Xi Jinping Outlines Six Priorities for China Tech Goals
President Xi Jinping has laid out a sweeping six-point strategy to accelerate China’s transformation into a global science and technology leader, declaring the “15th Five-Year Plan” period a “critical攻坚期” — or decisive phase — for achieving the nation’s ambitious 2035 technology goals. Speaking on July 8 at the joint convening of the National Science and Technology Award Conference, the General Assemblies of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) in Beijing, Xi’s address has galvanized scientists and researchers across the country, according to Xinhua News.
Context: A Defining Moment for Chinese Science
The conference, held at the Great Hall of the People with approximately 4,300 attendees, marked a pivotal moment in China’s scientific calendar. Premier Li Qiang presided over the ceremony, while Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang read the award decision for the 2025 National Science and Technology Awards, which recognized 258 projects and 11 experts. The highest honors went to Chen Liquan, a lithium battery pioneer from the CAS Institute of Physics, and Ben De, a radar technology specialist from the China Electronics Technology Group.
The event comes as China’s research and development intensity reached 2.8% of GDP in 2025, surpassing the OECD average for the first time — a milestone that Xinhua reported as evidence of the nation’s accelerating scientific ambition. The speech also arrives amid intensifying US-China technology competition, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.
The Six Priorities
Xi’s address outlined six key priorities designed to transform China from a “global participant and contributor in science and technology to a pioneer and leader,” as the official transcript states.
1. Enhancing systematic R&D capabilities — Xi called for better coordination of national missions to avoid what he termed “involution-style competition” among regions, urging a more integrated approach to research planning and resource allocation.
2. Deepening tech-industry integration — The President emphasized application-oriented research and enterprise-led innovation, calling for stronger technology transfer systems to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and commercial products.
3. Cultivating young talent — “The future of science lies in youth,” Xi declared, announcing plans for strategic support of early-career researchers and efforts to attract overseas talent back to China.
4. Improving R&D investment efficiency — While acknowledging China’s remarkable R&D spending growth, Xi stressed the need to crack down on waste and corruption, calling for reforms to ensure funds are deployed effectively.
5. Reforming evaluation systems — Xi urged acceleration of the “breaking the Four Onlys” (破四唯) campaign, which aims to move beyond evaluating researchers solely on papers, titles, qualifications, and awards.
6. Strengthening ethical and security governance — The President highlighted the need for AI ethics frameworks and security monitoring, signaling China’s intent to participate actively in global tech governance.
Scientists Respond with Renewed Dedication
The speech has resonated deeply within China’s scientific community. Chen Liquan, one of the two highest award recipients, told Xinhua: “I will continue to take the nation’s needs as my mission, and contribute my life’s energy to achieving high-level self-reliance.” Ben德 echoed this sentiment, stating: “Whatever the nation needs me to do, I will dedicate my life to it.”
Sui Shaochun, Chairman of AVIC Chengdu Aircraft, was quoted by Xinhua as saying that “under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the new national system for mobilizing resources is continuously demonstrating its superiority.” The Chinese government’s official portal reported that scientists across disciplines — from quantum technology to agricultural science — have expressed renewed commitment to national innovation goals.
Analysis: Quality Over Quantity
The speech signals a notable shift in emphasis from simply increasing R&D spending to improving the quality and efficiency of scientific output. Analysts note that Xi’s focus on cracking down on “involution-style competition” and reforming evaluation systems addresses long-standing concerns about duplication of effort and misaligned incentives in China’s research ecosystem.
The emphasis on youth talent cultivation also reflects strategic responses to demographic challenges and concerns about brain drain, as China seeks to retain and attract top scientific talent amid global competition.
What’s Next
As China enters the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, the key question remains how these six priorities will translate into concrete policies and funding allocations. The government is expected to release detailed implementation guidelines in the coming months, with particular attention to how the “new national system” (新型举国体制) — combining state planning with market mechanisms — will be deployed for major technological challenges.
Observers will be watching closely for signs of progress in technology transfer rates, the effectiveness of evaluation reforms, and China’s ability to balance rapid AI development with the ethical governance frameworks Xi has called for.