The Path of Independent Innovation with Chinese Characteristics

The major strategic decision made by Hu Jintao at the National Science and Technology Conference on behalf of the Party Central Committee in January 2006. The capability of independent innovation is the core of national competitiveness, a major choice for China to meet future challenges, the strategic main line guiding China's future scientific and technological development and the fundamental way to achieve the goal of an innovative country. We shall plan and promote innovation with a global perspective, improve capability of original innovation, integrated innovation, and introduction, digestion, absorption and re-innovation, pay more attention to collaborative innovation, adhere to the guidelines of independent innovation, leapfrogging in key areas, supporting development, and leading the future, continuously improve innovation capabilities, focus on building an enterprise-led and market-oriented technology innovation system that combines production, education and research, accelerate the construction of a national innovation system, strive to cultivate the innovative spirit of the entire society, and condense the wisdom and strength of the entire society to innovation and development. The development of science and technology in China, especially in terms of the structural layout, strategic focus and policy measures of scientific and technological development, must not only conform to the trend of world’s scientific and technological development, follow the laws of science and technology, but also closely combine national conditions and national strategic needs, and choose a development path that conforms to the requirements of the times and the reality of the country.

The core of the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics is to persist in independent innovation, leapfrogging in key areas, supporting development, and leading the future. Independent innovation means to strengthen the original innovation, integrated innovation and the introduction, digestion, absorption and re-innovation starting from the enhancement of national innovation capabilities. Leapfrogging in key areas means to insist on refraining from doing some things in order to accomplish other things, and choose key areas with certain foundations and advantages, related to the national economy, people's livelihood and national security, to make breakthroughs and achieve leapfrog development. Supporting development means starting from the urgent needs of reality, focusing on breakthroughs in major key technologies and common technologies, and supporting sustained and coordinated economic and social development. Leading the future means taking a long-term view, deploying cutting-edge technologies and basic research ahead of time, creating new market demands, cultivating emerging industries, and leading future economic and social development. Since the 21st century, China’s path of independent innovation has been further deepened. The 16th CPC National Congress emphasized the need to encourage scientific and technological innovation, accelerate the construction of the national innovation system, improve the scientific and technological service system, and accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into actual productivity. In 2006, it was proposed to take the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, and enter the ranks of the world's innovative countries by 2020. The 18th CPC National Congress further made a major deployment to implement the “innovation-driven development strategy”. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics has been continuously deepened and expanded. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has further answered why it is necessary to unswervingly follow the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, and how to follow the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics. To follow the path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, we must do a good job in top-level design, and carry out top-level design from a global perspective. It is required to study and identify the background and trend of the world's scientific and technological development, as well as China's current situation and the path that China should take, and consider both the needs and practical capabilities, refrain from doing some things in order to accomplish other things, combine long-term goals with recent work, and propose practical development direction, goals, and work priorities.