China News Service:  

The guideline put forward that the Pudong New Area will deepen the innovation of systems and mechanisms for science and technology, and build a new highland for independent innovation. What measures will the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) take to promote the implementation of the guideline? Thank you.  

Xu Jing:  

Thank you for your question. I'll answer it. The MST has fully implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and vigorously supported the Pudong New Area in becoming a model of the times for independent innovation and development to enhance its independent innovation capacity, increase its global influence. The MST will also speed up efforts to develop the Pudong New Area into a core area of the international science and technology innovation center of Shanghai. In general, we have measures in the following four aspects:  

First, we will support Zhangjiang National Innovative Demonstration Zone in playing its leading role and strengthen regional innovation capacity. We will focus on such fields as integrated circuits, life science, artificial intelligence, accelerate the establishment and operation of national laboratories, lead to foster national strategic sci-tech strength, and enhance the development of pilot incubation centers for applying scientific and technological achievements. We will work hard to develop national technological innovation hubs in the Yangtze Delta , build a number of engineering technology research centers and national clinical medicine research centers, and strengthen the development of Zhangjiang Comprehensive National Science Center based on major national sci-tech infrastructure and sci-tech innovation bases.  

Second, we will give full play to the leading role of Pudong New Area in the innovation-driven development of Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta. The Ministry of Science and Technology will support the Pudong New Area to head the building of the concerted mechanism for technological breakthroughss and innovators in the Yangtze River Delta to jointly achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in several strategic areas and to build and improve the mechanism for the science and technology innovation community in the Yangtze River Delta. We will step up efforts to have a clear division of work, make breakthroughs in key technologies, supply high-end products, and establish Chinese standards. Efforts will be made to support Pudong New Area to play a leading role in building a new generation of the national AI innovative development pilot zone, enhance its capacity to boost original AI innovation, and conduct new AI applications and experiments to energize the industries in the field of AI in a bid to reach a "highland" which features international influence in regard to AI. And we will keep supporting Pudong to host the World Artificial Intelligence Conference. 

Third, we will support the building of a high-level platform for international scientific and technological exchange. In the field of brain science, we will launch international big science research plans and take the lead in developing an effective model for organizing international big science research plans and projects. We will continue to support the Shanghai Pujiang Innovation Forum and World Laureates Forum.

Fourth, we will deepen sci-tech institutional reforms and support Pudong New Area to "move first and experiment first." We will support the national research and development institutions in Pudong to carry out Shanghai's policies for improving sci-tech systems and mechanisms. We will support new-type research and development institutions in Pudong New Area to conduct work under the management framework based on regulations, comprehensive budget management, and performance evaluation. We will support universities and scientific research institutions to establish professional technology transfer institutions. Pilot work will be carried out to confer the ownership or rights of long-term use of job-related scientific and technological achievements on scientific research, and grant Pudong greater autonomy in the management of foreign sci-tech professionals working in Shanghai.

Next, the Ministry of Science and Technology will implement the tasks stipulated in the guidelines and ramp up efforts to build Pudong New Area into an exemplary success in an era marked by independent innovation and development. Thanks for your questions.