Liu Yaobin: Improving the National Innovation System
On April 30 of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping, while presiding over a symposium on economic and social development during the "14th Five-Year Plan" [1] period for certain provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, pointed out: "We must improve the national innovation system, stimulate the vitality of various innovation subjects, aim at the frontiers of world science and technology, exert continuous effort in strengthening basic research and improving original innovation capabilities, and lose no time in tackling key core technologies and frontier technologies." This important discourse points out the way forward and provides the fundamental compliance for the current and future improvement of the national innovation system.
I. The Major Strategic Significance of Improving the National Innovation System
Improving the national innovation system is a vital link in constructing the systems and mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation. It can better promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, powerfully advance the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and provide firm and forceful technological support for Chinese-path modernization. Currently, science and technology such as artificial intelligence are driving profound global changes. Only by improving the national innovation system and optimizing the institutional environment for innovation can we proactively seize strategic opportunities and win the initiative for future development.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2], the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the construction of a national innovation system and has made systemic deployments. In September 2013, during the ninth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed enhancing the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system. In May 2018, at the conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the General Secretary proposed perfecting the national innovation system. In July 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee further emphasized: "We must deeply implement the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the nation through talent, and the innovation-driven development strategy. We must coordinately advance the integrated reform of systems and mechanisms for education, science and technology, and talent, improve the new-type whole-nation system, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system."
Through years of effort, our country has preliminarily constructed a national innovation system compatible with the socialist market economy. Innovation capacity has continued to climb, but overall effectiveness remains insufficient—particularly, issues such as the fragmentation, duplication, and inefficiency of scientific and technological innovation resources still exist, restricting the construction of an innovative country and high-quality development. When presiding over the symposium on the "14th Five-Year Plan," General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to improve the national innovation system. Planning for economic and social development during this period must be based on the grand goals of building a strong country and national rejuvenation. We must further increase our sense of urgency, reinforce the foundations of innovation, break through key bottlenecks, lead the technological frontiers, and provide powerful technological support for building a strong nation.
At present and in the future, the improvement of the national innovation system is urgently needed to promote the systemization of scientific and technological innovation organizations and achieve more efficient "organized research." First, we must refine decision-making, incentive, and governance mechanisms, and establish effective models for research organization, innovation resource allocation, and innovation output to enhance the enthusiasm of researchers, team collaboration awareness, and the effectiveness of innovation outputs. Second, we must continuously strengthen research organizational capabilities, realize the networking of R&D collaboration, the sharing of innovation resources, and the smooth exchange of information, thereby improving the capacity for technology production, allocation, output, and diffusion, and comprehensively boosting the effectiveness of innovation organizations.
A high-quality and high-standard talent institutional system is an important component of the national innovation system, encompassing systems for the selection and training, mobile utilization, evaluation and incentive, and development security of scientific and technological talent. Improving the national innovation system not only helps meet the demand for innovative talent in key innovative and high-tech industries—achieving a deep connection and "fusion-fission" between talent development and industrial growth, and promoting the precise coupling of industrial, innovation, and talent chains—but also helps accelerate the construction of national strategic talent forces. It focuses on cultivating and gathering strategic scientists, first-class technological leaders, and innovation teams, as well as outstanding engineers, "Great Country Craftsmen" [3], and high-skilled personnel, thereby improving the quality of all types of talent.
II. Improving the National Innovation System Requires Optimizing the Allocation of Innovation Resources
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must focus on strengthening the overall coordination of scientific and technological innovation, and strive to overcome the phenomena of fragmentation, isolation, and cross-duplication existing in various fields, departments, and aspects of innovation activities, so as to avoid the 'island' phenomenon in innovation." The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC stated: "Optimize the allocation of innovation resources, optimize the positioning and layout of national research institutions, high-level research universities, and leading technology enterprises, form a system of national laboratories, and coordinately advance the construction of international and regional centers for scientific and technological innovation." The Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization, deliberated and adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, further highlighted the coordination of national innovation strategic planning, policy measures, major tasks, research forces, resource platforms, and regional innovation, strengthening the top-level design for improving the national innovation system.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Fully leverage the advantages of the new-type whole-nation system to accelerate high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening." The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized: "Improve the new-type whole-nation system and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system." The advantage of the new-type whole-nation system lies primarily in fully leveraging our country's institutional advantage of "concentrating resources to accomplish great tasks" [4] and our ultra-large-scale market advantage, maximizing the benefit and optimizing the efficiency of resource allocation to achieve major national strategic goals.
To leverage the advantages of the new-type whole-nation system, in terms of leadership mechanisms, we must improve the system of the Party Central Committee’s centralized and unified leadership over scientific and technological work, constructing a collaborative and efficient decision-making and command system. In terms of organizational implementation, we must coordinately strengthen the tackling of key core technologies, promoting the systemization, institutionalization, and collaboration of innovation forces, factor allocation, and talent teams. In terms of key industrial chains, we must refine the systems and mechanisms for developing integrated circuits, industrial mother machines, medical equipment, instrumentation, basic software, industrial software, and advanced materials, advancing technological breakthroughs and result applications across the entire chain. Regarding policy support, we must move from policies that manage isolated segments toward an efficient and collaborative policy system, strengthening precise policy support for areas of vital strategic competition.
Strengthening the national "chess game" [5] coordination mechanism focuses on achieving synergy in strategic planning, policy measures, major tasks, research forces, resource platforms, and regional innovation. We should optimize resource allocation through policy guidance, establish platforms for sharing scientific and technological resources, and promote multi-subject collaboration. We must optimize the resource allocation mechanism, establish an evaluation system oriented toward innovation value, and improve the mechanism for transforming scientific and technological achievements. By establishing sharing platforms, we can improve resource utilization efficiency and form a diversified investment system for science and technology. We must coordinate cross-regional innovation linkage through mechanisms involving cross-departmental, cross-regional, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to drive breakthroughs in key core technologies.
Currently, our country's technological innovation capacity is not yet adapted to the needs of high-quality development, and its capacity to act as a source for new quality productive forces is weak. The overall effectiveness of the innovation system is not yet high, and the systematic support for new quality productive forces is insufficient. To effectively resolve the constraints on high-quality development and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, we must innovate the methods of factor allocation and clear the virtuous cycle between education, science and technology, and talent. This will allow all types of advanced, high-quality innovation factors to flow smoothly toward the development of new quality productive forces, continuously giving rise to new industries, new models, and new momentum.
III. Improving the National Innovation System Requires Stimulating the Vitality of Various Innovation Subjects
The development of innovation subjects such as enterprises, universities, and research institutes is a major engine for enhancing the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must optimize and strengthen the top-level design of the technological innovation system, clarify the functional positioning of enterprises, universities, and research institutes in different links of the innovation chain, and stimulate the innovative passion and vitality of various subjects." This discourse indicates that only through scientific and rational top-level design—clarifying the strategic positioning of different innovation subjects and constructing an innovation ecosystem where advantages complement each other and efforts are collaborative—can we fully stimulate the endogenous drive and innovative vitality of all subjects.
We must strengthen the dominant position of enterprises in innovation, giving full play to their principal role in technological breakthroughs and the transformation of achievements. As the bridge between science and the economy, enterprises are the key hubs for transforming scientific and technological achievements into actual productive forces. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "Enterprises are the subjects of innovation and the vital force in promoting innovation and creation." The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee stated: "Strengthen the dominant position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation," leveraging their role in R&D investment, technological breakthroughs, and the application of results. We should support enterprises in leading the formation of innovation consortia and undertaking major national science and technology projects. We should encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment and support them in building high-level research institutions. By giving play to the leading role of technological anchor enterprises, we can drive the collaborative innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, providing inexhaustible corporate momentum for building a world power in science and technology.
We must strengthen the foundational support of universities and research institutes, opening up the value-realization chain of integrated production, education, and research. As the sources of original innovation, the main front for talent cultivation, and the main force for basic innovation, the strength of the basic research and original innovation capabilities of universities and research institutes directly determines the foundation of national technological innovation. We must reinforce their status as the "main force" and their function as "sources," systemically optimizing the academic innovation ecosystem and governance effectiveness, and building a university innovation system aimed at producing first-class academic results and cultivating first-class talent. Emphasis should be placed on technological transformation, promoting the joint construction of new-type R&D institutions by universities, research institutes, and enterprises to facilitate the precise docking of the innovation chain and the industrial chain. By constructing a pattern of integrated innovation among production, education, and research, we can release the fountainhead of knowledge creation in universities and institutes and generate synergistic effects.
We must comprehensively deepen the reform of the scientific and technological systems and mechanisms, stimulating the vitality of subjects through institutional innovation. As the institutional cornerstone of innovation activities, the scientific and technological system is the decisive factor for the release of innovative vitality; it directly relates to whether innovation factors can flow efficiently, whether innovation subjects can fully release their vitality, and whether the innovation chain can be smoothly integrated. Currently, problems such as the obstructed transformation of achievements and insufficient synergy between production, education, and research severely restrict the improvement of our country's technological innovation capacity, making further comprehensive reform an urgent necessity.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must comprehensively deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system, improve the effectiveness of the innovation system, and focus on stimulating innovative vitality." To do this, we must persist with a systems perspective, using the courage to "gnaw on hard bones" [6] and the determination to "storm difficult passes" to touch deep-seated contradictions, break through the barriers of entrenched interests, and construct a technological innovation institutional system that meets the requirements of high-quality development. We should promote the concentration of innovation resources toward dominant subjects and key fields, strengthen the mechanism for collaborative innovation between central and local governments, and create global innovation highlands. We must improve the mechanism for the allocation and management of central fiscal science and technology funds, and refine the execution and management systems of central fiscal science and technology plans. We should expand the scope of the "lump sum system" [7] for fiscal research project funds, granting scientists greater power over deciding technical routes, spending funds, and scheduling resources.
IV. Improving the National Innovation System Requires Continuous Effort in Strengthening Basic Research and Improving Original Innovation Capability
Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system; its depth and breadth determine the potential and stamina of a country’s technological development. Strengthening basic research is crucial for enhancing original innovation capability and perfecting the national innovation system. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "possessing strong basic research and original innovation capabilities, and continuously producing major original and disruptive technological achievements" is a fundamental element of being a technological power. He requires "continuous effort in strengthening basic research and improving original innovation capabilities." This clarifies the strategic pioneering position and fundamental supporting role of basic research and original innovation, providing the fundamental compliance for advancing the construction of a technological power.
Driven by national strategic needs and supported by diversified investment, we must focus on breakthroughs in basic research. Only by achieving breakthroughs in basic research can we provide solid theoretical support for technological innovation, thereby enabling our scientific endeavors to occupy a place at the world's technological frontiers. Basic research should be guided by national strategic needs, closely integrated with major national requirements, and aimed at the frontiers of world science, determining key research directions and fields. Currently, we should strengthen the construction of basic disciplines, conduct original and leading basic research in key technological fields, and strive to produce a batch of major original achievements. In major areas concerning national welfare and the people's livelihood—such as energy, resources, and the environment—we should strengthen applied basic research to effectively promote our country's high-quality economic and social development. By rationally laying out the directions of basic research, we can make it more focused on major national strategic needs and continuously improve its relevance and effectiveness. At the same time, we should construct a new pattern of stable and diversified collaborative investment in basic research. Based on continuously increasing national fiscal investment, we should actively innovate systems and mechanisms to encourage all sectors of society to increase their investment in basic research, forming a collective force across society.
We must improve the training mechanism for innovative talent and enhance original innovation capabilities. Talent is the primary resource for innovation and the key factor in improving original innovation capacity. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out...
"The progress in areas such as the reform of scientific research institutes, the establishment and improvement of mechanisms combining science and technology with finance, and the cultivation of innovative talents has lagged behind the overall progress; furthermore, the initiative of scientific researchers to carry out original scientific and technological innovation has not yet been fully stimulated." To perfect the mechanism for cultivating innovative talents, we should formulate targeted talent cultivation plans, optimize the setting of basic academic disciplines, strengthen the construction of basic disciplines, and cultivate a group of strategic scientific and technological talents, leading scientific and technological figures, and innovation teams who operate at an international level. We must accelerate the improvement of the scientific research management system, simplify the application and approval processes for research projects, and grant scientific researchers greater autonomy. It is necessary to establish a scientific and rational research evaluation mechanism to guide researchers to place greater emphasis on basic research; establish and improve mechanisms for talent mobility to promote the rational flow of talent among universities, research institutions, and enterprises; increase the intensity of cultivation for young scientific and technological talents; and increase fiscal support for basic research. We must establish a stable growth mechanism for fiscal investment so that scientific researchers can focus on basic research work.
V. Perfecting the national innovation system requires urgent efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key core technologies and frontier technologies
Key core technologies and frontier technologies are the critical pillars of the national innovation system. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to "lose no time in tackling key core technologies and frontier technologies," noting that we must "strengthen strategic planning and systemic layout, persist in the orientation of national strategic goals, and aim at several key fields and major tasks concerning our country's industry, economy, and national security." He further stated that we should "clarify the main direction of attack and the breakthroughs for core technologies, focusing on the research and development of key technologies with first-mover advantages and basic frontier technologies that lead future development." These important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping have pointed the way for breaking through key core technologies and frontier technologies.
We must persist in forward-looking layouts to seize the strategic commanding heights [8] of frontier technology. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must grasp the general trend, seize the first opportunity, face problems head-on, advance despite difficulties, aim at the world's scientific and technological frontiers, lead the direction of scientific and technological development, shoulder the heavy responsibilities entrusted by history, and strive to be the vanguard of scientific and technological innovation in the New Era." In recent years, the global technological revolution has accelerated its evolution, with continuous breakthroughs in frontier fields such as quantum information, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. We must concentrate our strength to conquer a batch of forward-looking and strategic frontier technologies. We must strengthen cross-domain integrated innovation and expand the boundaries of technological applications. We should promote the deep integration of the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence with the real economy [9], and promote the deep integration of information technology with traditional industries. Through digital transformation, we can improve the production efficiency and product quality of traditional industries. We must actively develop emerging industries and plan for future industries ahead of time, using scientific and technological innovation to lead and support the construction of a modernized industrial system.
We must strengthen international cooperation to break through key core technologies and frontier technologies. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing in depth. For humanity to solve common development problems, we need international cooperation and open sharing more than ever before." No single country can solve global scientific and technological challenges in isolation. We must form an open innovation ecosystem with global competitiveness, break technological monopolies and blockades, and promote the global sharing of scientific and technological achievements. We should strengthen international scientific and technological cooperation, actively and initiatively integrate into the global innovation system, make good use of global innovation resources, learn from the advanced experience of global scientific and technological innovation, carry out international cooperative research on major scientific and technological projects, and implement an international scientific and technological cooperation strategy that is more open, inclusive, mutually beneficial, and shared. We must give full play to the platform role of high-quality "Belt and Road" [10] cooperation, broaden the channels for scientific and technological cooperation, construct a new pattern of international scientific and technological cooperation characterized by mutual benefit and win-win results, and enhance our country's discourse power [11] and influence in global scientific and technological innovation.