Industry's needs can effectively prompt innovation

Editor's note: The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council have jointly issued guidelines to promote in-depth integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation. Xinhua News Agency spoke to several experts, including Liu Dongmei, Party secretary of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, to understand the key instructions. Below are excerpts of their remarks. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

The guidelines emphasize integrated planning of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation, and highlight the interaction between the two. They follow a problem-oriented approach, targeting bottlenecks that hinder the integration of the two, which makes them highly practical.

A clear roadmap has been laid out, alongside a list of tasks for the in-depth integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation. The aim is to promote collaboration among enterprises, universities, research institutes and end-users to facilitate innovation.

A key focus is the development of high-quality sci-tech supply, including technological breakthroughs and advanced technologies, to support a modernized industrial system. This approach emphasizes that innovation should be application-oriented, underscoring the vital role of high-quality sci-tech in fostering new competitive advantages for industries, as well as the importance of letting industrial needs be drivers of innovation.

By orienting innovation toward industry needs, the guidelines will help elevate the country's industrial sectors along the global value chain, accelerating the development of an industrial system supported by advanced manufacturing.

The measures also show the country is letting enterprises play a major role in sci-tech innovation, but challenges remain in coordinating the efforts of enterprises, universities and research institutes.

To create a sound innovation ecosystem, it is crucial to reform related institutional frameworks and improve the policy systems, encouraging all entities to pursue innovation boldly and effectively. The guidelines list several tasks, including enhancing the coordination of resources and developing a favorable market environment for innovation, which will help foster effective collaboration among enterprises, universities and research institutes.

Regional adaptation is another significant aspect of the guidelines. They support local authorities in carrying out pilot programs to integrate sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation. Regions are encouraged to leverage their strengths to develop technologies and industries.

Regions across the country should implement the guidelines through concrete actions, take into account local industries and their technological needs, and allocate resources accordingly. They should also optimize collaborative mechanisms among regions and upgrade emerging industries.