China will continue to focus its science and technology policies on self-reliance: PM

China will continue to strive for self-reliance in science and technology, improve its nationwide resource mobilization system, and take advantage of the government’s resource-raising role to make breakthroughs in science and technology. Work report presented at the opening of the first session of the Fourteenth National People’s Congress in Beijing.

According to the report, over the past five years, China has made remarkable progress in science and technology, making major achievements in key areas such as manned spaceflight, lunar and Mars exploration, supercomputing, satellite communications, quantum information technologies, nuclear energy, and aircraft. Construction and artificial intelligence.

Mr. Li stressed that future science and technology policies should focus on self-sufficiency. To this end, he said, China will increase support for basic science, strengthen the role of private enterprises as the main innovators in science and technology, and facilitate reforms to better train and utilize scientific talent.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Development Report issued by the National Development and Reform Commission on March 5 revealed that China has risen to 11th place in the 2022 Global Innovation Index, and its industrial and supply chains are becoming increasingly stable and resilient. Meanwhile, China’s spending on research and development exceeded 3 trillion yuan (408 billion euros) for the first time last year, or 2.55 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“We have accelerated the strengthening of China’s strength in strategic science and technology, made solid progress in establishing a national laboratory system, and accelerated the development of international and regional science and technology innovation centers. We have resolved bottlenecks by making breakthroughs in some core technologies in key areas. The report also said that China will accelerate development It offers major projects and launches a number of national science and technology projects of strategic, global and long-term importance in key areas.

In addition, the report indicated that the country will increase its investment in science and technology through various channels and encourage close business-led cooperation between industries, universities and research institutions, while promoting industrial applications of technologies and scientific and technological progress. At the same time, great efforts will be made to help people learn more about science and improve the scientific culture of the whole country.

According to this year’s draft budget from the Ministry of Finance, China will invest more actively in science and technology, while sparing no effort to secure funding for research into core technologies and national security. The ministry said in the report that China will also improve the funding system of the National Natural Science Fund and implement pilot programs to train basic research personnel. It will provide funds for each major project highlighted in the 2030 Science and Technology Innovation Agenda, once it is ready to start.

“We will improve the structure of spending on science and technology and put in place comprehensive project financing plans to avoid overspending,” the budget report further noted, adding that “we will further reform mechanisms for the allocation and use of government research funds, and give scientists a greater voice in determining technology roadmaps.” and spending research money.”

Finally, China will allocate 6.5 billion yuan (883 million euros) for scientific and technological progress at the local level under the guidance of the central authorities, an increase of 2 billion yuan, thus supporting the development of regional innovation poles, and simultaneously with the time, will also explore funding management mechanisms to launch scientific projects with the aim of promoting international cooperation.