China Reports Significant Advances in High-End Equipment and Frontier Technology Research

China Reports Significant Advances in High-End Equipment and Frontier Technology Research
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Mar 07, 2024

In an era where technological innovation serves as the backbone of economic development and national prestige, China has firmly positioned itself at the forefront of this global trend. The Government Work Report presented at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress shed light on the substantial strides made in the past year, marking a notable year for Chinese research and development across various high-end equipment and frontier technologies.

China's relentless pursuit of innovation has yielded remarkable achievements in aircraft engines, gas turbines, and 4th-generation nuclear power units, underscoring its commitment to becoming a world leader in technological advancement. Furthermore, the country has made significant inroads in artificial intelligence and quantum technology, with a notable 28.6 percent increase in the volume of contracted technology transactions. These milestones not only underscore China's growing influence in the global tech landscape but also its capacity for innovation-driven development.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's innovation system has seen continued improvement with an 8.1 percent increase in research and development spending, reaching 3.33 trillion yuan ($458.4 billion). This investment, accounting for 2.64 percent of China's GDP, with 6.65 percent dedicated to basic research, highlights the country's strategic focus on laying a robust foundation for future technological breakthroughs.

The NDRC's report also highlights a significant milestone with the issuance of 4.015 million valid Chinese invention patents, over 40 percent of which are high-value, making China the first country to surpass the four-million threshold. This achievement is a testament to China's burgeoning creative capacity and its leading role in global innovation.

Major scientific and technological innovations have been at the heart of China's progress, with notable achievements including the successful missions of the manned spacecraft Shenzhou XVI and XVII, the launch of the world's first rocket powered by liquid oxygen-methane fuel, and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reaching the deepest ocean trench. Additionally, the C919 airliner and the first Chinese-built large cruise ship's entry into commercial service, alongside the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope's (FAST) key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, underscore the breadth and depth of China's scientific advancements.

Looking forward, the Government Work Report outlines ambitious plans to modernize the industrial system and develop new quality productive forces. By leveraging the leading role of innovation and spurring industrial innovation through scientific and technological breakthroughs, China aims to raise total factor productivity, foster new growth drivers and strengths, and promote a new leap forward in productive forces.

This year, China is set to invigorate its development through science and education, develop a high-quality education system, boost self-reliance in science and technology, and make the best use of talent across all sectors. By strengthening basic research, supporting innovation centers and teams, deploying major national science and technology projects, and improving the national laboratories operation and management system, China is poised to consolidate its foundations for high-quality development and further its position as a global leader in innovation.

Based on a Xinhua News Agency article