Premier Wen
Jiabao called for a push for scientific progress and the
building of an innovation-oriented country at the Fourth National
Conference on Science and Technology, which concluded in Beijing on
Wednesday.
Wen said China's medium and long-term scientific and
technological development program, recently issued by the State
Council, was the country's first overall scientific and
technological plan since the beginning of the new century, the
first medium and long-term scientific program under the condition
of the socialist market economy, and a schematic document for the
country's scientific and technological development over the next 15
years.
During a plenary meeting on Monday, held during the conference,
Wen said that the implementation of the medium and long-term
scientific and technological development program is important to
improving the country's competitive advantage.
Wen said China's development depends on two things: "Unswerving
reform and opening-up, and scientific and technological progress
and innovation."
He asked all departments concerned to carefully implement
China's medium and long-term scientific and technological
development program, to unremittingly follow up the scientific
conception of development and the strategies of rejuvenating the
country through education and technology, and to push forward
scientific and technological progress and innovation.
He said innovation was the soul of scientific and technological
development and the driving force behind national development.
In a bid to push forward the country's scientific and
technological development, five factors should be paid attention
to.
First, technology development on energy conservation, water
resources and environment protection should be given priority.
Second, core technology and intellectual property rights in
equipment manufacturing industry and information industry should be
managed. Third, development of biological technology should be
beefed up. Fourth, the development of space technology and maritime
technology should be enhanced. Fifth, research on fundamental
sciences and frontier sciences should be pushed forward.
Wen said to better implement the medium and long-term scientific
and technological development program, reform of the country's
scientific and technological system must be vigorously pushed
forward. Strategies on how to make innovations should be stipulated
and implemented. Investment in scientific and technological
sections must be increased and the training of scientific and
technological personnel should be strengthened.
(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2006)
