Bid to better link scientific research and industry

Editor's note: Substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance are one of the major goals that China has set for itself. National Business Daily spoke to Zhang Xiaoqiang, former deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, on how this can be achieved. Below are excerpts of the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

It is essential for China to accelerate the commercialization and application of its research achievements and shift the focus from pursuing sheer quantity to emphasizing high-value invention patents and quality-driven innovation.

Compared with some developed economies, China still faces constraints in transforming research breakthroughs into market-ready technologies. Closer collaboration between research facilities and industry is essential to ensure that scientific advances continuously enhance productivity and sustain long-term competitiveness.

The integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent cultivation is also critical. Traditionally, academic promotion has relied heavily on metrics such as the number of published papers, research projects undertaken and teaching hours completed. However, the extent to which research output is transformed and applied in real economic activities should be incorporated into the evaluation systems and given more weight. Some provinces have already piloted such reforms in research institutions, and broader adoption would help create more incentives for innovation-driven development.

At the same time, the priority should be to accelerate the development of renewable energy while promoting green and low-carbon transformation in energy-intensive sectors such as steel, metallurgy, chemicals and building materials. Expanding the use of wind and solar power will be key to gradually reducing the carbon intensity across industries.

Greater efforts should also be directed toward cultivating emerging and future-oriented industries. Compared with traditional sectors, these industries generally have lower energy consumption, higher technological intensity and stronger value-added potential. They are the new drivers of high-quality growth. As the world's top manufacturer, China accounts for nearly 30 percent of global manufacturing measured by value added and has ranked first worldwide in manufacturing scale for 16 consecutive years. Upgrading manufacturing and accelerating its green and low-carbon transformation will therefore be central to achieving the country's overall green transition goals.

But China's green transition faces structural constraints. Coal still accounts for more than 50 percent of China's primary energy consumption. Although its share in power generation has been declining, coal remains the cornerstone of electricity supply. The country's industrial structure also relies heavily on heavy industry, with the output of steel, cement and electrolytic aluminum each exceeding half of global production. Moreover, rising global economic uncertainty and the emergence of green trade barriers, including higher tariffs imposed by some countries on Chinese electric vehicles, have added external pressures on China's transition toward comprehensive green development.

The rising energy demand from the use of artificial intelligence, transportation, construction and household consumption must also be addressed. As living standards improve and the penetration of home appliances and vehicles continues to rise, promoting green transformation in everyday consumption patterns becomes increasingly important.

To improve the absorption and utilization of green electricity, new approaches are being promoted, including coordinated development of generation, grid, load and storage systems, as well as the construction of zero-carbon and low-carbon industrial parks and factories.

Alongside expanding generation capacity, equal emphasis is being placed on strengthening transmission and storage capabilities. The development of smart grids and virtual power plants is part of this comprehensive strategy. Through such combined efforts, China aims to build a more stable and resilient modern energy system.