Strategy of Invigorating the Country Through Science, Technology and Education

The strategic decision first proposed in the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Accelerating the Progress of Science and Technology” in May 1995. The strategic decision pointed out that, efforts shall be made to fully implement the idea that science and technology are the primary productive forces, adhere to the education-oriented principle, put science and technology and education in an important position in economic and social development, strengthen the country’s scientific and technological strength and the capability to transform it into actual productivity, improve the scientific and cultural quality of the whole nation, shift economic construction to the track of relying on scientific and technological progress and improving the quality of laborers, and accelerate the country’s prosperity. The theoretical basis of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education is Deng Xiaoping’s thought that science and technology are the primary productive forces. In 1977, Deng Xiaoping put forward at the scientific and educational work symposium: “To catch up with the world's advanced level, where should we start? I think we should start with science and education.” In the same year, he said in a conversation with the principal responsible comrades of the Ministry of Education: “ If we don't focus on science and education, the four modernizations will have no hope and will become empty talk.” This puts the development of science and education as the forerunner of developing the economy and building a modern and powerful country, and puts it at the top of our country's development strategy. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Deng Xiaoping put forward the core idea of “To achieve the four modernizations, science and technology are the key, and the foundation is education”, which laid a solid theoretical and practical foundation for the formation of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education. From the 15th CPC National Congress to the 18th CPC National Congress, the implementation of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education has been repeatedly emphasized, and has been continuously deepened and expanded in theory and practice.

The 19th CPC National Congress once again emphasized the need to implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, and coordinate the development of this strategy with other strategies.