CCTV Commentary: Strengthen Basic Research with Greater Effort and More Practical Measures

On April 30, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended a symposium on strengthening basic research in Shanghai and delivered an important speech, stressing that basic research is the source of the scientific system and also an important support for building a strong country in science and technology. A CCTV commentary pointed out that basic research should be strengthened with greater efforts and more practical measures, so as to enhance original innovation capabilities and consolidate the foundation for highlevel selfreliance and selfstrengthening in science and technology. The article reviews the progress made in China's basic research since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, including the emergence of a number of original achievements in cuttingedge fields such as quantum science and technology, space science, and artificial intelligence, with innovation capabilities continuously improving. The commentary argues that global scientific and technological competition is now more focused on fundamental frontier areas, and only by continuously breaking through key scientific problems can we provide an original driving force for highquality development and the cultivation of new quality productive forces. The article also proposes that strengthening basic research requires sound toplevel design and systematic planning, giving full play to the roles of national research institutions, research universities, and newtype R&D institutions, and promoting the deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application. At the same time, greater importance should be attached to cultivating young talent, improving categorybased evaluation mechanisms, increasing funding and infrastructure investment, and strengthening international cooperation to actively participate in global science and technology governance.