Planners envision innovation as key in science, technology development

China will uphold the central role that innovation plays in modernizing the country and turn self-reliance in science and technology into a strategic pillar for national development, according to the communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was released on Thursday.

China has entered the phase of pursuing high-quality development. While the nation enjoys many political, economic and social advantages, its current innovation capability is unable to satisfy the nation's need for quality growth, the communique said.

As a result, reform and innovation should be the fundamental driving force behind China's socioeconomic growth for the next five years. The nation should also see substantial improvement in its capacity for innovation in that time.