Xi Jinping Urges Science Self-Reliance to Meet 2035 Goal

Xi Jinping called on Chinese scientists and engineers to establish China as a leading global science and technology power by 2035 during a joint meeting in Beijing on July 8, 2026. The event combined the national science and technology award conference, the 11th national congress of the China Association for Science and Technology, and general assemblies for both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Xi identified the 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030 as a critical phase for overcoming technological challenges and achieving high-level self-reliance. He emphasized that innovation is essential to accelerate Chinese modernization, particularly as the country seeks to transition from a manufacturing hub to a technological innovator amid international competition and U.S. export controls on AI chips.

During the ceremony, Xi presented the 2025 top sci-tech awards to Chen Liquan, a researcher at the Institute of Physics and founder of China's lithium battery sector, and Ben De, a radar technology expert from the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation. Other state awards for natural science, technological invention, and scientific progress were also distributed to recognize advancements in fields such as artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.