
Xi Jinping clearly pointed out: "Whether we can build a great modern socialist country in all respects on schedule depends crucially on scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening," and "realizing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is the key to Chinese-path modernization." From the time our Party proposed the "Four Modernizations" [6] during the period of socialist revolution and construction to the current proposal of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country, the modernization of science and technology has always been an important component of our country’s realization of modernization. Xi Jinping emphasized that "the key to Chinese-path modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology." At present, the great changes unseen in a century are accelerating their evolution; the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change; and the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustments. The internal and external environments facing our country are undergoing complex changes. Scientific and technological innovation, especially independent innovation, has increasingly become a powerful engine for modernization. Our country’s economic and social development and the improvement of people’s livelihoods need scientific and technological solutions and the strengthening of innovation—the primary driving force—more than at any time in the past. It can be said that without strong scientific and technological strength and innovation capacity, the struggle for the goals of Chinese-path modernization will be difficult to achieve smoothly, and it will be difficult for us to transition from a large country to a powerful country. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly recognized the status and role of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening in the national development strategy. It has clearly proposed upholding the core position of innovation in the overall situation of our country’s modernization and taking scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening as the strategic support for national development. Therefore, we must place the enhancement of scientific and technological innovation—especially the capacity for independent innovation—in a more prominent position, using high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening to boost Chinese-path modernization and using the significant improvement of scientific and technological strength to drive a substantial leap in economic strength, national defense strength, and comprehensive national power.
(3) The Inevitable Path to Promoting High-Quality Development
Xi Jinping pointed out: "Accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is the inevitable path to promoting high-quality development." After more than 40 years of high-speed economic growth since the Reform and Opening-up, our country’s economy has transitioned from high-speed growth to high-quality development, and from quantitative expansion to qualitative improvement. As our country enters a new stage of development, the factor conditions supporting development have undergone profound changes. Driving high-quality development through scientific and technological innovation and promoting common prosperity within high-quality development are fundamental measures to resolve deep-seated contradictions and problems in economic development and to enhance the endogenous power and vitality of economic development. Whether it is developing new quality productive forces, building a modern economic system, and promoting changes in the quality, efficiency, and momentum of economic development, or smoothing domestic and international dual circulation and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, all require strong scientific and technological support. Currently, our country’s capacity for scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening has been significantly improved, and a series of major original breakthroughs have been achieved in basic research, frontier technology fields, strategic technologies, and cutting-edge technologies. However, as Xi Jinping stated: "There are still many chokepoints and bottlenecks in promoting high-quality development, and the capacity for scientific and technological innovation is not yet strong." It must be recognized that compared with the goal of building a world scientific and technological powerhouse, our country’s development still faces major scientific and technological bottlenecks; the scientific and technological foundation remains weak; there is still a large gap in scientific and technological innovation capacity, especially original capacity; and high-quality development still lacks high-level innovation drivers. Therefore, to promote high-quality development, we must rely on high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening to open up new fields and tracks for development, shape new drivers and advantages for development, further strengthen original innovation, break through bottleneck constraints, and achieve intensive growth [7] driven by innovation.
(4) An Inevitable Requirement to Break Western Technological Blockades and Maintain National Security
Security in the technological field is an important component of national security. As early as 2013, Xi Jinping keenly recognized that "without an advantage in core technology, there is no political strength. Great effort must be spent on key areas and 'bottleneck' places." Since the 18th Party Congress, our country’s scientific and technological strength has been moving from quantitative accumulation toward a qualitative leap. The capacity for independent innovation and overall national innovation efficiency have significantly improved; some "bottleneck" key technological problems have been achieved breakthroughs; and some frontier fields have begun to enter the stages of running alongside or leading. However, the pattern wherein our country’s key core technologies are controlled by others has not fundamentally changed. Some key components, parts, and raw materials rely on imports, which has become an "Achilles’ heel" restricting our country’s industrial innovation and development and endangering the security of industrial and supply chains. Xi Jinping emphasized, "Scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening have become the foundational capacity determining our country’s survival and development, yet many 'bottleneck' problems exist," and "only by holding key core technologies in our own hands can we fundamentally guarantee national economic security, national defense security, and other securities." Currently, the international environment is complex and volatile. Various countries have taken science and technology as the main battlefield for international maneuvering and national strategic layouts. Some Western countries even regard our country as a strategic competitor and have launched a "tech war" against us, attempting to contain our country’s scientific and technological rise. To break the deepening technological blockade and strategic encirclement and suppression by some Western countries, grasp the independence and autonomy of scientific and technological innovation and national development, and maintain our country’s industrial, economic, and national security, we must realize high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. We must firmly grasp the lifeblood of key core technologies in our own hands and use high-level scientific and technological security to support and guarantee overall national security.
II. Strategic Planning for Realizing High-Level Scientific and Technological Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening
"Strategic issues are fundamental issues for a political party and a country." Advancing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is a strategic choice made by our country against the backdrop of global great changes, development, and adjustments. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has accurately felt the pulse of global scientific and technological development trends, deeply appraised the current state of our country's scientific and technological undertakings in the New Era, and conducted forward-looking thinking, strategic planning, and overall layout for the strategic goals, strategic orientation, and strategic support of achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening from the height of national strategy.
(1) Taking Entry into the Forefront of Innovative Countries and Building a World Scientific and Technological Powerhouse as Strategic Goals
To realize high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, there must be guidance from strategic goals. In May 2016, at the National Conference on Science and Technology Innovation, the Biennial Conference of the Academies (CAS and CAE), and the 9th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology, Xi Jinping clearly pointed out: "The goals for our country's scientific and technological development are: to enter the ranks of innovative countries by 2020, to enter the forefront of innovative countries by 2030, and to become a world scientific and technological powerhouse by the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China." This "three-step" strategic goal is the strategic planning carried out by the CPC Central Committee—proceeding from long-term, holistic, and overall perspectives and combined with our country's scientific and technological reality—for the development of our country's scientific and technological undertakings in stages and steps. In the ten years of the New Era, our country has accelerated the promotion of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. Total R&D expenditure ranks second in the world, and the total number of R&D personnel ranks first. Basic research and original innovation have been continuously strengthened, breakthroughs have been achieved in some key core technologies, and strategic emerging industries have grown in strength. Data released by the World Intellectual Property Organization shows that our country’s global ranking in innovation indicators leaped from 34th in 2012 to 11th in 2022, successfully entering the ranks of innovative countries. Today, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any period in history, and we need to build a world scientific and technological powerhouse more than at any period in history. The 20th Party Congress included "realizing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, entering the forefront of innovative countries" and "building a scientific and technological powerhouse" in the overall goals for our country's development by 2035. This further clarified the strategic goals for our country to realize high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening on the new journey, and further highlighted its important position in the overall development of the country. In January 2023, regarding the strategic deployment to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern and grasp the initiative for future development, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to accelerate the pace of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, "so that our country becomes a global leader in important scientific and technological fields, a pioneer in frontier cross-disciplinary fields, and strives to become a major world scientific center and innovation high ground as soon as possible." This requirement further refined the forward direction for our country's construction of a world scientific and technological powerhouse. On the new journey, we must firmly grasp the correct direction of realizing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and advance courageously toward the grand goal of building a world scientific and technological powerhouse with a sense of mission, responsibility, and urgency that "seizes the day and the hour" [8].
(2) Focusing on the "Four Orientations" and Developing New Quality Productive Forces as Strategic Guidance
In September 2020, at a symposium for scientists, Xi Jinping first proposed that our country's scientific and technological innovation must adhere to the "Four Orientations": namely, orienting toward the frontiers of global science and technology, orienting toward the main economic battlefield, orienting toward the major needs of the country, and orienting toward the life and health of the people. The "Four Orientations" integrate science and technology with the needs of the economy, the state, and the people, profoundly clarifying the major question of which direction effort should be focused to promote high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening in the New Era. First, orienting toward the frontiers of global science and technology involves focusing on the competition for the commanding heights of technology, strengthening research in basic science and frontier technologies, and striving for major original and disruptive achievements in leading research within frontier scientific fields. Second, orienting toward the main economic battlefield focuses on high-quality development, promoting the deep integration of scientific innovation with industrial innovation, accelerating the transformation of scientific achievements into actual productive forces, and advancing the upgrading of traditional industries, the expansion of emerging industries, and the cultivation of future industries. Third, orienting toward the major needs of the country involves striving for major breakthroughs in national security and strategic areas of necessary contention—particularly in collaborative assaults on key core technologies [9]—to solve major scientific problems and engineering technical difficulties in economic and social development. Fourth, orienting toward the life and health of the people focuses on the practical problems faced by the people in their pursuit of a high-quality life, strengthening the research, development, and application of science and technology for people's livelihoods, and ensuring that the fruits of innovation benefit the people, enrich the people, and bless tens of thousands of households.
Developing new quality productive forces is an inherent requirement and an important focal point for promoting high-quality development, and achieving high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening provides essential support for the cultivation and development of these new quality productive forces. In 2023, Xi Jinping proposed the concept of "new quality productive forces," which represents an innovative development of Marxist theory on productive forces. Scientific innovation has always been a key factor in enhancing social productive forces; new quality productive forces, moreover, take scientific innovation as their core engine. They are a new type of productive force catalyzed by key, forward-looking, and disruptive technological breakthroughs, characterized by innovation. Facing the surging wave of a new round of technological revolution, we must take the "Four Orientations" as our guide, lead industrial innovation through scientific innovation, and integrate scientific innovation resources. We must coordinate industry-university-research collaboration to carry out requirement-oriented basic research and R&D assaults on frontier, key, and disruptive technologies, thereby accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and strengthening new drivers for high-quality development.
(3) Taking the coordinated development of education, technology, and talent as strategic support
The technological competition in today's world is, in essence, a competition for talent, and behind the competition for talent lies the competition in education. To realize high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening and to seize the commanding heights of global technology and the first-mover advantage in economic development, the key lies in talent, and the foundation lies in education. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "strengthen education and talent cultivation to consolidate the foundation of tech self-reliance and self-strengthening." Looking at the inherent logical connection between education, technology, and talent, education is the main site for talent cultivation, talent is the main subject of scientific innovation—education cultivates talent, talent leads and drives scientific innovation, and the integration of science and education promotes educational transformation and innovation in talent cultivation. The three are mutually interactive, mutually reinforcing, and inseparable. The Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC for the first time made a "trinity" [10] coordinated deployment of education, technology, and talent. Xi Jinping emphasized that "promoting Chinese-path modernization cannot be separated from the strategic support of technology, education, and talent," and we must "persist in giving priority to the development of education, tech self-reliance and self-strengthening, and talent-led drivers," to "realize the effective linkage of the strategy for invigorating the country through science and education, the strategy on developing a quality workforce [11], and the innovation-driven development strategy." To this end, realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening requires adhering to the principle that technology is the primary productive force, talent is the primary resource, and innovation is the primary driver. We must insist on the integrated deployment of building a leading country in education, a leading country in technology, and a leading country in talent. We must coordinately advance the modernization of education, technology, and talent, using the collaborative development of these three to promote the deep integration of the education chain, the talent chain, the innovation chain, and the industrial chain, thereby creating a multiplier effect that propels high-quality development.
03 The Main Forces for Realizing High-Level Tech Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening
In the final analysis, realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening depends on high-level innovative talent, supporting the modernization of technology through the modernization of the subjects of scientific innovation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the vital role of talent in scientific innovation and has made long-term plans for cultivating and strengthening the main forces of high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening, emphasizing the need to "accelerate the building of national strategic talent forces," "strengthen national strategic technological forces," and "strengthen the position of enterprises as the main subjects of scientific innovation."
(1) Accelerating the construction of national strategic talent forces
Strategic talent stands at the global frontier of technology, leads independent scientific innovation, and undertakes national strategic technological tasks; they are the main army of national scientific innovation and the backbone force supporting our country's high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening. We must focus on building a world-class team of strategic talent. Strategic talent mainly includes "masters, strategic scientists, first-class technological leaders and innovation teams, young technological talent, outstanding engineers, master craftsmen of the nation [12], and high-skilled talent." Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "cultivate and utilize strategic scientists, support young technological talent in taking the lead and bearing heavy responsibilities, actively introduce outstanding overseas talent, and continuously expand the ranks of technological leaders and first-class innovation teams," making the construction of strategic talent forces a top priority. Among them, young technological talent is a fresh force in the national strategic talent forces and is the "most vibrant and creative group in society, who should rightfully stand at the forefront of innovation and creation." Xi Jinping specifically stressed: "The policy focus for cultivating national strategic talent forces must be placed on young technological talent" to "create a massive contingent of young technological talent." Therefore, we must do a good job in the independent cultivation, selection, and appointment of outstanding young technological talent, giving them more trust, better help, superior support, and a larger stage.
(2) Strengthening national strategic technological forces
The competition among global technological powers depends on the contest between strategic technological forces. To realize high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening, we must possess a strategic technological force capable of fighting hard battles, fighting big battles, and winning battles. Xi Jinping emphasized: "National laboratories, national research institutions, high-level research universities, and leading technological enterprises are all important components of the national strategic technological forces and must consciously fulfill their mission and responsibility of high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening." National laboratories have become an important vehicle for major developed countries to seize the commanding heights of scientific innovation. We must establish a group of national laboratories that play a leading role at the frontier in major innovation fields, closely following the general trend of global technological development and combining it with our country's technological development mission and tasks. They should produce more strategic and key major technological achievements. We must further improve the system and operating mechanisms of national laboratories with Chinese characteristics, led by national laboratories and supported by national key laboratories. National research institutions are the state's institutionalized, systematic, and comprehensive research forces; they must be oriented toward national strategic needs, focusing on solving major technological problems that affect and constrain the overall situation of national development and long-term interests, becoming the source of original innovation and the vanguard for breakthroughs in key core technologies. High-level research universities are the main army for basic research and talent cultivation; we must strengthen the alignment of research university construction with national strategic goals and tasks, leveraging their advantages in deep basic research and interdisciplinary integration to strengthen frontier exploration, key technology breakthroughs, and the independent cultivation of top-notch innovative talent. Leading technological enterprises should play the roles of "problem-setter," "problem-solver," and "grader," utilizing their advantages in market demand, integrated innovation, and organizational platforms to open up channels from strong technology to strong enterprises, strong industries, and a strong economy, focusing on improving basic industrial capabilities and the level of modernization of the industrial chain.
(3) Strengthening the position of enterprises as the main subjects of scientific innovation
Enterprises are the most vibrant subjects of innovation and market entities. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "strengthen the position of enterprises as the main subjects of scientific innovation, promote the deep integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain," and "promote enterprises to become the main subjects of technological innovation decision-making, R&D investment, scientific research organization, and the transformation of achievements." To this end, on one hand, we must focus on institutional construction, building an innovation system with enterprises as the mainstay and high-efficiency collaboration and deep integration of industry, university, and research, promoting the convergence of various innovation elements toward enterprises. On the other hand, we must protect and stimulate entrepreneurship, encouraging more market entities to devote themselves to scientific innovation, changing from "I am required to innovate" to "I want to innovate." We must improve fiscal, tax, and financial policies that promote enterprise innovation, increase support for technological innovation in enterprises—especially small and medium-sized enterprises—and guide enterprises to increase R&D investment and strengthen their R&D forces, allowing more enterprises to participate in basic research, assaults on key core technologies, and the industrial application of results, continuously enhancing the basic research capabilities and independent innovation capabilities of enterprises.
04 Major Tasks for Realizing High-Level Tech Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening
Strategic planning can only be transformed into actual action through the implementation of strategic tasks. Advancing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening is a complex systemic project concerning the overall national situation and long-term development, involving all areas of economy and society. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken a strategic overall perspective, adhering to comprehensive and systematic views while also grasping key points, using breakthroughs in important fields and key links to drive the whole situation. Particularly starting from strengthening the management of the entire chain of scientific innovation, it has proposed a series of key tasks for realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening.
(1) Strengthening basic research
Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Strengthening basic research is an urgent requirement for realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening, and it is the only way to build a world technological power." Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system, the precursor of industrial innovation, and the cornerstone for constructing the edifice of technology and building a technological power. Currently, global technological competition is moving toward the basic frontiers; world technological powers like the United States continue to strengthen their investment and strategic deployment in basic research, and the cycle of transforming basic research has shortened significantly. However, the problem of "both ends being outside" (题目与发表“两头在外”) [13]—referring to the selection of research topics and the publication of results—in our country's basic research has not yet been fundamentally resolved, and the systems and mechanisms for supporting basic research are not yet perfect. Therefore, realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening urgently requires us to strengthen basic research to solve original innovation and key core technology problems from the source and the bottom level.
Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "strengthen the forward-looking, strategic, and systematic layout of basic research" and "organize and promote systematic basic research oriented by strategy, exploratory basic research oriented by the frontier, and applied basic research oriented by the market." Therefore, to promote the high-quality development of basic research, we must persist in the strategic layout of "walking on two legs"—both free exploration and goal-orientation—closely combining interest-orientation with mission-orientation, free exploration with organized scientific research, and long-term goals with near-term needs. On one hand, we must encourage free exploration and strengthen original, leading basic research. Xi Jinping pointed out that "basic research must have the courage to explore and highlight originality." We must increase support for original, non-consensus, and transformative innovation research, encouraging and supporting scientists to carry out free exploration driven by interest and curiosity, daring to venture into the "no man's land" of science to achieve major breakthroughs in the original innovation of basic research. On the other hand, we must strengthen goal-orientation and organized scientific research to solve major scientific problems related to fundamental and overall interests. Xi Jinping proposed that "basic research even more needs the guidance of application and the breaking of bottlenecks." We must focus on major scientific problems in our country's economic development, national security, and strategic areas of necessary contention, striving for more original breakthroughs in key core technologies with first-mover advantage and frontier technology fields that lead future industries. This will resolve "chokepoint" (卡脖子) [14] constraints from the source, providing strong momentum for opening new fields, winning on new tracks, shaping new advantages, and promoting the development of new quality productive forces.
(2) Resolutely winning the battle for key core technologies
Xi Jinping pointed out that "core technology is a major tool of the state; the most critical and core technologies must be based on independent innovation, self-reliance, and self-strengthening." We must "be oriented by national strategic needs, gather forces to carry out original and leading technological assaults, and resolutely win the battle for key core technologies." Facing the continuous deepening of trade containment and technological blockades by a few Western countries, to ensure that key areas and critical links of the innovation chain, industrial chain, and supply chain are independently controllable, and to create a modern industrial system that is secure, reliable, and highly competitive, we must take key core technology assaults as the breakthrough point for realizing high-level tech self-reliance and self-strengthening. We must mobilize national strategic technological forces, carry out organized scientific research and collaborative industry-university-research assaults, fight the battle for key core technologies well, and achieve more critical and disruptive technological breakthroughs, injecting new momentum and cultivating new advantages for industrial upgrading and high-quality economic development.
Xi Jinping believes that...
"Those countries that seized the opportunities of the technological revolution to become world powers were all countries at the leading edge of important technological fields," and we "should possess asymmetrical 'killer maces' [15]" and must "deploy in advance and boldly explore key technological fields concerning the future." We must combine "patching short slabs" [16] with "forging long slabs" and "cultivating new slabs," aiming for the commanding heights of future technological and industrial development. We must adopt asymmetrical and differentiated technology development strategies, coordinate and deploy national strategic maritime talent forces, and strengthen financial investment in major research directions, key breakthrough projects, scientific infrastructure, major innovation platforms, and excellent innovation teams. We strive to create a batch of "0 to 1" original achievements in important technological fields, forge a batch of world-leading "killer mace" technologies in engineering and industrial technology, and build a batch of "great country heavyweights" [17] that fill existing gaps, thereby creating a distribution center for advantageous technological resources, a global highland for technological innovation, and an important source for emerging industries.
(III) Accelerating the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements
Achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is not merely about scientific research in the laboratory; it also requires transforming technological innovation achievements into practical forces that drive economic and social development. The transformation of technological achievements is the key link connecting the innovation chain with the industrial chain. However, for a long time, the decoupling of technological achievements from social needs and the low market conversion rate have been persistent chronic ailments affecting China's technological innovation.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the transformation of technological achievements, proposing that we must "exert force simultaneously on promoting technological innovation and the transformation of technological achievements" and "break through the bottlenecks in the 'one-stop' transformation of technical breakthroughs, product manufacturing, market models, and industrial development." To this end, we must take multiple measures to clear the congestion, difficulties, and breaking points in every link from scientific research and experimental development to promotion and application. This will allow technological innovation to move from "reaching the heavens and touching the earth" [18] to becoming "all-pervasive," facilitating the leap from traditional productive forces to new quality productive forces.
Specifically, we must focus on the following tasks: First, aim at technological issues urgently needed for national economic and industrial development, stay close to diversified market demands and the reality of social livelihood, and carry out high-quality, organized R&D and achievement transformation guided by problems and needs. This is to "leverage the guiding role of the market in determining the direction of R&D, the choice of technical routes, the pricing of elements, and the allocation of various innovation elements," thereby improving the fit and transformation efficiency of technological achievements with national needs, people's requirements, and market demand. Second, addressing the characteristics of high risk, high investment, and long cycles in the transformation of technological achievements, the government and relevant departments should increase policy support by establishing special funds for transformation, "establishing a mechanism where the market primarily evaluates technological innovation achievements," improving the methods for distributing income from transformations, and promoting the "use first, transfer later" model. This will stimulate the drive and vitality of various innovation subjects. Third, promote the construction and functional upgrading of diversified transformation platforms such as science parks, business incubators, and accelerators. We must improve market-oriented, professional, and socialized technology intermediary service agencies to provide one-stop, integrated, and full-process services in intellectual property management, precise supply-demand matching, innovation incubation, technology transactions, technical assessment, policy and legal consultation, and investment and financing support, thereby improving the efficiency of transforming technological achievements.
(IV) Leading Industrial Innovation through Technological Innovation
Industry is the main battlefield of technological innovation, and industrialization is the final link in the "full chain" of technological innovation. Achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening must ultimately result in strong industries and a strong economy. Xi Jinping emphasized that we must "put greater effort into leading industrial innovation through technological innovation" and "strengthen the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation." Leading industrial innovation with technological innovation means increasing the intensity of innovation, transforming and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and expanding emerging industries, proactively deploying and constructing future industries, and improving the modern industrial system.
To this end, first, we must cultivate and expand emerging industries. Xi Jinping emphasized that we must "seize opportunities, vigorously develop strategic emerging industries, and achieve overtaking on a curve [19]," and "take the cultivation of leading industries with core competitiveness as the main direction of attack, deploy the innovation chain around the industrial chain, and develop strategic emerging industries with high technological content, strong market competitiveness, significant driving effects, and good economic benefits." For example, we should vigorously develop industries such as new energy and future energy, next-generation information technology, biomedicine, commercial space and aviation, and the low-altitude economy. We must apply technological innovation achievements to specific industries, industrial chains, and industrial clusters, prompting the deep integration of the innovation chain and industrial chain, and promoting the deep transformation and upgrading of industries and their ascent toward the middle and high ends of the global value chain. Second, we must deploy and construct future industries. Xi Jinping pointed out that we should "actively cultivate future industries, accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces, and enhance new drivers of development." This means proactively deploying and constructing future industries such as brain-like intelligence, quantum information, genetic technology, future networks, deep-sea and aerospace exploration, hydrogen energy, and energy storage, cultivating new engines for economic growth and new advantages for future development. Third, we must transform and upgrade traditional industries. Xi Jinping pointed out that we should "use new internet technologies to carry out all-round, full-chain transformations of traditional industries to improve total factor productivity." Traditional industries are the main component of China's economy. To transform traditional industries into "sunrise industries" and make "old trees put forth new shoots," we must use new technologies to transform and upgrade them, promoting the digital upgrade and the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of traditional industries. This will consolidate the leading position of advantageous industries, promote industrial iterative upgrades, and create more "Made (and Intellectually Manufactured) in China" brands with international competitiveness.
05 Solid Guarantees for Achieving High-Level Technological Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening
Achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening requires the guarantee of strong leadership, sound technological systems and mechanisms, and a favorable innovation ecosystem; we must clear away all ideological obstacles and institutional barriers that restrict technological innovation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has observed general trends, planned for the overall situation, and grasped fundamental issues. Focusing on the solid guarantees for achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, they have proposed a series of specific requirements regarding institutional reform and environment creation.
(I) Upholding and Strengthening the Party's Comprehensive Leadership over the Cause of Science and Technology
At the 2018 conference of the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Xi Jinping proposed "six upholds" for the development of China's science and technology. The first of these is "upholding the Party's leadership over the cause of science and technology." Practice has proven that upholding the Party's comprehensive leadership is the fundamental political guarantee for ensuring that China's scientific and technological endeavors continuously advance in the right direction. Throughout the historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, the Communist Party of China has always placed the cause of science and technology in an important strategic position within the cause of the Party and the people, ensuring that technological innovation always serves the overall interests of the Party and the state. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has upheld the Party's comprehensive leadership over science and technology, improved the leadership system for technological work, and deepened the understanding of the laws of innovation-driven development, technological management, and talent growth. It has conducted systematic strategic planning and proactive deployment for technological development, providing a strong political guarantee for China to accelerate the realization of high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.
In response to current problems such as weak basic research, insufficient independent innovation capacity in key fields, irrational allocation of technological resources, loose ties between technology and the economy, the lack of prominence of enterprises as subjects of technological innovation, and the shortage of leading talent, we must better leverage the greatest political and institutional advantage—the Party's leadership. We must strengthen the Party's centralized and unified leadership over technological work, especially major technological innovations, and promote the organic combination of an effective market and a proactive government. We need to form an efficient organizational mobilization system and a coordinated technological resource allocation model, integrate and optimize national strategic technological forces, coordinate the layout of basic research and breakthroughs in key core technologies, and concentrate the technological resources and innovative power of the entire society to seize the commanding heights of technological competition and win the initiative for future development.
(II) Deepening the Reform of the Scientific and Technological System
Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: "In promoting independent innovation, the most urgent task is to break down institutional barriers and maximize the release and stimulation of the enormous potential latent in technology as the primary productive force." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the reform of the technological system, adhering to the "dual-wheel drive" of technological innovation and institutional innovation, and actively breaking down institutional obstacles that constrain technological innovation. However, as Xi Jinping pointed out, compared with the requirements for achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, China's "reform of the technological system still faces some prominent problems to be solved," such as the low overall efficiency of the national innovation system, poor synergy between industry, academia, and research, imperfect evaluation and incentive mechanisms, and inadequate basic systems to support comprehensive innovation. In March 2024, while participating in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "deepen reforms of the scientific and technological system, the education system, and the talent system, and clear the bottlenecks and obstructions [20] hindering the development of new quality productive forces." To this end, we must take the resolution of deep-seated institutional barriers as a starting point to further deepen the reform of the technological system.
First, improving the new-type whole-of-nation system. The 20th CPC National Congress emphasized the need to "improve the system for the CPC Central Committee’s unified leadership over technological work and strengthen the new-type whole-of-nation system." Leveraging the advantages of the new-type whole-of-nation system to concentrate resources on major undertakings is not only a distinctive advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics but also a powerful magic weapon for following the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics and promoting high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. We must improve the new-type whole-of-nation system under the conditions of a socialist market economy, giving full play to the state’s role as the organizer of major technological innovations. Under the leadership of the Central Science and Technology Commission, we must establish an authoritative, unified, and efficient national decision-making and command system for technological development to coordinate the planning and collaborative resolution of strategic, directional, and overall major issues in the technological field. We must strengthen the construction of the technological governance system and capacity, optimize the coordination mechanism across fields, departments, and regions, strengthen the layout of technological innovation forces and the effective allocation of technological resources, and improve the overall efficiency of the innovation system.
Second, deepening the reform of the technological management system and fully developing and utilizing talent resources. Xi Jinping believes that we must strengthen the development and utilization of human resources and increase policy support for talent revitalization. We must actively decentralize power to scientific research units, "untie the robes" [21] of talent, and empower scientists, changing from "administration-centered" to "talent-centered." We should "grant leading technological talent greater power to dispose of personnel, finances, and materials and the right to choose technical routes," so that "scientific research units and personnel can be liberated from tedious and unnecessary institutional shackles."
Third, reforming the technological evaluation system. Talent evaluation is the "conductor's baton" [22] for technological innovation activities and is a key focus and difficulty in the reform of the technological system. We must proceed with "breaking the four 'onlys'" [23] and "establishing new standards" simultaneously, changing undesirable evaluation tendencies such as simply judging heroes by their results, emphasizing quantity over quality, having laypeople judge experts, and "measuring everything with a single yardstick." We should accelerate the establishment of a talent evaluation system oriented toward innovation value, ability, and contribution. For technological talent engaged in basic research, applied research, and development research, we should implement classified evaluations, particularly improving the differentiated evaluation and long-cycle support mechanisms for basic research talent.
Fourth, improving the basic systems and incentive mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation. We must further establish and improve basic systems for diversified investment, fund management, financial support, intellectual property, achievement evaluation, technological security, technological ethics, and organizational leadership. We must optimize incentive systems—including cultivation and training, selection and use, salary management, income distribution, living security, professional title review, and commendations and awards—that are conducive to stimulating the innovative vitality of talent, providing institutional guarantees for supporting comprehensive innovation and achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.
(III) Creating a Good Innovation Ecosystem and Atmosphere
An innovation ecosystem characterized by independence, self-strengthening, openness, integration, and vitality is crucial for stimulating the vitality of innovation subjects and promoting high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress emphasized the need to "cultivate a culture of innovation, carry forward the spirit of scientists, foster a fine academic style, and create an atmosphere for innovation." This pointed the way toward better stimulating the enthusiasm and initiative of technological innovation subjects.
First, cultivating a culture of innovation and vigorously promoting the spirit of scientists. We must extensively carry out science popularization, deeply implement actions to improve the scientific literacy of the entire population, and increase efforts to publicize major technological achievements and advanced models of technological talent. This will create a favorable social fashion of loving science, advocating innovation, and respecting scientists throughout society. The spirit of scientists is a precious spiritual wealth accumulated by technological workers in long-term scientific practice. Xi Jinping emphasized that in the New Era, "there is a greater need to continue carrying forward the spirit of scientists, which is characterized by patriotism as its base color." We must vigorously promote the spirit of scientists in the New Era—with "patriotism, innovation, truth-seeking, dedication, collaboration, and education" at its core—providing strong spiritual support for building a world technological power and achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.
Second, strengthening the construction of academic styles and creating a good academic ecosystem. Xi Jinping pointed out that...
"We must strengthen the construction of academic style and conduct in scientific research, guiding researchers to abandon grandstanding, eliminate impetuosity, and be willing to 'sit on the cold bench' [24]." He has further offered earnest exhortations to the academicians of the Two Academies [25] to "serve as models of academic morality, uphold academic ethics and research integrity, and practice academic norms," while simultaneously putting forward requirements for constructing research styles that combine scientific supervision with integrity education. On one hand, we must strengthen integrity education and vigorously promote academic morality, cultivating a fine academic atmosphere of seeking truth from facts, rigorous scholarship, democracy, harmony, and an emphasis on integrity throughout society. On the other hand, we must strengthen guidance, standardization, and supervisory management to advance the governance of research conduct and academic style. This involves strengthening academic norms, the governance of science and technology ethics, and the punishment of academic misconduct to create a clean and upright [26], proactive academic ecosystem.
Third, we must strengthen the construction of an internationalized scientific research environment and build an open innovation ecosystem.
The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed that we must "expand international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, strengthen the construction of an internationalized research environment, and form an open innovation ecosystem with global competitiveness." To achieve high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology from a higher starting point and with higher quality, it is necessary to properly handle the relationship between autonomy and openness. We must adhere to the integrated design of original innovation, integrated innovation, and open innovation, while increasing the intensity of open innovation and international cooperation. To this end, we must plan and promote open innovation in the field of science and technology—especially in basic research—with a global vision. We should actively integrate into global innovation chains and technological cooperation networks, participate deeply in global innovation alliances and global technology governance, and create a research environment characterized by openness, inclusiveness, connectivity, sharing, Sino-foreign synergy, and mutual benefit. By building an internationalized and open innovation ecosystem, we will contribute more Chinese scientific and technological strength to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
In weight of the above, high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology serve as the fundamental support for promoting the overall developmental situation and constitute the key to achieving our arduous goals. On the New Journey, we must profoundly comprehend Xi Jinping’s important expositions on achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology. We must face the challenges of today's world—marked by great development, great change, and great adjustment—as well as the new missions and requirements that Chinese-path modernization places upon the modernization of science and technology. With a high degree of confidence in our technology, we shall accelerate the promotion of high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, providing powerful technological support for the comprehensive building of a great modern socialist country and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Source: Literature of the Communist Party of China (Dangde Wenxian), March 28, 2024.