China’s ‘two sessions’: Xi Jinping tells scientists to fight the tech battle well
- President calls on science and technology sector to ‘further strengthen aspirations to rejuvenate the country’ during panel discussion
- It comes as China is vying for technological supremacy with the US, and as the leadership is seeking to boost the flagging economy
The president urged them to “further strengthen aspirations to rejuvenate the country through science and education, and take on the heavy responsibility of scientific and technological innovation”, according to a report on state broadcaster CCTV.
“[We should] improve basic research and apply basic research to fight the battle well for key technologies and cultivate new drivers of intellectual productivity,” Xi said.
He also asked for “pragmatic” advice from the country’s top scientists on making reforms to the system – including how to develop talent – and better use of incentives for innovation.
The last time Xi joined a science and tech panel discussion at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was more than a decade ago, in 2013.
