First Observation | At the Start of the New Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping Makes Strategic Arrangements to Strengthen Basic Research

First Observation — Issue 687

Jointly produced by the Domestic News Department of Xinhua News Agency and the Shanghai Branch of Xinhua News Agency

Produced by Xinhua News Agency First Studio

On April 30, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended a symposium on strengthening basic research in Shanghai. He emphasized the need to strengthen basic research with greater intensity and more practical measures, enhance China’s capacity for original innovation, and further consolidate the foundation for building China into a leading country in science and technology.

Technological and industrial innovation can be viewed as the process of moving “from 1 to 100,” while basic research, positioned at the beginning of the scientific research chain, drives innovation “from 0 to 1.” As General Secretary Xi Jinping has noted, “Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the starting point for addressing all technological challenges.”

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to basic research. Through optimizing the national research landscape, increasing funding and support, and reforming institutional mechanisms, China has made significant progress in the development of basic research.

In February 2023, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a collective study session on strengthening basic research. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Strengthening basic research is an urgent requirement for achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, and an essential path toward building China into a leading country in science and technology.”

The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical stage in building China into a leading country in science and technology. At this symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping made strategic arrangements for strengthening basic research, based on a profound assessment of the current opportunities and challenges.

From a horizontal perspective, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is advancing in depth, while the cycle for translating basic research into practical applications has shortened significantly. International competition in science and technology is increasingly shifting toward the frontiers of basic research. Responding to international competition in science and technology, achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, promoting the creation of a new development paradigm, and pursuing high-quality development all urgently require stronger basic research.

From a longitudinal perspective, only nine years remain before China is expected to achieve its strategic goal of becoming a leading country in science and technology. Whether it is accelerating breakthroughs in areas subject to technological bottlenecks or developing new quality productive forces at a faster pace, both depend on strong theoretical foundations and a steady supply of technologies from the source.

At the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping identified key priorities for advancing basic research under the new circumstances.

Optimizing the Systematic Layout of Basic Research

Advancing basic research requires comprehensive and top-level planning, making early strategic moves and taking the initiative. General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly called for “adhering to the strategic orientation of the ‘Four Orientations,’ further clarifying the main directions and priority areas of basic research,” and “breaking through the barriers across the innovation chain linking basic research, applied development, and the commercialization of research”

This requires us to follow trends in scientific and technological development and respond to national strategic needs, strengthen strategic, forward-looking, and systematic planning for basic research, and promote integrated planning and full-chain implementation across basic research, applied basic research, technological innovation, and the translation of research.

The scientific representatives attending the symposium came from leading research universities, national research institutions, and leading technology companies. Their participation reflects a clear policy orientation toward coordinating and optimizing the deployment of national strategic scientific and technological, promoting deeper industry-academia-research integration, and fostering coordinated development between basic and applied research.

Strengthening the Talent Pool for Basic Research

“Ultimately, strengthening basic research depends on high-level talent,” and “we must promote positive interaction between scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening and independent talent development.” General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the critical role of talent in basic research and technological innovation and called for the integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent development.

At the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to advance the development of education, science and technology, and talent in an integrated manner, while making comprehensive efforts to cultivate, attract, and utilize talent.

“Follow the laws governing talent development,” “identify and cultivate talent at the front lines of scientific research,” and “use research tasks to drive development, encourage experienced researchers to mentor newcomers, and provide strong support for young talent” — these approaches provide fundamental guidance for strengthening talent as a pillar of basic research.

Basic research requires not only material support but also intellectual and spiritual encouragement. General Secretary Xi Jinping has consistently emphasized the importance of the scientific spirit. At the symposium, he again called for promoting the spirit of scientists and proposed “stimulating young people’s imagination and desire to explore, and making engagement in basic research a life aspiration for more young people.” Young people who are inspired by scientific dreams and a passion for innovation will become a continuous source of talent for basic research.

Strengthening Support and Safeguards for Basic Research

The world has entered an era of Big Science, with basic research becoming increasingly organized and coordinated. Institutional safeguards and policy guidance are playing an increasingly important role in determining the outcomes of basic research. How, then, can strong support and safeguards be provided for basic research?

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to “gradually increase the proportion of funding allocated to basic research,” “systematically plan and develop major scientific and technological infrastructure,” and “improve a categorized evaluation system suited to the characteristics of basic research.” These measures provide systematic arrangements covering funding, infrastructure, and the innovation environment.

Basic research is characterized by long cycles, significant challenges, and a high degree of uncertainty. This year’s government budget report calls for strengthening original innovation and breakthroughs in key and core technologies, systematically planning and developing major scientific and technological infrastructure, and further deepening reforms of the science and technology evaluation system. A series of measures are providing stronger support and safeguards for basic research.

Deepening International Exchanges and Cooperation in Basic Research

Science and technology are global and universal endeavors. At present, international scientific and technological cooperation faces the impact and challenges of unilateralism and protectionism pursued by a small number of countries. To address common challenges to human development, international cooperation, openness, and knowledge sharing are more important than ever. No country can become an independent center of innovation or monopolize the benefits of innovation.

“Actively integrate into global innovation networks,” “deepen international exchanges and cooperation in basic research,” and “actively participate in global science and technology governance” — with a global vision for planning and advancing scientific and technological innovation, General Secretary Xi Jinping has provided clear direction for strengthening international exchanges and cooperation in basic research and promoting openness and knowledge sharing.

A towering tree with lush foliage depends on deep roots. “We must seize opportunities, respond to challenges, effectively place basic research high on the agenda, and pursue it consistently and persistently to achieve new results.” General Secretary Xi Jinping’s words are both a call to action and an inspiration.