Modernization Doctrine Political Work

PLA Daily Commentator: Accelerate the Advancement of High-Level Self-Reliance and Strength in Science and Technology

解放军报评论员：加快推进高水平科技自立自强

PLA Daily (解放军报) 10 July 2026

Summary

A PLA Daily commentator article, framed as the first in a series on implementing Xi Jinping's June 2025 speech at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference and the Two Academies Congress, directs the entire military to prioritize indigenous defense innovation during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, explicitly targeting breakthroughs in key core technologies for military struggle preparedness and the development of 'new-quality combat capabilities.' The article documents the PLA's institutional framing of technological self-reliance as a survival imperative rather than a development preference, naming specific deficiencies—insufficient original innovation capacity, talent structure imbalances, and low S&T investment efficiency—that the military is being tasked to address. This fits the established pattern of PLA Daily commentator series used to translate top-level political guidance into service-wide directives, and its value is as a baseline record of how the institution is framing the 15th Five-Year Plan S&T mandate to military audiences at the start of the planning cycle.

Translation

Accelerate the Advancement of High-Level Self-Reliance and Strength in Science and Technology

——First Commentary on Earnestly Studying and Implementing Chairman Xi's Important Speech at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Academicians' Congress of the Two Academies, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology

■ PLA Daily Commentator

When science and technology flourish, the nation flourishes; when science and technology are strong, the country is strong.

"We must seize the historic opportunity, meet the challenges of the era, accelerate the advancement of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology (高水平科技自立自强), and press forward resolutely toward the goal of building a science and technology powerhouse by 2035, solidly using scientific and technological innovation to support and lead Chinese-path modernization (中国式现代化)." Chairman Xi recently attended the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Academicians' Congress of the Two Academies, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology, where he presented awards to recipients of the State's highest science and technology prizes and delivered an important speech. Chairman Xi's important speech fully affirmed the major achievements our country's science and technology endeavors have made in recent years, profoundly analyzed the new situation facing scientific and technological development, set forth clear requirements for further strengthening the sense of responsibility, urgency, and mission and for making every effort to implement the Party Central Committee's various deployments for science and technology work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and charted the direction and provided the fundamental guidance for doing science and technology work well in the new era.

Self-reliance and strength in science and technology are the foundation of national prosperity and the key to security—not merely a question of development, but a question of survival. The "Proposals of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development" explicitly put forward "accelerating high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology." Achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology is the strategic cornerstone of national prosperity and national rejuvenation, the inevitable choice for coping with risks and challenges and safeguarding national interests, and the essential requirement for implementing the new development philosophy, building the new development pattern, and driving high-quality development. History and practice have repeatedly told us that key core technologies cannot be begged for, bought, or borrowed—one cannot simply follow in others' footsteps; one must be independent, self-reliant, self-strengthening, and bold enough to break through.

The key to Chinese-path modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology, and whether we can fully build a modern socialist powerhouse on schedule depends critically on self-reliance and strength in science and technology. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed scientific and technological innovation in a prominent position in modernization efforts, systematically mapped out the blueprint for building a science and technology powerhouse, deeply advanced the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, comprehensively deepened reform of the science and technology system, and treated self-reliance and strength in science and technology as the foundational and strategic support for our country's modernization—observing the broader trends, planning the overall situation, and exerting force across the board—driving our country's science and technology endeavors to achieve historic accomplishments and undergo historic transformations. China is accelerating its transition from a participant and contributor in global science and technology to a pioneer and leader, becoming one of the countries with the fastest-rising innovative capacity. On the journey of accelerating the advancement of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and accelerating the building of a science and technology powerhouse, we are full of confidence and full of strength.

Science and technology empower development; innovation determines victory in the future. Whoever takes the lead in innovation will hold the initiative in leading development. At present, the great changes unseen in a century are accelerating, the technological revolution and great-power competition are intertwined, high-technology domains have become the foremost frontier and main battleground of international competition, and the global order and development landscape are being profoundly reshaped. The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical period of concentrated effort in building a science and technology powerhouse. China's scientific and technological development still faces problems in some areas, including insufficient capacity for original innovation, an insufficiently rational structure of talent, and low efficiency of science and technology investment; science and technology work also has certain bottlenecks and blockages in terms of thinking, understanding, institutional mechanisms, and other aspects. The situation is both urgent and pressing. Only by accelerating the advancement of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and firmly grasping the initiative in competition and development in our own hands, can our country's modernization process avoid being delayed or even interrupted, can we effectively respond to the various uncertainties and instabilities on the road ahead, achieve high-quality development, and drive Chinese-path modernization forward on a steady and long-term course.

Scientific and technological innovation is the only path to scaling and winning the main peak, and is the fundamental means by which the broad ranks of military science and technology workers can serve the country through hard work and strive to realize their dreams. The entire military must earnestly study and implement the spirit of Chairman Xi's important speech, genuinely unify thought and action with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, keep pace with the progress of building a science and technology powerhouse, advance high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and substantially elevate the capacity and level of national defense science and technology innovation. We must uphold the strategic foothold of independent innovation, change the mindset and development model of simply tracking and imitating others, place greater emphasis on original innovation, have the courage to venture into uncharted territory and open up new competitive tracks, and forge growth poles for new-quality combat capabilities (新质战斗力). We must highlight the strategic priorities of national defense science and technology innovation, comprehensively implement the innovation-driven development strategy, concentrate superior forces to achieve breakthroughs as quickly as possible in key core technologies urgently needed for military struggle preparedness, press ahead with forming unique advantages in certain strategically contested domains, strive to secure a foothold in forward-looking and strategic fields, and firmly grasp the initiative in military competition. We must open up the innovation chain running from basic research, applied research, and technology development through to military application, so that advanced science and technology can be converted into real combat power as quickly as possible, providing powerful scientific and technological support for achieving the centenary goal of army building on schedule and accelerating the building of the people's armed forces into a world-class military.

Original Chinese

加快推进高水平科技自立自强 ——一谈认真学习贯彻习主席在国家科学技术奖励大会、两院院士大会、中国科协第十一次全国代表大会上的重要讲话 ■解放军报评论员科技兴则民族兴，科技强则国家强。 “我们必须抓住历史机遇，迎接时代挑战，加快推进高水平科技自立自强，向着到2035年建成科技强国的目标坚定迈进，扎扎实实以科技创新支撑和引领中国式现代化。”习主席日前出席国家科学技术奖励大会、两院院士大会、中国科协第十一次全国代表大会，为国家最高科学技术奖获得者等颁奖并发表重要讲话。习主席的重要讲话，充分肯定了近年来我国科技事业取得的重大成就，深刻分析了科技发展面临的新形势，就进一步增强责任感紧迫感使命感、全力抓好党中央关于“十五五”时期科技事业各项部署的落实提出了明确要求，为做好新时代科技工作指明了前进方向、提供了根本遵循。科技自立自强是国家强盛之基、安全之要，不仅是发展问题，更是生存问题。《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》明确提出“加快高水平科技自立自强”。实现高水平科技自立自强是国家强盛和民族复兴的战略基石，是应对风险挑战和维护国家利益的必然选择，是贯彻新发展理念、构建新发展格局、推动高质量发展的本质要求。历史和实践反复告诉我们，关键核心技术是要不来、买不来、讨不来的，不能只是跟着别人走，必须独立自主、自强奋斗、敢于突破。中国式现代化关键在科技现代化，能不能如期全面建成社会主义现代化强国，关键看科技自立自强。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把科技创新摆在现代化建设突出位置，系统擘画科技强国建设蓝图，深入推动实施创新驱动发展战略，全面深化科技体制改革，把科技自立自强作为我国现代化建设的基础性、战略性支撑，观察大势，谋划全局，全面发力，推动我国科技事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。我国正从全球科技参与者、贡献者向开拓者、引领者加速转变，成为创新力上升最快的国家之一。在加快推进高水平科技自立自强、加快建设科技强国的征程上，我们信心十足、力量十足。科技赋能发展，创新决胜未来。谁在创新上先行一步，谁就能拥有引领发展的主动权。当前，世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，科技革命与大国博弈相互交织，高技术领域成为国际竞争最前沿和主战场，深刻重塑全球秩序和发展格局。“十五五”时期是科技强国建设的关键攻坚期，我国科技发展中还存在一些领域原始创新能力不足、人才队伍结构不够合理、科技投入效能不高等问题，科技工作在思想认识、体制机制等方面也有一些卡点堵点。形势催人，也逼人。只有加快推进高水平科技自立自强，把竞争和发展的主动权牢牢掌握在自己手中，我国的现代化进程才不会被迟滞甚至打断，我们才能有效应对前进道路上的各种不确定性不稳定性，实现高质量发展，推动中国式现代化行稳致远。科技创新是攀登打赢主峰的必由之路，是广大军队科技工作者实干报国、奋斗圆梦的根本途径。全军要认真学习贯彻习主席重要讲话精神，切实把思想和行动统一到党中央决策部署上来，紧跟科技强国建设进程，推进高水平科技自立自强，大幅提升国防科技创新能力和水平。要坚持自主创新的战略基点，改变一味跟踪模仿的思维定势和发展模式，更加注重原始创新，勇于挺进无人区、开辟新赛道，打造新质战斗力增长极。要突出国防科技创新的战略重点，全面实施创新驱动发展战略，对军事斗争准备急需的关键核心技术，集中优势力量尽快取得突破，加紧在一些战略必争领域形成独特优势，努力在前瞻性、战略性领域占有一席之地，牢牢掌握军事竞争主动权。要打通从基础研究、应用研究、技术开发到军事应用的创新链路，让先进科学技术尽快转化为现实战斗力，为如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标，加快把人民军队建成世界一流军队提供强大科技支撑。