Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said science and technology are playing the "supporting and the leading" role in China's socio-economic development.

At the seventh national congress of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Wen said scientific development and innovation could solve a series prominent problems occurring in China's development.

Science and technology could alleviate resource pressure in the agricultural sector, upgrade the structure of industries and products, transfer the economic growth mode and speed up development in education, public health and social affairs, Wen said.

He raised three goals for China's developing science and technology sector: help meet the country's new five-year plan, win a due place for China in the world's science and technology frontier and cultivate and create world-class scientists and researchers.

(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2006)