China's Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng speaks at a press conference on people's livelihood during the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2024.(Xinhua/Mu Yu)

As part of efforts to develop new quality productive forces, China will enhance reform and innovation to foster high-caliber talent and first-class innovators, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said on Saturday.

Innovation plays a core role in developing new quality productive forces, while education is the foundation and a leading force, Huai told a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing national legislative session.

According to Huai, the enrollment ratio for higher education in China had exceeded 60 percent by the end of last year, ranking first globally in terms of scale. As a new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation evolves rapidly, high-caliber talent and first-class innovators are the most important strategic resources to enhance the country's core competitiveness.

"We will improve our capabilities for cultivating such talent to build China into an important global talent center and an innovation highland. This is also a key move for developing new quality productive forces and meeting the needs of realizing Chinese modernization," Huai said.