Shenzhen Satellite TV:

In the past 10 years, what exploration has the CAS made to deepen the sci-tech system's reform and cultivate innovative talents? What are the good practices and experiences? Thank you.

Hou Jianguo:

Thanks for your questions. Mr. Wang introduced China's reform of the sci-tech system. In the past decade, the CAS has continued to deepen reform and made efforts to fully activate all factors, including institutions, talents, facilities, funds, and projects, so as to form a joint force for innovative development.

First, we have optimized the layout of scientific research. We have strengthened the strategic, leading, and collaborative nature of the scientific research layout and coordinated the layout among regions, fields, and innovation platforms. We have implemented the national strategy for regional development. We have actively participated in constructing comprehensive national science centers in Huairou of Beijing, Zhangjiang of Shanghai, and Hefei of Anhui province, and in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Several new research institutes have been established to meet major national strategic needs such as cyber security, aerospace information, rare earth resources, and ecological security. We have expanded international sci-tech cooperation in an active way with 10 science and education cooperation centers established overseas.

Second, we have promoted the reform of scientific research management. The CAS should strengthen the directional and systematic basic research work as a national strategic scientific and technological force. In other words, our basic research should refine scientific issues from the sci-tech frontier and meet the country's major needs. Therefore, we issued 10 basic research principles to reform topic selection mechanism, management methods, resource allocation, assessment and evaluation, and other aspects.

In order to ensure the smooth implementation of research tasks for key and core technologies, we have formulated the "eight-point policy" to guarantee key scientific researchers can concentrate on their research tasks and their other worries will be addressed. Just as Mr. Wang Zhigang mentioned, tackling bottleneck problems for key and core technologies requires the long and hard work of scientists and their great concentration and constant breakthroughs are needed. Therefore, we must institutionally ensure that our scientists can focus on their research tasks in the long term.

We have in particular given play to the institutional advantage of the CAS and strengthened interdisciplinary research and the coordination among different units as in a big corps. For example, in the formation of the Action Plan for Science and Technology to Support the Dual Carbon Goals, we have coordinated the strengths of the entire academy and made a full-chain plan from basic research, key and core technology breakthroughs and comprehensive demonstration.

Third, cultivating innovation talents. We have followed the guiding principles of the central conference on talent-related work, upheld the strategy of building an academy of talents, and pursued coordinated development of all talents. We continued to reform the academicians system to make it more academic and honor-oriented, optimize the structure of academicians, and encourage them to set good examples in four aspects. In order to encourage researchers' immersion in scientific research, we have established a system of specially hired researchers to offer them relatively stable support. We have created a plan to support young teams in basic research to encourage top young talents to tackle scientific challenges and conduct original research. Just now, Mr. Li Jinghai introduced that some of the research subjects of the NSFC are selected independently by scientists. For the young team support plan, the CAS first chooses generally-recognized major scientific conundrums and then selects through an open competition mechanism the best young candidates and their innovation teams to undertake long-term research on these conundrums.

We have also expanded the reserves of young scientific talents by recruiting more than 12,000 special research assistants who are mainly engaged in postdoctoral studies. In the past decade, the affiliated University of Science and Technology of China and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences have nurtured and produced nearly 150,000 graduates. At the same time, we have vigorously carried forward the spirit of scientists and given full play to such fine traditions of the old-generation scientists as patriotism, dedication and truth-seeking to constantly enhance academic integrity and cultivate a clean and clear scientific research environment.

Next, the CAS will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and aim to take national lead in achieving leapfrog sci-tech development, building a national hub of innovation talents, establishing a national high-level sci-tech think tank, and building an internationally first-class research institute. We will also aim to step up original innovation, strengthen research on key technologies, and strive to gain the high ground for science and technology. It will focus on its principal responsibility and major tasks and further play its central role in China's strategic vision for building strength in science and technology to score more major innovation achievements and make new contributions to China's efforts to become a country strong in science and technology and improve its independent scientific and technological capabilities at a faster pace. Thank you.