The Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, a team with an average age of less than 35, has been making breakthroughs in key fields such as ultra-high energy materials. At the Shanghai Observatory, scientists captured signals from space 380,000 kilometers away, expanding the heights that innovation can reach. In the workshop of TISCO Group, rolls of "hand-torn steel" as thin as cicada wings are made automatically, breaking the monopoly of foreign technology...... In the main battlefield of scientific research and the forefront of innovation, strivers have made unremitting efforts and contributed wisdom and strength.

Science and technology make the nation stand, and science and technology make the country strong. When attending the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the General Secretary profoundly pointed out: "Accelerating the realization of self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology is the only way to promote high-quality development." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with the General Secretary at its core has attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation, made self-reliance in science and technology the basic and strategic support for China's modernization drive, observed the general trend, planned the overall situation, deepened reform, and made all-round efforts to promote historic achievements and changes in China's scientific and technological undertakings. Over the past decade, scientific and technological innovation has gained unprecedented prominence in the overall cause of the Party and the country. Enabling science and technology has become a prominent symbol of high-quality development, and scientific and technological innovation has become an important driving force for modernization.

Science and technology enable development, and innovation determines the future. The General Secretary pointed out that "in the fierce international competition, we need to open up new areas and new tracks for development, create new drivers and new advantages for development, and fundamentally rely on scientific and technological innovation", stressing that "whether we can fully build ourselves into a great modern socialist country on schedule depends on scientific and technological self-reliance." At present, the world is accelerating the evolution of major changes unseen in a century. China faces new strategic opportunities, new strategic tasks, new strategic stages, new strategic requirements, and new strategic environment for its development. Internationally, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is advancing rapidly. Major countries are taking scientific and technological innovation as the main battlefield in the international strategic game. At home, to implement a new vision for development, foster a new development pattern, and promote high-quality development requires scientific and technological solutions and innovation as the primary driving force, more than ever before. Adhering to the core position of innovation in the overall modernization drive and taking self-reliant science and technology as the strategic support of our country's development is the long-term plan to adapt to the trend of the development of science and technology in the world and also the root policy based on our development stage.

To speed up efforts to achieve self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology, we must resolutely win the battle against key core technologies. Key core technology is a national instrument, and has great significance in promoting high-quality development of our economy and ensuring national security. Practice has repeatedly told us that key core technologies cannot be acquired, bought or negotiated. We should not just follow others' lead. We must strive for self-improvement and dare to make breakthroughs. On the new journey, we should seize the strategic opportunities, adhere to the "four directions", improve the new nationwide system for tackling key and core technologies, strengthen the construction of major scientific and technological innovation platforms, and support top scientists to take the lead in tackling original and pioneering scientific and technological problems. Only in this way can we make breakthroughs in key and core technologies and achieve autonomy and control in key areas and links.

Enterprises are the main body of innovation. Independent innovation is the life of an enterprise, and is the foundation for an enterprise to climb through obstacles and grow stronger. Since the beginning of the new era, China's high-tech enterprises have increased from 39,000 in 2012 to 400,000 in 2022, and 762 companies have joined the global Top 2,500 in R&D investment. In 2022, Chinese enterprises accounted for more than three quarters of China's total R&D input. We will further increase incentives for enterprises to innovate, implement various policies to encourage innovation, and encourage enterprises to increase investment in research and development. This will help foster new growth drivers and lay a more solid foundation for high-quality development. On the new journey, we will strengthen the dominant position of enterprises, promote the deep integration of innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain and talent chain, give full play to the leading and supporting role of key scientific and technological enterprises, promote the healthy growth of small, medium and micro scientific and technological enterprises, and constantly improve the transformation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements. We will surely build a number of innovation centers with global influence.

If scientific and technological innovation is compared to the new engine of our country's development, then reform is the essential ignition system for igniting this new engine. The major plan of "reorganizing the Ministry of Science and Technology" has been made in this institutional reform of The State Council. This is precisely to further rationalize the leadership and management system for science and technology, better coordinate scientific and technological forces to overcome difficulties in key and core technologies, and accelerate the realization of self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology. Scientific and technological innovation and institutional innovation are like the two wheels of a car. Only a two-wheel drive can ensure steady and long-term progress. On the new journey, we will continue to deepen the reform of the science and technology system, vigorously foster a culture of innovation, improve the evaluation system and incentive mechanism for science and technology, and create a favorable environment for innovative talents to come to the top and give full play to their talents. Therefore, we will be able to remove all ideological and institutional barriers that restrict scientific and technological innovation and unleash our development potential to the fullest.

During this year's national two sessions, experienced Yun-20 aircraft development member Tang Changhong talked about technology self-reliance, "when the country needs to use, want to do can" words touching. We are full of confidence and strength in our quest to achieve self-reliance in high-level science and technology and build China into a powerful nation in science and technology. We will write a new chapter of high-quality development with hard work and create even greater achievements.

Source: State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council