Speakers:
Wang Zhigang, minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
He Defang, vice secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Xu Jing, director-general of the Department of Strategic Planning, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Qin Yong, director-general of the Department of High and New Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Wu Yuanbin, director-general of the Department of Science and Technology for Social Development, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Chairperson:
Hu Kaihong, spokesperson for the State Council Information Office.
Date:
Oct. 21, 2020
Hu Kaihong:
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office. During the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, we have made major achievements in building an innovation-oriented country. Today, we are glad to invite Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang to introduce the strategy of promoting innovation-driven development and our efforts to build China into an innovation-oriented country before answering your questions. Also present are: Vice Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology He Defang; Director-General of the Department of Strategic Planning Xu Jing; Director-General of the Department of High and New Technology in Yong; and Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology for Social Development Wu Yuanbin.
First, let's give the floor to Mr. Wang.
Wang Zhigang:
Good afternoon everyone. Firstly, I'd like to thank the media for your objective and professional reporting on our work on science and technology, as well as your attention and support for scientific and technological innovation. I am so pleased to meet you and share information with you about the scientific and technological innovation progress of the 13th Five-Year Plan.
The 13th Five-Year Plan period is a decisive stage in the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and also a critical period for making China a country of innovators. In the face of a complex and severe international situation and the urgent domestic demand for scientific and technological innovation arising from China's pursuit of high-quality development, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the scientific and technological community have implemented the new development concept and carried out the innovation-driven development strategy. Aiming for the frontiers of science and technology, and to support economic development, meet the major needs of the country, and protect people's health, we have strengthened basic research and application-oriented basic research, made greater efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas, strengthened efforts to build up China's strategic capacity in science and technology, advanced the reform of the scientific and technological system in a systematic manner, and expanded opening-up and cooperation in the field of science and technology. As a result, our innovation system and environment have improved, and innovation ability remarkably enhanced, playing an increasingly prominent role in supporting and guiding China's efforts to foster a new development architecture and promote high-quality development. The COVID-19 epidemic has further tested our building of the innovation system, our scientific ability and level, technology reserve and emergency response capacity. Chinese science and technology workers demonstrated a strong patriotic spirit, a strong sense of responsibility, professionalism and a high level of ethics in the fight against the epidemic, which are respectable and unforgettable. We have gained more confidence and tenacity for innovative development in serving national rejuvenation and tackling the once-in-a-century changes in the world.
I will share some data with you all. The past five years have witnessed an increase of China's R&D spending from 1.42trillion yuan to 2.21trillion yuan. Investment in R&D has risen from 2.06% of GDP to 2.23%.The basic research spending has almost doubled, and reached 133.6 billion yuan in 2019. We have doubled the volume of contracted technology transactions, reaching over 2.2trillion yuan in 2019. The Global Innovation Index issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) shows that China has leapfrogged from the 29th in 2015 to 14th in 2020. In sum, China has seen improvement in both the quality and quantity of technological innovation, making significant progress in becoming technology country of innovators.
