Written by via Vanessa Cai at scmp.com
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to boost “disruptive innovation”, integrate technology with industry, and increase supply chain resilience as he presided over this year’s first Politburo study session.
At the meeting of the Communist Party’s top policymaking body on Wednesday, Xi said China must strengthen scientific and technological innovation – especially “original and disruptive” innovations – as well as achieve scientific and tech self-reliance and “fight the battle in core technologies”.
He told Politburo members that innovation should be used to “transform and upgrade traditional industries, cultivate and expand new industries, plan and construct future industries, and improve and modernise the industrial system”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
He also stressed the importance of improving the “resilience and security” of supply chains and ensuring that the industrial system is “autonomous and controllable, safe and reliable”.
Xi made the remarks as the 24-member Politburo held its first group study session of the year.
Others who spoke at the meeting included Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region party chief Ma Xingrui, Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing and Chongqing municipality party boss Yuan Jiajun. Ma is a former aerospace expert and Yuan is a former rocket scientist, while Zhang has a defence industry background.
China has repeatedly emphasised tech self-reliance as one of its top policy priorities as the country and its hi-tech ambitions face containment by the US and its allies. Xi has often reiterated the call for technological innovation at high-level meetings.