Cartoon Commentary President Xi talks to NPC deputies and CPPCC advisors②: Directing innovation and development

On March 5, President Xi Jinping spoke with deputies from Shanghai delegation at the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature.

Xi called for implementing bold development concepts: innovation, coordination, green development, opening up, and sharing, and strengthening systematic integration measures for comprehensive deepening reforms and opening-up.

Innovation aims to realize a new world technological frontier, enhancing the capability of independent innovation, striving for major innovations in basic science and technology fields and to achieve major breakthroughs in core technology fields.

Innovation ranks as a priority and main driving engine to lead development. Xi said technological innovation is the key link to grab opportunities and win advantages of development.

Throughout the history, people have benefitted from innovations from water power to steam power.

The United Kingdom had claimed to be the empire on which the sun never sets. The information revolution, a unique advantage for the United States, makes the nation a global leader of technological power now.

Through accelerating the formation of an economic system and a development model guided and supported by innovation, we can recognize the development trend of China’s future.

Currently, China's overall level of technological innovation has remained low. Science and technology has given insufficient support for the nation’s economic and social development.

There exists an obvious gap with developed countries in the fields of aircraft engines, semiconductor chips and other advanced manufacturing fields. Yet, China stands at the stage of a national revival. Innovation seems to be more essential than ever before.

Continuous innovation is the only way to break limitations of production factors, resource bottlenecks and personnel structures, grasp opportunities for development, foster new development impetus, and expand new spaces for development.

Innovation is not a slogan but action is necessary. It must join forces with the government, market and society.

The five development concepts put forward at the Fifth Plenary Session of 18th CPC Central Committee are well implemented. The dynamic burst of continuous innovation can bring better-quality, higher-efficiency and better-structured development.

The author is an associate Professor with the department of politics of the China National School of Administration