Mo Gaoyi:

Thank you, Mr. Han Wenxiu. Now please, Mr. Huai Jinpeng, introduce the reforms in the fields of education, science and technology, talent, and innovation.

Huai Jinpeng:

Ladies and gentlemen from the media, I will brief you on reforms in the areas of education, science and technology, talent, and innovation.

The 20th CPC National Congress highlighted that innovation remains at the heart of China's modernization drive, emphasizing that education, science and technology, and human resources are the foundational and strategic pillars for building a modern socialist country in all respects. It clearly set the goal for China to become a leading country in education, science and technology, and talent by 2035. The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee further proposed supporting all-around innovation, making coordinated efforts to promote integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms pertaining to education, science and technology, and human resources, and improving the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide to make key technological breakthroughs. These efforts will help boost the overall performance of China's innovation system. This series of new arrangements and instructions fully reflects the profound insights of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core into the nature and laws of innovation.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has thoroughly implemented the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy. We have promoted the integrated advancement of education, scientific and technological innovation, and talent cultivation, continuously strengthening support for modernization drive. I would like to briefly introduce three points in this regard: First, China has built the world's largest education system, with the prevalence of education at all levels reaching or exceeding the average level of middle- and high-income countries. The gross enrollment rate in higher education institutions has surpassed 60%, entering a universally recognized stage of high popularization. Second, the average years of education received by the new workforce has exceeded 14 years, and the population with higher education has reached 250 million. China has the world's largest number of professionals involved in research and development. Third, China's total R&D expenditure ranks second in the world. It has continuously strengthened basic research and original innovation, achieved major breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and further unleashed the vitality of innovation entities and talents. China has joined the ranks of the world's innovators.

You know, in the contemporary era, science and technology is the primary productive force, talent is the primary resource, and innovation is the primary driver of growth. Technological innovation relies on talent, and talent cultivation depends on education. The transformations unseen in a century are accelerating across the world and a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is well under way. The international competition for high-quality talent and the leading position in science and technology has become unprecedentedly intense. This urgently requires us to follow the path of nurturing talent at home and achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology. For this purpose, the resolution of the plenary session made important arrangements for deepening the integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms pertaining to education, science and technology, and human resources.

First, it is to deepen comprehensive reform in education. Developing a large country in education into a leading one in this respect means systemic improvement and qualitative change. The resolution emphasizes accelerating the development of a high-quality education system, coordinating the reform in educational methods, school operation models, management systems, and support mechanisms. It focuses on cultivating a new generation of young people who can shoulder the mission of realizing national rejuvenation, improving the mechanism of fostering virtue through education, exploring new grounds in integrating the political education curriculum across all levels, from elementary schools to universities, and perfecting a comprehensive education system that encompasses sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. With an eye on cultivating top-notch and innovative talents, the resolution urges to promote the reforms in universities and colleges with a category-based approach, establishing a discipline adjustment mechanism and talent nurturing models driven by scientific and technological development and national strategic needs. Adhering to the principle that we must have better teachers first if we are to strengthen education, we shall enhance teachers' capabilities to impart knowledge and educate students, and establish a long-term mechanism for fostering professional ethics and conduct of teachers. By effectively utilizing world-class educational resources and innovative factors, we shall promote the high-level opening up of education.

Second, it is to deepen structural scientific and technological reform. Adhering to the strategic guidance of "setting our sights on the global frontiers of science and technology, national economic development, the major needs of the country, and the health and safety of the people," our focus is on igniting the scientific and technological creativity. The resolution emphasizes the need to optimize the organizational mechanisms for major scientific and technological innovations, to strengthen building our country's strength in strategic science and technology, and to step up coordinated efforts to secure breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. It calls for improving the management of science and technology initiatives, strengthening the forward-looking and pioneering planning in basic research fields, interdisciplinary frontier areas, and key areas. With an eye on the comprehensive integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, the resolution reinforces the principal role of enterprises and promotes closer enterprise-led collaboration between industries, universities, and research institutes. It asks us to deepen the reform of the mechanism for applying scientific and technological achievements and build a technology finance system that is compatible with scientific and technological innovation.

Third, it is to deepen institutional reforms for talent development. Focusing on accelerating the formation of effective mechanisms for talent nurturing, utilization, evaluation, services, support, and incentives, the resolution emphasizes the adoption of more active, open, and effective policies on talent, and the improvement of mechanisms for nurturing talent on our own. We need to speed up efforts to build a contingent of personnel with expertise of strategic importance, cultivate science strategists, first-class scientists and innovation teams, as well as outstanding engineers, master craftsmen, and highly-skilled workers, thereby enhancing the quality of talents in various fields. We must strengthen talent incentive mechanisms, continue to empower employers and free up more space for talents, and develop a personnel evaluation system based on innovation capability, quality, effectiveness, and contribution, creating a favorable environment for talent development.

In conclusion, by further deepening reforms, we aim to accelerate building China into a leading country in education, science and technology, and talent, and to create a multiplier effect that drives high-quality development, and provides support and paves the way for Chinese modernization.

That's all for my introduction. Thank you, everyone!

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