The innovation-driven development strategy

In November 2012, at its 18th National Congress, the CPC made a series of important decisions on the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy. As innovation has always offered important impetus to the progress of a country and a nation, an innovation-driven development strategy has a significant bearing on the future of the Chinese nation.

China is a large developing country which is pushing to transform its development model and economic structure, and therefore it must make sure that the innovation-driven development strategy is implemented properly and successfully. For this purpose, the 13th Five-year Plan contains extensive measures for its implementation, and the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued in May 2016 Outlines on National Strategy for Innovation-driven Development. China’s innovation-driven development strategy aims at encouraging innovation in all areas, led by scientific and technological innovation.

Innovation should be demand-driven in response to the needs of industrialization, and businesses are major players in delivering innovation. The market should play the decisive role in allocating resources, and the full potential of our socialist system should be tapped. The strategy also seeks to enhance the contribution of scientific and technological advances to economic growth, which will serve as a new growth driver and help sustain sound economic development. As we implement the innovation-driven development strategy, we must free our minds and accelerate the reform of the science and technology system so that we can release ourselves from the stereotyped thinking and institutional barriers that hinder innovation-driven development.

The strategy must be implemented in a systematic manner involving efforts in different areas. The main measures to be taken to this end include creating a favorable environment for fair competition with a market-based mechanism that encourages technological innovation. It is also essential to promote financial innovation to provide more incentives for innovative uses of technology.

Another area of focus is building a more efficient scientific research system, and implementing an effective talent management mechanism for training and attracting competent personnel. A highly-integrated approach is necessary to ensure an open and innovation-friendly climate.

China seeks to have in place by 2020 an institutional, legal and policy framework for innovation-driven development so as to provide a solid basis to put China on track to become one of the world’s most innovative countries.

創新驅動發展戰略

2012年11月召開的黨的十八大做出了實施創新驅動發展戰略的重大部署。創新始終是推動一個國家、一個民族向前發展的重要力量。實施創新驅動發展戰略決定著中華民族的前途命運。中國是一個發展中大國，正在大力推進經濟發展方式轉變和經濟結構調整，必須把創新驅動發展戰略實施好。“十三五”規劃明確提出了“深入實施創新驅動發展戰略”。2016年5月，中共中央、國務院印發了《國家創新驅動發展戰略綱要》。中國實施創新驅動發展戰略，就是要推動以科技創新為核心的全面創新，堅持需求導向和產業化方向，堅持企業在創新中的主體地位，發揮市場在資源配置中的決定性作用和社會主義制度優勢，增強科技進步對經濟增長的貢獻度，形成新的增長動力源泉，推動經濟持續健康發展。實施創新驅動發展戰略最為緊迫的是要進一步解放思想，加快科技體制改革步伐，破除一切束縛創新驅動發展的觀念和體制機制障礙。實施創新驅動發展戰略是一項系統工程，涉及方方面面的工作。實施創新驅動發展戰略的主要措施包括：營造激勵創新的公平競爭環境，建立技術創新市場導向機制，強化金融創新的功能，完善成果轉化激勵政策，構建更加高效的科研體系，創新培養、用好和吸引人才機制，推動形成深度融合的開放創新局面等等。中國將力爭到2020年，基本形成適應創新驅動發展要求的制度環境和政策法律體系，為進入創新型國家行列提供有力保障。