Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended a symposium on advancing basic research in Shanghai on the morning of April 30, and delivered an important speech. He emphasized that basic research is the bedrock of the entire scientific system and the ultimate source of solutions to technological challenges. He called for greater efforts and more concrete measures to strengthen basic research, enhance China's capacity for original innovation and further consolidate the foundation for building the country's strength in science and technology.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium. Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, presided over the event.

At the meeting, Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun; Education Minister Huai Jinpeng; Hou Jianguo, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Chen Jining, secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee; Liu Ruochuan, dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Peking University; Liu Chenli, director of the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of CAS; Qiao Yu, professor at Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory; and Zhang Pingxiang, chief scientist of Western Superconducting Technologies Co., Ltd., delivered speeches in succession. They updated the meeting on progress in strengthening basic research and shared insights and suggestions.

Xi delivered an important speech after listening to their remarks. He noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to basic research. By optimizing the research layout, increasing funding support and innovating systems and mechanisms, China has made marked progress in this field. Xi said that, today, breakthroughs are accelerating in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, global sci-tech competition is increasingly focused on frontier areas of basic research, and the importance of original and disruptive innovation is becoming ever more evident. We must seize opportunities and meet challenges by placing basic research firmly high on the agenda, Xi said, stressing the need to advance it and yield tangible results through sustained efforts.

It is essential to strengthen overall planning and top-level design, and optimize the systematic layout of basic research, Xi said, calling for following the strategic guidance of the "Four Orientations" -- facing the world's scientific frontiers, the main economic battlefield, the country's major needs, and the people's life and health -- and further clarifying the main directions and priority areas for basic research. He stressed reinforcing the leading role of national research institutions and high-level research-oriented universities, and encouraging and regulating the development of new-type R&D institutions. Xi urged advancing enterprise-led in-depth integration of industry, academia, research and application to forge a seamless innovation chain covering basic research, application development and commercialization of research outcomes. He underscored the importance of bolstering basic discipline development and promoting coordinated development of applied and basic disciplines.

Xi noted that it is imperative to advance the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, make all-round efforts to cultivate, introduce and leverage talent, and expand the talent pool for basic research. It is vital to follow the laws of talent growth, improve education quality, and nurture a steady stream of reserve talents for basic research. Xi stressed improving the mechanism for coordinating science and education in talent cultivation and attaching greater importance to identifying and nurturing talent at the forefront of scientific research. He called for adhering to a task-driven approach, encouraging experienced professionals to mentor younger colleagues, and scaling up support for young talent. He also advocated carrying forward the spirit of scientists, advancing science popularization, and inspiring the imagination and curiosity of young people, so that engaging in basic research becomes a lifelong aspiration for more young people.

Xi underscored the need to ramp up support for basic research, calling for gradually raising the proportion of funding for basic research and establishing a diversified funding mechanism. He urged systematic planning for the construction of major sci-tech infrastructure and the development of intelligent research platform systems. Efforts should be made to improve the categorized evaluation system tailored to the features of basic research, enhance the working and living conditions of basic research personnel, foster an open, inclusive and failure-tolerant innovation environment, and strengthen research integrity, Xi said.

Xi urged active integration into the global innovation network, deeper international exchanges and cooperation in basic research, joint efforts to tackle major scientific issues including climate change, energy and environment, and life and health, and greater participation in global sci-tech governance.

Presiding over the symposium, Ding Xuexiang said that Xi's important speech fully affirmed China's achievements in basic research, comprehensively analyzed the new situation and challenges ahead, and made strategic arrangements and clear requirements for strengthening basic research. The speech is from a strategic perspective and features rich connotations, with strong political, theoretical and guiding significance, charting the course and providing fundamental guidance for advancing basic research, Ding said, urging efforts to thoroughly study and comprehend the guiding principles of Xi's important speech, accurately grasp the strategic intentions of the CPC Central Committee, and enhance the sense of urgency, responsibility and mission. With firmer confidence and resolve, and more practical measures and actions, we should comprehensively strengthen basic research, boost original innovation capacity, strive for higher-level sci-tech self-reliance and strength, and build China into a leading country in science and technology, he said.

Yin Li, Shi Taifeng, Liu Guozhong, Zhang Guoqing and Huang Kunming attended the symposium.

Also present were leading officials from relevant central Party and government departments, relevant units in the military, and some provinces and municipalities, as well as representatives from universities, research institutions, national laboratories, enterprises and the scientific research community.