Innovation-driven development the way to take country forward

The China Innovation Index, a barometer of the country's innovation capability, climbed 5.9 percent compared to the year before to hit 155.7 in 2022, as indicated by a recent report issued by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Encompassing four subindices that measure the innovation environment, inputs, outputs and effects, the index has grown at an average annual rate of 6.5 percent since 2015, the base year.

Viewing innovation as an important development force, China's top authorities have made self-reliance in science and technology a top priority of national development in the past decade.