Scientific and Technological Powerhouse
No 2
Core of this section: Now, there are only 10 years left to achieve the goal of becoming a scientific and technological powerhouse. A thousand years is too long; we must seize the day. Building a scientific and technological powerhouse, “the historical baton has been passed to our generation,” with the heavy responsibility on the technology front and a glorious mission!
Source: 2025.7 “Qiushi”
Technological advancement leads to national prosperity.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, the Central Committee has deeply promoted the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, proposed the strategic task of accelerating the construction of an innovative country, and established the goal of becoming a scientific and technological powerhouse by 2035.
So, how can we leverage the advantages of a new type of national system? How can we promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation? How can we fully stimulate the vitality of innovation and creativity? How can we build our country’s unique talent competitive advantage?
On March 31, the front page of Qiushi Net published a signed article by the General Secretary titled “Marching Forward Towards the Grand Goal of Building a Scientific and Technological Power,” which clearly answered the above questions.
Today, Teacher Tianghe will guide everyone to study the signed article published by the General Secretary in “Qiushi” magazine.
This is a speech by General Secretary Xi Jinping on June 24, 2024, at the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, and the 21st Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 17th Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Although the content is a bit lengthy, everyone should read it patiently and surely gain a lot.
When looking at the leader’s speech, first consider the historical context of the speech.
Only by thoroughly understanding the time and specific background of the speech can we better grasp its specific connotation.
The historical context of the General Secretary’s speech is June 24, 2024, when the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, and the 21st Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 17th Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering were grandly held.
Therefore, this conference was held at a critical time for comprehensively promoting national construction and the great rejuvenation of the nation through Chinese-style modernization, which is of great significance for accelerating the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and building a scientific and technological powerhouse.
In this speech, General Secretary Xi fully affirmed the historic achievements of China’s technological innovation and development in recent years from the strategic height of the overall development of the party and the country, and profoundly summarized the important experiences of technological development in the new era.
It is especially important to note that the General Secretary also profoundly discussed the important role of technological innovation in promoting Chinese-style modernization and achieving the great process of the second centenary goal, which is mentioned in the text: “Chinese-style modernization must rely on technological modernization for support, and achieving high-quality development must rely on technological innovation to cultivate new momentum.”
In addition, the General Secretary systematically elaborated on the basic connotation and main tasks of accelerating the construction of a scientific and technological powerhouse under the new situation, which are the five sub-points of the article:
“Fully leverage the advantages of a new type of national system and accelerate the advancement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance.”
“Solidly promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation to assist in developing new quality productivity.”
“Comprehensively deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system and mechanism to fully stimulate the vitality of innovation and creativity.”
“Advance the development of education, science, and technology talent in an integrated manner to build a competitive advantage in talent.”
“Deeply practice the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and promote open cooperation in science and technology.”
The above content points out the direction for doing a good job in scientific and technological work in the new era and provides fundamental guidelines.
In addition to this article, everyone must have a clear concept that our party has always attached great importance to the development of scientific and technological undertakings, especially in recent years, where blockbuster technologies have emerged one after another.
From deepseek to Doubao, from artificial synthesis of starch from carbon dioxide to the operation and production of the world’s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant, our country has achieved new breakthroughs in basic frontier research, and strategic high-tech fields have made new leaps.
In November 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping expressed great satisfaction when visiting the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Achievement Exhibition, saying: “The scientific and technological innovation achievements made in Shanghai make me feel very assured, with greater confidence and more solid backing.”
To be honest: from needing to import a screw to becoming a major power in heavy equipment, our country has completed in just a few decades the industrialization process that took developed Western countries hundreds of years, establishing the most complete and largest R&D and industrial system in the world.
However, with the acceleration of unprecedented changes in a century, global technological innovation is surging, bringing profound changes and significant impacts on human society.
Especially with the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation represented by artificial intelligence, the global innovation landscape and economic structure are being reshaped.
With Xi Jinping at the core, the Central Committee has a comprehensive grasp of the development of scientific and technological undertakings, continuously expanding new horizons, proposing new topics, making new judgments, and launching a series of foundational initiatives and long-term strategies, pointing out the direction for building a scientific and technological powerhouse and providing fundamental guidelines.
Therefore, the General Secretary’s speech stands at a new historical starting point, revealing the “historical logic” of national rise and fall.
In addition, regarding the continuous deepening of our understanding of the laws in the development of scientific and technological undertakings in the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly summarized many important experiences as the “Eight Adherences”:
“Adhere to the comprehensive leadership of the Party, strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee over scientific and technological work, observe the overall situation, plan the big picture, and grasp the fundamentals, ensuring that the development of scientific and technological undertakings always progresses in the right direction.”
“Adhere to the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, based on self-reliance and hard work, leveraging the advantages of our socialist system to concentrate efforts on major tasks, advancing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, and firmly grasping the lifeblood of technology and the initiative of development in our own hands.”
“Adhere to innovation as the leading development, firmly establish the concept that grasping innovation is grasping development, and planning innovation is planning the future, leading high-quality development and ensuring high-level security through technological innovation.”
“Adhere to the strategic orientation of the ‘Four Orientations’, facing the world’s technological frontiers, the main battlefield of the economy, major national needs, and the health of people’s lives, strengthening the deployment of the entire chain of technological innovation and layout in all fields, and comprehensively enhancing technological strength and innovation capability.”
“Adhere to stimulating innovation vitality through deepening reform, resolutely breaking the ideological concepts and institutional mechanisms that hinder technological innovation, and effectively transforming institutional advantages into competitive advantages in science and technology.”
“Adhere to promoting a virtuous cycle of education, science, and technology talent, coordinating the implementation of the strategy of revitalizing the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through talent, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, and advancing education development, technological innovation, and talent cultivation in an integrated manner.”
“Adhere to cultivating an innovative culture, inheriting the innovative genes of excellent traditional Chinese culture, creating a good environment that encourages exploration and tolerates failure, and making the pursuit of science and innovation a prevailing trend in society.”
“Adhere to open cooperation in science and technology for the benefit of humanity, pursuing a mutually beneficial and win-win open strategy, contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to address global challenges and promote human development and progress.”
The “Eight Adherences” are a deepening of our party’s understanding of the laws in the practice of developing scientific and technological undertakings in the new era, and therefore, we must adhere to them for a long time and continuously enrich and develop them in practice.
Fully utilize the important experiences of the “Eight Adherences”, strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee over scientific and technological work, and leverage the advantages of our socialist system to concentrate efforts on major tasks.
This year at the National “Two Sessions”, Premier Li Qiang mentioned technological innovation as many as seven times.
“Support major economic provinces in taking the lead, formulating support policies in terms of factor guarantees, technological innovation, and pilot reforms in opening up.”
“Implement more proactive macro policies, expand domestic demand, and promote the integrated development of technological innovation and industrial innovation.”
“Increase support for technological innovation, green development, boosting consumption, and private and small enterprises.”
“Promote the integrated development of technological innovation and industrial innovation, vigorously advance new industrialization, and strengthen advanced manufacturing.”
“Adhere to innovation as the leading development, advance education development, technological innovation, and talent cultivation in an integrated manner, and build a foundational and strategic support for Chinese-style modernization.”
“Optimize the layout of national strategic scientific and technological forces, promote the reform of research institutes, explore new research organization models for national laboratories, and enhance the radiation and driving capacity of international and regional scientific and technological innovation centers.”
“Strengthen the deep integration of industry, academia, and research led by enterprises, and ensure that enterprises participate in national technological innovation decision-making and undertake major technological projects from an institutional perspective.”
“Support major economic provinces in taking the lead, formulating support policies in terms of factor guarantees, technological innovation, and pilot reforms in opening up.”
The 20th National Congress of the Party has clearly defined the strategic goal of building a scientific and technological powerhouse by 2035, and we must further increase the intensity of technological innovation and seize the commanding heights of technological competition and future development.
The China Association for Science and Technology recently released a set of data:
The curtain of the 9th meeting of the 10th National Committee of the China Association for Science and Technology has slowly come to a close, and a series of data leap into view:
Nearly 300 types of scientific and technological journals have been supported to enter the first-class ranks, 71 national conditions training sessions have trained over 4,400 leading talents, more than 6,000 grassroots organizations have been newly established, 105 scientific and technological service teams have been formed as needed, over 1,700 doctoral innovation stations have been set up, and the annual reception volume of national science and technology museums has exceeded 100 million for the first time. The flagship platform “Science Popularization China” has reached over 195.8 billion people, and the number of evaluation and recognition activities has decreased from 21 five years ago to 3, while the number of forums hosted or co-hosted has been reduced from 63 to 10…
These vivid data reflect the courage of a scientific and technological mass organization to reform and the wisdom of adhering to innovation.
When 3,226 young talents emerge through the Doctoral Special Plan, when over 2,000 technical managers shine after training, and when scholars from 61 countries (regions) come to China for exchanges, the China Association for Science and Technology demonstrates its commitment to “gathering talents from all over the world to use them.” Respecting the laws of talent growth, breaking the traditional hierarchy, and overcoming regional and national barriers, the China Association for Science and Technology has effectively connected and served talents, gradually building a talent ecosystem of “near joy and far welcome.”
From the laboratory to the production line, from technological breakthroughs to leading standards, technological innovation is breaking through the industrial strong chain, and new quality productivity is growing rapidly across the land of China.
To achieve the grand blueprint, technology has a strategic leading position and fundamental supporting role.
Now, there are only 10 years left to achieve the goal of becoming a scientific and technological powerhouse.
A thousand years is too long; we must seize the day.
We must have a sense of urgency and mission of “seizing the day” and a firm determination and tenacious will of “grinding a sword for ten years” to turn the strategic goal of building a scientific and technological powerhouse into reality step by step.
Building a scientific and technological powerhouse, “the historical baton has been passed to our generation,” with the heavy responsibility on the technology front and a glorious mission!
Mock Test Questions
Given Material:
You are a grassroots party branch secretary. How will you implement “technological innovation” at the grassroots level?
Reference Answer Framework
Strengthen Party Leadership and Build Innovation Platforms. Grassroots party branch secretaries should fully leverage the leading role of party organizations in technological innovation by establishing platforms such as “Double Leader” teacher party branch secretary studios, integrating party building work with teaching and research. For example, organizing party members to tackle technical challenges based on local industrial development needs, such as the development of automatic harvesting devices for Hawaiian macadamia nuts in Chongzuo City and breakthroughs in smart agriculture projects, while promoting the establishment of industry-university-research platforms to facilitate the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements.
Strengthen Organizational Development and Cultivate Backbone Talent. With the party branch as a fighting fortress, establish mechanisms such as scientific and technological task forces and party member vanguard posts, selecting politically qualified and professionally capable party members as project leaders. By organizing young party members to participate in national-level research project applications, high-level paper writing, and tackling technical challenges in enterprises, cultivate compound talents with both research capabilities and political literacy, such as guiding undergraduates in their graduate studies and leading teams to win provincial-level scientific and technological progress awards.
Deepen Industry-Education Integration and Activate Grassroots Innovation. Based on regional economic development needs, collaborate with local enterprises to carry out “joint construction of majors and joint cultivation of talents” cooperation. For example, establish an industry-education integration training base with semiconductor technology companies, transforming real technical challenges from enterprises into research topics; through forms such as “science and technology special commissioners” and “party member service teams,” go deep into rural areas to develop smart agricultural systems to assist rural revitalization, achieving precise alignment between technological innovation and grassroots needs.
Innovate Work Mechanisms and Enhance Service Efficiency. Implement a checklist management approach for “Party Building + Technological Innovation” and establish a “Secretary Project” responsibility system. For instance, the Zibo Mobile Network Department Party Branch has developed an AI call prediction system to improve network resource allocation efficiency through a mechanism of “daily communication, monthly research, quarterly summary”; conduct “network consultation” activities, using the gigabit fiber home project as a carrier to simultaneously address the network needs of the public and the digital challenges of grassroots party building.
Improve Incentive Mechanisms and Create an Innovative Ecosystem. Develop special assessment indicators for technological innovation, incorporating the transformation of research achievements, patent applications, and guidance for student competitions into the party member evaluation system. Establish honors such as “Advanced Individuals in Scientific and Technological Work” and “Top Ten Teachers,” providing both material and spiritual incentives to party members who solve technical challenges for enterprises and publish high-level papers, forming a virtuous cycle of “the branch sets the stage, party members lead, and the masses participate.”
Understanding Difficulty: Three Stars