BEIJING -- A conference conflating the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Award Conference, the 21st General Assembly of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the 17th General Assembly of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the morning of June 24.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference, presented medals and certificates for China's top science and technology award to laureates and delivered an important speech.

He stressed that the nation will thrive when science and technology develops, and the country will be strong when science and technology becomes advanced. Chinese modernization must be supported by scientific and technological modernization, and achieving high-quality development relies on new driving forces cultivated by innovation in science and technology. China must have a clear understanding of the strategic leading position and fundamental supporting role of science and technology, have the determination to achieve the strategic goal of building China into a great country in science and technology by 2035, strengthen top-level design and overall planning, and accelerate the building of greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

Li Qiang presided over the conference, and Ding Xuexiang announced the decision of the award. Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, and Li Xi attended the conference.

The conference began at 10 a.m. The Chinese People's Liberation Army military band played the national anthem, "March of the Volunteers," and everyone stood up to sing the national anthem.

Ding announced the Decision on the National Science and Technology Award for 2023 by the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council.

As the horn of the ceremony sounded, Xi first presented medals and certificates for 2023 China's top sci-tech award to Academician Li Deren from Wuhan University and Academician Xue Qikun from Tsinghua University, shook hands with the two scientists and extended his congratulations. Later, Xi and other Party and state leaders, together with the two winners of the top sci-tech award, presented certificates to the delegates who received the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award and the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China.

Amid warm applause, Xi delivered an important speech. He pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has promoted the implementation of the strategy for innovation-driven development, proposed the strategic task of accelerating building an innovative country, continuously deepened the reform of the scientific and technological system, and vigorously promoted the building of self-reliance and strength in science and technology. As a result, new breakthroughs have been made in basic frontier research, new strides have been achieved in strategic high-tech fields, new progress has been made in innovation-driven high-quality development, new prospects have been opened up in the reform of the scientific and technological system, and new progress has been made in international opening-up and cooperation. In general, historic achievements and transformations have been realized in the development of science and technology.

Xi stressed that in the development of science and technology in the new era, we have continuously deepened our understanding of its principles and accumulated much important experience. It is as follows: upholding the overall leadership of the Party, adhering to the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, insisting on innovation-driven development, making sure that sci-tech development must be oriented towards the global frontier, major sectors of economic development, the major needs of the country, and people's health, stimulating innovation vitality through deepening reforms, promoting a virtuous cycle of education, technology, and talent, fostering an innovation culture, and emphasizing open cooperation in science and technology for the benefit of humanity. This experience must be adhered to for a long time to come and continually enriched and developed in practice.

Xi pointed out that momentous changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world, and a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is profoundly evolving, greatly reshaping the global order and development landscape. There are still some deficiencies and weaknesses in the development of China's scientific and technological undertakings, necessitating a heightened sense of urgency. It is therefore imperative to further intensify efforts in scientific and technological innovation to seize the high ground in technological competition and future development.

He also underscored the importance of fully leveraging the advantages of the new system to mobilize resources nationwide for accomplishing major tasks, improving the system of centralized and unified leadership by the Party Central Committee over scientific and technological work, and establishing a coordinated and efficient system for decision-making and organizing implementation of plans and policies. It is imperative to give full play to the decisive role of market in the allocation of scientific and technological resources, also to the role the government plays in this regard, and motivate all the links of industry, academia, and research, together forming a synergy for achieving breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. Efforts should be made to strengthen the building of national strategic strength in science and technology, enhance the organizational level of basic research, and encourage free exploration in research, so as to lay a solid foundation for scientific and technological innovation.

Xi pointed out that it is essential to promote integration between innovation in science and technology and industrial innovation, so as to help develop new quality productive forces. He said that the focus should be placed on the key areas and weak links in the building of a modern industrial system. Efforts should be made to increase the supply of "high-quality science and technology", cultivate and develop emerging and future industries, and transform and upgrade traditional industries with new technologies. He also noted the necessity to reinforce the principal role of enterprises in innovation and intensify the application of scientific and technological achievements. A great job should be done in the development of fintech.

Xi stressed the need to comprehensively deepen the reform of the scientific and technological systems and mechanisms, coordinate the construction of major innovation platforms and optimize the allocation of innovation resources. It is imperative to improve overall planning of scientific and technological innovation, refine the management of science and technology and invest more effectively in this regard. He urged faster steps to improve categorized assessment and evaluation mechanisms in line with the law of science and research activities and refine the incentive system, so as to unleash the vitality of innovation.

Xi noted that reform of the systems and mechanisms concerning education, science and technology and talent should be advanced with a holistic approach, and the mechanism where science, education and talent cultivation are coordinated should be improved, so as to accelerate the efforts to create a large, well-structured, high-quality team of innovation personnel. Disciplines and programs for higher education should be optimized, and new ways of nurturing talent should be explored, so as to improve the level and quality of nurturing talent at home. It is essential to speed up efforts to build a contingent of personnel with expertise of strategic importance and focus on cultivating outstanding engineers, master craftsmen and highly-skilled workers. Efforts should also be accelerated to cultivate young scientists, encourage dedication to science, and inspire all scientific researchers to aim high and remain patriotic, dedicated and committed to innovation.

Xi stressed the need for further efforts to promote the development of a community with a shared future for humanity, and that self-reliance and strength should be built via opening up and cooperation. He called for efforts to further implement the initiative for global scientific and technological cooperation, further broaden the government and non-governmental channels for exchanges and cooperation in this regard, give full play to platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, and support scientists and researchers from all countries to jointly achieve breakthroughs. Xi also called for efforts to integrate into the global innovation network, take part in global governance of science and technology, and jointly respond to global challenges so that the development of science and technology can better benefit the humanity.

Xi expressed the hope that academicians with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering will continue to play well a pioneering role in exploring frontiers of science and technology, a leading role in undertaking major tasks, a guiding role in promoting the growth of young talent, and an exemplary role in dedication to science so as to make new contributions to the development of China's science and technology. Science and technology workers must conscientiously integrate academic pursuit into the great cause of building a leading country in science and technology, and make new achievements that are worthy of the times and live up to people's expectations. It is imperative that Party committees and governments at all levels make concrete efforts to strengthen the organization and leadership of work in science and technology, and secure all-out service support.

When presiding over the conference, Li Qiang noted that General Secretary Xi's important speech hails the historic achievements in China's scientific and technological development and innovation in recent years, and summarizes in depth the important experience in this regard in the new era. Xi's speech also insightfully and pithily expounds the significant role of scientific and technological innovation in advancing Chinese modernization and realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, systematically elucidates the basic connotations and main tasks of accelerating the building of a leading country in science and technology under the new situation, and points the direction for doing a good job in scientific and technological work in the new era. It is thus a must to conscientiously study, thoroughly understand, and earnestly implement the speech. On the new journey, it is a glorious mission and weighty responsibility to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology and build a leading country in this regard. It is necessary to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adopt a more conscientious and firmer stance in doing scientific and technological work well, and work together to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.

At the conference, Li Deren and Xue Qikun made speeches on behalf of all the award winners.

Before the conference, Xi and other leaders met with representatives of the national science and technology award winners and had a photo taken with them.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, relevant leading officials of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, State Councilors, the President of the Supreme People's Court, the Procurator General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and relevant leading officials of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference attended the conference.

About 3,000 people participated in the conference. They include leading officials from all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities under separate state planning, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant central Party and state departments, relevant people's organizations, and relevant units of the military, as well as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, some foreign academicians, and representatives of the national science and technology award winners.

A total of 250 projects and 12 scientific and technological experts were selected for the national science and technology awards in 2023. Among them, two scientists won the highest science and technology award, 49 projects were granted with the State Natural Science Award with one for first prize award and 48 for second prize award, 62 projects were presented with the State Technological Invention Award with eight for first prize award and 54 for second prize award, 139 projects won the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award with three for special award, 16 for first prize award and 120 for second prize award, and a total of 10 foreign experts won the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China.