Identify the Key Levers for Achieving High-Level Scientific and Technological Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening

With the unexpected emergence of DeepSeek and the continuous iteration of ChatGPT, at a time when artificial intelligence technology is developing at breakneck speed, technological competition has become a key battlefield in the game among major powers, and the urgency of scientific and technological innovation is even more pronounced. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that we must fully recognize the strategic leading position and fundamental supporting role of science and technology, anchor the strategic goal of building China into a scientific and technological powerhouse by 2035, strengthen top-level design and coordinated planning, and accelerate the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. We must fully understand the significance of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, identify the key levers, clarify the overall thinking and main tasks, and strive to shape new drivers and advantages for development through scientific and technological innovation.

DeepSeek横空出世，ChatGPT不断迭代，在人工智能技术飞速发展的当下，科技竞争已成为大国博弈的关键战场，科技创新的紧迫性更加凸显。习近平总书记强调，必须充分认识科技的战略先导地位和根本支撑作用，锚定2035年建成科技强国的战略目标，加强顶层设计和统筹谋划，加快实现高水平科技自立自强。我们要充分认识高水平科技自立自强的重要意义，找准关键抓手，明确总体思路和主要任务，努力以科技创新塑造发展新动能新优势。

Every major scientific and technological revolution in human society has given birth to epoch-making disruptive technologies, bringing about leaps in productive forces and major changes in the economy and society. At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is deepening, and disruptive technologies in fields such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, and new materials are showing a trend of multi-point breakthroughs, accelerated iteration, and cross-integration. International competition in technology and industry is intensifying, countries around the world are accelerating their strategic deployment of emerging technologies, and the technological competition game among major powers is escalating. Accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening will help promote rapid breakthroughs in key core technologies, achieve smooth circulation of the domestic industrial chain, supply chain, and value chain system, promote the accelerated emergence of original and disruptive technologies, drive the close integration of science and technology with the economy, continuously increase the added value of industries, improve total factor productivity, and accelerate the cultivation of new economic drivers.

人类社会每一次重大科技革命都孕育出划时代的颠覆性技术，带来生产力的跃迁和经济社会的重大变革。当前，新一轮科技革命和产业变革深入发展，大数据、云计算、人工智能、生物技术、新能源、新材料等领域颠覆性技术呈现多点突破、加速迭代和交叉融合态势。国际技术与产业竞争日益加剧，世界各国加速对新兴技术的战略性布局，大国之间的科技竞争博弈加剧。加快实现高水平科技自立自强，有助于推动关键核心技术快速突破，实现本土产业链、供应链与价值链体系的循环畅通，促进原创性颠覆性技术加快涌现，推动科技与经济紧密结合，不断提升产业附加值，提高全要素生产率，加快培育经济新动能。

Innovation capacity has reached a new level

创新能力迈上新台阶

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has placed scientific and technological innovation at the core of the overall national development, strengthened top-level design, forward-looking planning, and systematic deployment, promoted a significant enhancement of scientific and technological strength, gradually improved the innovation system, and brought innovation capacity to a new level.

党的十八大以来，我国把科技创新摆在国家发展全局的核心位置，强化顶层设计、前瞻谋划和系统部署，推动科技实力显著增强，创新体系逐步健全，创新能力迈上新台阶。

Breakthroughs in key core technologies have been continuous. The independent controllability of key core technologies is a key feature of achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. In recent years, with the implementation of national major science and technology projects, national key R&D programs, and the continuous improvement of enterprise technological innovation capability, core technologies and key generic technologies in multiple key areas have achieved breakthroughs. Progress has been made in the R&D of commercial large aircraft, key components, and basic software. Fruitful results have been achieved in many fields such as third-generation nuclear power, 5G industrialization, new energy vehicles, supercomputing, high-speed railways, and large aircraft.

关键核心技术不断突破。关键核心技术自主可控是实现高水平科技自立自强的关键特征。近年来，随着国家科技重大专项、国家重点研发计划的实施和企业技术创新水平的不断提升，多个重点领域核心技术、关键共性技术实现突破，商业大飞机、关键元器件和基础软件研发取得积极进展，三代核电、5G产业化、新能源汽车、超级计算、高速铁路、大飞机等诸多领域成果丰硕。

Major original technologies continue to emerge. Concentrated breakthroughs have been made in basic fields such as quantum science, space science, iron-based superconductivity, and synthetic biology. The development of new technologies such as 6G, artificial intelligence, quantum communication, and intelligent driving has attracted worldwide attention. The world's first sampling from the far side of the Moon has been achieved,[1]1 "Sampling from the far side of the Moon" refers to the Chang'e-6 mission in 2024, which was the first mission in human history to collect and return samples from the far side of the Moon. yielding a number of landmark and leading major original achievements. The "2022 Technical Level Evaluation Results" released by the Ministry of Science and ICT of South Korea in 2024 showed that China's overall technical level in 11 fields, including construction and transportation, aerospace and marine, and nano-materials, surpassed that of South Korea, ranking fourth in the world in science and technology, and ranking third in the world in 50 strategic technology fields, ahead of Japan and South Korea.

重大原创技术持续涌现。量子科学、空间科学、铁基超导、合成生物学等基础领域集中突破，6G、人工智能、量子通信、智能驾驶等新技术发展令人瞩目，月背采样全球首创，取得一批标志性、引领性的重大原创成果。韩国科学技术信息通信部2024年发布的“2022年度技术水平评估结果”显示，中国在建筑交通、航空航天海洋、纳米材料等11个领域的整体技术水平超过韩国，科技水平居世界第四位，在50项战略技术领域超过日本、韩国，居世界第三位。

High-level international scientific and technological cooperation has steadily advanced. Facing changes unseen in a century, China is more proactively integrating into the global innovation network and enhancing its own scientific and technological innovation capability through open cooperation. According to data from the Ministry of Science and Technology, China has established scientific and technological cooperation relations with more than 160 countries, signed 114 intergovernmental science and technology cooperation agreements, and conducted joint project-funded research with 47 countries. It has joined more than 200 international organizations and multilateral mechanisms, and more than 1,200 Chinese experts and scholars hold senior positions in international science and technology organizations. The Alliance of International Science Organizations under the Belt and Road Initiative was established, supporting more than 8,300 young scientists from 42 countries to come to China for short-term scientific research, and initiating the construction of 53 joint laboratories.

高水平国际科技合作稳步推进。面对世界百年未有之大变局，我国更主动融入全球创新网络，在开放合作中提升自身科技创新能力。根据科技部数据，我国已与160多个国家建立科技合作关系，签订114个政府间科技合作协定，与47个国家开展联合项目资助研究。已加入200多个国际组织和多边机制，在国际科技组织任高级职位的中国专家学者超1200人。“一带一路”国际科学组织联盟成立，支持来自42个国家的8300多名青年科学家来华短期科研，启动建设53家联合实验室。

The innovation ecosystem has been continuously optimized. From 2012 to 2024, China's total R&D expenditure increased from 1.03 trillion yuan to 3.61 trillion yuan, and the R&D intensity rose from 1.91% to 2.68%, exceeding the average level of EU countries. In 2024, basic research expenditure reached 249.7 billion yuan, accounting for 6.91% of R&D expenditure, achieving sustained and rapid development. A total of 1.045 million invention patents were granted, a year-on-year increase of 13.5%. Currently, the number of graduates in STEM fields in China exceeds 5 million each year, leading the world.

创新生态持续优化。2012年至2024年，我国全社会研究与试验发展（R&D）经费总量从1.03万亿元增加到3.61万亿元，研发强度从1.91%提升到2.68%，已超过欧盟国家平均水平。2024年，基础研究经费投入达到2497亿元，占R&D经费比重为6.91%，实现了持续较快发展。共授权发明专利104.5万件，同比增长13.5%。目前，我国每年科学、技术、工程、数学（STEM）专业毕业生数量超过500万人，全球领先。

Focus on key areas to enhance scientific and technological strength

聚焦重点提升科技实力

To accelerate the realization of the goal of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, it is necessary to focus on key areas such as basic research, enterprise innovation capability, talent, and innovation ecosystem, continuously improve the innovation ecosystem, transform the innovation model, and perfect the industrial technology innovation system that deeply integrates "basic research—technological breakthrough—achievement transformation—industrial application", thereby continuously enhancing independent innovation capability, so that China possesses strong strength in basic research, key core technology breakthroughs, frontier technology R&D, original innovation, and the cultivation of high-quality scientific and technological talents, and occupies a leading position in global scientific and technological innovation.

为加快实现高水平科技自立自强目标，需聚焦基础研究、企业创新能力、人才、创新生态等重点，持续完善创新生态，转变创新方式，健全“基础研究—技术攻关—成果转化—产业应用”深度融通的产业技术创新体系，不断增强自主创新能力，从而使我国在基础研究、关键核心技术攻关、前沿科技研发、原始创新以及高素质科技人才培养等方面拥有强劲实力，处于全球科技创新领先地位。

Accelerate key breakthroughs. With enhancing independent innovation capability as the main goal, adhere to the combination of points and chains, enterprise as the main body, collaboration among departments, and simultaneous supplementation and strengthening, give full play to the advantages of the new-type nationwide system for mobilizing resources,[2]2 "New-type nationwide system for mobilizing resources" (新型举国体制) refers to a modernized version of China's traditional state-led mobilization system, combining state strategic direction with market mechanisms and enterprise participation to concentrate resources on key technological breakthroughs. strengthen the national strategic scientific and technological forces, and accelerate breakthroughs in major original innovation, basic equipment, key components, core materials, processes, software, instruments and equipment, reagents, information data, and resources in China. Establish and improve a supply mechanism for key technologies, equipment, and products that relies on and is led by domestic enterprises, R&D institutions, and talents, further improve the level of scientific, technological, and economic security, and firmly grasp the autonomy and initiative of scientific and technological development.

加快重点突破。以提升自主创新能力为主要目标，坚持点链结合、企业主体、部门协同、补锻并举，充分发挥新型举国体制优势，强化国家战略科技力量，加快推动我国在重大原始创新、基础装备、关键零部件、核心材料、工艺、软件、仪器设备、试剂、信息数据和资源等方面取得突破。建立完善由本土企业、研发机构、人才为依托和主导的关键技术、设备与产品供给机制，进一步提升科技与经济安全水平，牢牢把握科技发展的自主性和主动权。

Further deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system. The key to achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening is to form a system and mechanism that facilitates the continuous emergence of key core technologies and major original technologies, and deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system around stimulating people's initiative, creativity, and enthusiasm. Explore the governance of research institutes by scientists, select top scientists to serve as heads of research institutes, and grant greater decision-making power over technical routes, expenditure allocation, and resource deployment to the heads and principal investigators of projects. Continuously optimize the new-type nationwide system for mobilizing resources, the original technology stimulation mechanism, the open cooperation mechanism, the innovation ecosystem cultivation mechanism, and the continuous investment mechanism, promote the integration and coordinated coordination of existing scientific and technological innovation platforms, projects, policies, and resources, and accelerate the formation of a scientific and technological innovation system and mechanism that conforms to the laws of scientific research, effectively meets the needs of national development and the market, respects knowledge, encourages innovation, is open and inclusive, full of vitality, and systematic and effective.

进一步深化科技体制改革。实现高水平科技自立自强的重点是形成有利于关键核心技术和重大原创技术源源不断产生的体制机制，围绕激发人的积极性主动性创造性深化科技体制改革。探索科学家治所，遴选顶尖科学家担任科研院所负责人，赋予负责人和课题负责人更大技术路线决定权、经费支配权和资源调度权。持续优化新型举国体制、原创技术激发机制、开放合作机制、创新生态育成机制和持续投入机制，推动现有科技创新平台、项目、政策、资源整合与统筹协调，加快形成符合科研规律，有效满足国家发展和市场需求，尊重知识、鼓励创新、开放包容、充满活力、系统有效的科技创新体制机制。

Significantly enhance the innovation capability of enterprises. Adhere to the enterprise as the main body, further deepen the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, establish an applied technology R&D mechanism oriented to the actual needs of enterprises, promote the accelerated convergence of high-quality talents, funds, data, computing power, R&D platforms, and other resources to enterprises, and significantly enhance the innovation capability, competitiveness, and resource allocation capability of enterprises. Give full play to the role of leading science and technology enterprises as "problem setters, problem solvers, and answer evaluators," support the construction of an innovation ecosystem in which the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, talent chain, and policy chain support each other, promote the smooth transformation of scientific and technological achievements, effective support of financial capital, and in-depth application of innovation scenarios, and use scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening to push China's manufacturing industry to the high end of the global value chain.

大幅增强企业创新能力。坚持以企业为主体，进一步深化产学研深度合作，建立以企业实际需求为导向的应用技术研发机制，促进高素质人才、资金、数据、算力、研发平台等资源加速向企业汇聚，大幅提升企业创新能力、竞争能力和资源配置能力。发挥科技领军企业“出题人”“答题人”“阅卷人”作用，支持构建创新链、产业链、资金链、人才链、政策链相互支撑的创新生态系统，促进科技成果顺畅转化、金融资本有效支撑、创新场景深度应用，以科技自立自强推动我国制造业迈向全球价值链高端。

Consolidate the foundation of talent. Improve the selection, evaluation, and incentive mechanisms for leading scientific and technological talents, establish and improve a scientific and technological talent evaluation system oriented by innovation value, capability, and contribution, vigorously cultivate and introduce leading scientific and technological talents, young scientific and technological talents, and innovation teams, and focus on solving the problem of the lack of top talents. Actively create opportunities and platforms for high-level composite talents with the potential of strategic scientists to undertake major scientific and technological tasks and participate in major scientific and technological innovation practices, and support them in playing a leading role in guiding major original innovation, participating in top-level design of education and science and technology strategy, and promoting interdisciplinary integration and innovative development. Give full play to the positive role of entrepreneurs in promoting technological innovation, resource integration, achievement transformation, and international development, and promote the continuous emergence of more innovative entrepreneurs.

夯实人才根基。完善科技领军人才选拔、评价和激励机制，建立健全以创新价值、能力、贡献为导向的科技人才评价体系，大力培养引进科技领军人才、青年科技人才和创新团队，重点解决顶尖人才缺乏问题。积极为具有战略科学家潜质的高层次复合型人才创造承担重大科技任务和参与重大科技创新实践的机会和平台，支持其在引领重大原始创新、参与教育和科技战略顶层设计、推动学科交叉融合和创新发展等方面发挥帅才作用。发挥企业家在推动技术创新、资源整合、成果转化和国际化发展中的积极作用，推动更多创新型企业家持续涌现。

Continue to promote open innovation. Strengthen the construction of an internationalized scientific research environment, and create an innovation environment with international competitiveness and attractiveness. Increase the openness of large scientific installations and world-class major scientific and technological infrastructure to the outside world, regularly solicit the needs of international scientific research teams, clarify regulations on data sharing and other aspects, improve the efficiency of the use of large scientific facilities while promoting scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries. Focusing on major common issues of humanity, hold forums and exchange visits for frontier fields of scientific and technological innovation, inspire innovative ideas, disseminate innovative concepts, encourage innovative spirit, and promote international scientific and technological cooperation.

持续推进开放创新。加强国际化科研环境建设，打造具有国际竞争力和吸引力的创新环境。加大大科学装置和世界级重大科技基础设施对外开放力度，定期征集国际科学研究团队需求，明确数据共享等方面的规定，提高大科学设施使用效率的同时促进中外科技交流合作。聚焦人类重大共性问题，举办前沿领域科技创新论坛和交流参观活动，启迪创新思想、传播创新理念、激励创新精神，推动国际科技合作。

(The author of this article, Sheng Chaoxun, is the Director and Researcher of the Strategic Policy Office of the China Academy of Macroeconomic Research)

（本文作者盛朝迅系中国宏观经济研究院战略政策室主任、研究员）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧