The 19th Meeting of the Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 14th Meeting of the Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering were held on May 28- June 1, in Beijing. President Jinping Xi (general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission), addressed the opening ceremony. Keqiang Li (Premier), Huning Wang (Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee) and Zheng Han (Vice-Premier), participates the meeting. More than 1,300 academicians, representatives of outstanding scientists and grassroots science and technology personnel, officials from the central government agencies and the military, research institute fellows, and university students and teachers attended this meeting. This meeting was chaired by CAS President Chunli Bai. CAE President Ji Zhou delivered the opening speech.
President Xi fully affirmed China's significant achievements of scientific and technological innovation, in-depth analyzed the global science and technology innovation and development trend, decalred the major tasks in the field of science and technology innovation. His speech declared that the innovation of science and technology is into a new era and pointed out the direction for our country science and technology innovation development.
President Xi said the circumstances, challenges and missions are presenting. He called on the country’s science and technology personnel to grasp the main trends and opportunities, face the problems and challenges. President Xi said scholars should aim for the frontiers of science and technology, lead the direction of scientific and technological development, take the responsibilities bestowed by history, and be vanguards in innovation in the new era.
President Xi noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, China has been adhering to the Party’s leadership over the science and technology, striving toward the goal of developing China into a science and technology power, sticking to the path of innovation with Chinese characteristics, inspiring creativity vitality through deepened reform, stressing the key role of talent in innovation-driven development, and integrating itself into a global network of innovation.
President Xi said that historic, holistic, and structural changes have taken place in China’s science and technology sector. China’s strength in this field is undergoing a transition from quantity accumulation to quality leap, and from breakthroughs in certain fields to improvement of systematic capabilities.
A new round of scientific, technological, and industrial revolutions are reshaping the world domain of innovation and global economic structure. The impact of science and technology on a country’s future and the people’s wellbeing has never been so profound as today. Efforts must be made to ensure “high-quality science and technology” to underpin the development of a modernized economy and focus on the innovation the primary driving force of development.
President Xi required integration of the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence with the real economy, advance fundamental transformations of the industrial pattern and enterprise forms in the manufacturing and move Chinese industries up to the medium-high end of the global value chain.
President Xi called for unwaveringly carrying out independent innovation, having firm confidence and enhancing the capability. Noting that independent innovation is the only path for China to be the top in the global science and technology, President Xi urged courageous moves to reach for the “commanding heights” in scientific and technological competition and future development.
President Xi called for courage to explore the uncharted courses and realize the goal that key and core technologies are self-developed and controllable.
“The initiatives of innovation and development must be securely kept,” President Xi said.
Also, President Xi demanded greater efforts focusing on the research and plan for scientific issues that are of fundamental significance and overall importance.
During the meeting, Premier Li Keqiang delivered a report on the economic situation and Vice Premier Liu He delivered a report on scientific and technological work. Premier Li analyzed the current economic situation and pointed out that human resources are the biggest advantage of China's development. We should give priority to employment, optimize employment and entrepreneurship services, give priority to education and improve the quality of human capital. In basic research, we need to respect the laws of science and encourage researchers to devote themselves to pursuing original achievements. In applied research, we need to promote innovative and integrated development and turn it into productive forces at a faster pace. We need to deepen the reform of delegating power, delegating power, and providing services to scientific and technological research, foster an ecosystem of innovation, and foster an atmosphere of respecting trustee and tolerance of failure throughout society. We will open up green channels for scientists, resolve problems that limit researchers in the application of research projects, the management of funding, the evaluation of talents, and the distribution of benefits from achievements, and substantially raise the standards for national science and technology awards.
Outstanding scientific and technological personnel are an important part of the country, and fiscal and other relevant policies should give priority to them. Governments at all levels should continue to help academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as scientists and technicians solve problems. Stress the need to the ideas of socialism with Chinese characteristics in jinping new era as a guide, fully implement the party's 19 spirit, adhere to the development of the first order of business, carry out the new development concept, in accordance with the deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, comprehensively deep reform and opening up and strive to activate the market, strengthen endogenous power, release the potential in domestic demand and promote economic and social sustainable and healthy development.
Vice Premier Liu He stressed the need to implement Xi Jinping's thought on scientific and technological innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and strive to open up a new situation in scientific and technological work, and put forward four requirements. First, we should accurately grasp the changes in the development stage and fully understand the urgency of scientific and technological innovation. Second, we must adhere to the demand-oriented, carefully figure out the key points. Third, we need to create an environment and choose the right path. Fourth, we should establish a good style of study and follow the laws of science and politics.
During the meeting, the Chinese Academy of Engineering held the 12th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award Ceremony, Vice Premier He Liu presented the award certificate to Academician Kuangdi Xu and other winners, Academician Xiaohong Li was elected president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) at the 14th Academician Conference, and Academician Zuoning Chen, Academician Zhihua Zhong, Academician Xiuxin Deng, Academician Huawu He and Academician Chen Wang were elected being vice-presidents.
Fusheng Pan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, chairman of Chongqing Association for Science and Technology, director of the National Engineering Research Center for Magnesium Alloys (CCMg) Chongqing University and president of Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology, attended the whole conference and delivered an academic report entitled "Current situation and future of Magnesium Alloy Industry" at the academic meeting of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.