After the second plenary meeting of the Fourth Session of the 13th National People's Congress, the second "Ministerial Channel" interview event was held, and some of the leaders of relevant ministries and commissions of the State Council who attended the meeting were invited to accept interviews via online video.
Beijing News Shell Finance and Economics reporter: My question is that improving the original innovation ability has always been a key issue of concern to all sectors of society.
In the government work report this year, it is also mentioned that the lack of innovation capabilities in key areas is a challenge facing our country.
I would like to ask Minister Wang, what new measures will my country have in the future to improve basic scientific research and original innovation capabilities?
Thank you.
Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang: Thank you for your question. Your question is very important.
To strengthen basic innovation capabilities, we should first raise awareness.
General Secretary Xi Jinping said that basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the central authority for all technical issues.
If we want to achieve self-reliance in science and technology, we must be strong in basic innovation capabilities.
At the same time, we often say today that the industry chain and supply chain have shortcomings, and the root cause is that there are weak links in basic research capabilities and the foundation is not strong.
In the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee and this government work report, higher requirements were put forward for basic research.
As the Ministry of Science and Technology, we must earnestly study and understand and implement it.
Wang Zhigang: Looking back at the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan", my country has made great achievements in basic innovation capabilities.
In the national innovation system, the proportion and position of basic research become more and more important, the top-level design and system layout are more reasonable, and the basic research pattern combining problem-oriented, goal-oriented and free exploration is also taking shape. , Quantum information, brain-like chips and other fields, as well as basic disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc. have achieved a batch of basic research results.
Wang Zhigang: The investment in basic research has also made great progress.
During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, the entire central government's investment in science and technology has increased by 70%, but basic research has doubled.
This shows that in the overall R&D investment structure, the proportion of basic research investment is increasing, exceeding 6% for the first time in 2019, and it is expected to reach 6.16% in 2020.
In terms of basic research, we also pay more attention to the topic selection of the project, so that the truly valuable issues can be taken as the focus.
There are also new developments in the exploration of regularity in basic research, and the methods and paradigms suitable for basic research are constantly improving.
At the same time, basic research capabilities and teams continue to improve, the scientific research environment suitable for basic research is continuously optimized, and new and better scientific research methods are constantly available to support basic research.
Wang Zhigang: In the next step, basic research should be placed in a more important position in the work of the party and the state and in the overall national science and technology.
Wang Zhigang: First of all, we must formulate a ten-year action plan for basic research, develop a more scientifically optimized top-level design and system layout, so that basic research can be systematically deployed and promoted in a systematic manner in our country.
Wang Zhigang: Second, continue to increase investment in basic research.
It is now 6%. We must strive for the "14th Five-Year Plan" so that basic research accounts for about 8% of the total R&D investment in society.
Wang Zhigang: Third, basic research should put more emphasis on national strategic goal orientation and free exploration of "two-legged" walking.
Wang Zhigang: Fourth, we must further encourage young scientific and technological personnel to devote themselves to basic research.
Wang Zhigang: Fifth, we must build some basic subject research centers and platforms.
During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, we established 13 national applied mathematics centers, which have been fully affirmed and praised by the scientific and technological circles.
Wang Zhigang: In addition, we must continue to reform the ecological environment, evaluation standards, and support methods of basic research.
Thank you.