Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 14 (Reporter Wen Jinghua) In 2024, my country has continuously expanded international scientific and technological cooperation, with 118 scientific and technological cooperation agreements between China and foreign governments, and the total number of joint laboratories of the "Belt and Road" reached more than 70, and positive progress has been made in international large-scale scientific plans and large-scale scientific projects...

This is the information that the reporter learned from the National Science and Technology Work Conference on the 14th.

According to reports, my country has taken solid steps to build a strong country in science and technology, and the whole society's R&D expenditure ranks second in the world. The total number of R&D personnel and the number of PCT international patent applications have ranked first in the world for many years. A number of new achievements have been achieved in the fields of integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, quantum information, etc., and the supporting and leading role of scientific and technological innovation in economic and social development has been significantly enhanced. The global innovation index ranks 11th.

At the same time, my country's open innovation environment continues to be optimized. The "International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative" was released globally, the "Belt and Road" Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan was implemented in depth, and the fourth batch of "Belt and Road" joint laboratories were started. The international scientific plan for "Deep Time Digital Earth" and "Negative Ocean Emissions" led by my country's scientific community has 27 and 58 international members respectively. The core components of the International Thermal Nuclear Fusion Experimental Reactor and the first batch of Chinese physical contributions to the square kilometer array radio telescope were delivered one after another.

2025 is a critical year for fully implementing the spirit of the National Science and Technology Conference and accelerating the construction of a strong country in science and technology.

It is understood that my country will comprehensively strengthen its scientific and technological layout and research, comprehensively launch a new round of scientific and technological system reform, and strive to improve its systematic scientific and technological innovation capabilities. At the same time, scientific and technological work in 2025 will clarify the following key tasks:

Establish a mechanism for the implementation and promotion of the task of building a strong country in science and technology, study and formulate the "15th Five-Year Plan" national science and technology innovation plan and special plans, accelerate the organization and implementation of major scientific and technological projects, accelerate the construction of national strategic scientific and technological forces, and vigorously strengthen basic research. Promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, accelerate the cultivation and expansion of leading science and technology enterprises, promote science and technology to empower key industries, build a science and technology financial system and mechanism, and improve the scientific and technological achievement transformation system. Systematically deploy deepening the reform of the science and technology system in the new era, coordinate the promotion of the integrated development of education and science and technology talents, systematically build various scientific and technological innovation platforms, and improve the regional scientific and technological innovation system. Expand international scientific and technological open cooperation, deepen scientific and technological innovation cooperation on the "Belt and Road" and optimize the open environment for scientific and technological innovation.