Written by: Cai Jue, Dong Xiaohui (Research Center for Party Innovation Theory, National University of Defense Technology)
Key core technology is the important weapon of the country, an important starting point for enhancing the leading role of scientific and technological innovation, and a guarantee for achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "Key core technologies cannot be obtained, bought, or obtained. Only by taking key core technologies into our own hands can we fundamentally guarantee national economic security, national defense security and other security. "Only by accelerating breakthroughs in key core technologies and solving the "stuck neck" technical problems can we continuously improve the independence, autonomy and safety of mainland development." We must break through key core technologies as soon as possible, strive to achieve independent and controllable key core technologies, and firmly grasp the initiative of innovation and development in our own hands.
First, key core technologies are related to national security and the overall situation of economic and social development
Key core technologies are technologies that embody the national will, serve strategic needs, and are related to the overall development situation, which is of great significance for promoting high-quality development and ensuring national security. If the key core technology is captured, it is the "heavy weapon of the country", and if it cannot be attacked, it is the "life gate of the country". Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mainland's scientific and technological undertakings have achieved historic and overall major changes, and its scientific and technological strength has achieved a leap from quantitative accumulation to qualitative leap, breakthrough in points to improvement of systematic capabilities, and is moving from a scientific and technological power with important influence in the world to a scientific and technological power in the world. At the same time, we should also see that the mainland's original innovation ability is not strong, the overall efficiency of the innovation system is not high, and some key core technologies are still subject to people. To achieve high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement, it is necessary to solve the "stuck neck" problem as soon as possible. We must take breakthroughs in key core technologies as a top priority, strive to achieve self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology, and promote the construction of a new development pattern, high-quality development and high-level security.
The key core technology is the urgent need to achieve innovation-driven development. To adhere to innovation-driven development, the most fundamental thing is to enhance the ability of independent innovation and achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. Only by winning the battle of key core technologies can we consolidate the foundation of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and effectively play the leading role of scientific and technological innovation. Looking back over the past decade, the mainland has comprehensively promoted the research of key core technologies, deployed the innovation chain around the industrial chain, laid out the industrial chain around the innovation chain, achieved "last-come, first-come" in a number of strategic areas, and made new breakthroughs in the development of high-end industries empowered by science and technology. "China Sky Eye" and "China Spallation Neutron Source" and other "big country heavy equipment" have been completed and put into operation, the first domestic high-temperature superconducting electric suspension all-factor test system has completed the first suspension operation, and the domestic largest diameter shield machine has been put into use. Key core technologies in key industries such as high-performance equipment, intelligent robots, and laser manufacturing have achieved breakthroughs, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and 5G have accelerated the application of scenarios, effectively promoting "Made in China" to a higher level. At present, the mainland has shifted to a stage of high-quality development, and more than ever it needs strong scientific and technological innovation forces, scientific and technological solutions, and more need to enhance innovation as the primary driving force. With the historic, holistic and pattern major changes in the mainland's scientific and technological undertakings, we have the foundation, confidence, confidence and ability to win the battle of key core technologies, inject strong momentum into the construction of a modern economic system with high-quality source science and technology supply, and provide strong support for the construction of a manufacturing power, a quality power, a space power, a transportation power, a network power, and a digital China.
Key core technologies are an important support for winning international competitive advantages. High-end technology is the national weapon of modern countries. A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, scientific and technological innovation presents distinctive characteristics of crossover, integration, penetration and diffusion, and disruptive technological innovation continues to emerge. The world's major innovative countries are accelerating the adjustment and restructuring of the scientific research organization system, establishing a management structure that adapts to the development of emerging science and technology, and striving to win advantages in the new round of scientific and technological competition. In modern times, an important reason why Western countries can dominate the world is that they have mastered high-end technology. Today's world is experiencing major changes unprecedented in a century, scientific and technological innovation is one of the key variables, and the strategic independence and independent innovation ability of science and technology have become the main battlefield of the big country game. At present, countries have strengthened the capacity building of independent innovation in the field of frontier technology, stepped up the deployment of scientific and technological innovation in major frontier fields, and strived to seize the commanding heights of competition in science and technology. In the face of fierce international competition, under the background of rising unilateralism and protectionism, if we lack original and unique capabilities, cannot achieve high-end leadership, and do not achieve major breakthroughs in strategic science and technology, it is difficult to open up a new situation in the changing situation and take the lead in the crisis. We must firmly grasp the general direction of scientific and technological progress, strengthen strategic orientation and target guidance, strive to achieve independent and controllable key core technologies, become a leader in important scientific and technological fields, become a pioneer in emerging frontier cross-cutting fields, accelerate the construction of new competitive advantages that support high-end leadership, and strive to become a major scientific center and innovation highland in the world.
Key core technologies are the fundamental guarantee for consolidating the foundation of national security. National security efforts shall adhere to the overall concept of national security, build a national security system, and preserve national security in all fields. Key core technologies are the foundation of the overall national security concept. Only by mastering key core technologies in our own hands can we boost morale, build a solid foundation, and unite popularity, and only then can we have a safer and more reliable foundation for building a modern socialist country in an all-round way. The real key core technology cannot be introduced or bought. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that if the core components are heavily dependent on foreign countries, and the "life gate" of the supply chain is in the hands of others, it is like building a house on someone else's wall foundation, no matter how big and beautiful it is, it may not be able to withstand the wind and rain, and even be vulnerable. After the founding of New China, in the face of the imperialist nuclear threat and nuclear blackmail, we gave play to the advantages of the national system of tackling key problems in science and technology, mobilized national resources under the unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, relied on "great cooperation," and independently and successfully developed the "two bombs and one satellite," thus enhancing our national strength and safeguarding national security. Practice has fully proved that safeguarding national security must not be subject to others in key core technology fields. At present, the downward trend of the world economy is manifesting, the global industrial chain and supply chain are facing reshaping, the instability and uncertainty have increased significantly, and key core technologies have become key nodes that affect national security technologically and economically. In the face of the complex international environment, we must accelerate the research of key core technologies, win the initiative of scientific and technological innovation, and continuously enhance the ability to withstand pressure, adapt, hedge and countermeasure.
Second, the key core technology research should adhere to the problem-oriented
We must adhere to the problem-oriented is an important part of Xi Jinping's thought world view and methodology on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, accelerate the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and resolutely win the battle of key core technologies. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "Scientific and technological research should adhere to the problem orientation and go to the most urgent and urgent problems." "At present, the mainland is facing many practical problems that need to be solved in the fields of economic and social development, improvement of people's livelihood, and national defense construction, so we must accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies, face problems head-on, and mobilize innovative resources to focus on tackling key problems."
Fight the active battle to break through the "stuck neck" technology. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mainland's scientific and technological strength has steadily increased, and the ranking of the Global Innovation Index has risen from 34th in 2012 to 11th in 2022, successfully entering the ranks of innovative countries and opening a new stage of accelerating the construction of a scientific and technological power. However, we must be soberly aware that the situation in which key core technologies are subject to people has not been fundamentally changed, and it is urgent to break through the "stuck neck" of key core technologies. Proceeding from the urgent needs and long-term needs of the country, we should make all-out efforts to tackle key core technologies in oil and gas, basic raw materials, high-end chips, industrial software, crop seeds, instruments and equipment for scientific experiments, and chemical preparations, and accelerate breakthroughs in a number of key core technologies. In the basic core areas related to the overall development and national security, we should take key common technologies, cutting-edge leading technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies as breakthroughs, prospectively deploy a number of strategic and reserve technology research and development projects, and properly implement major national scientific plans and scientific projects. It is necessary to optimize financial investment in science and technology, guide enterprises and society to increase investment in research and development, strengthen intellectual property protection, improve tax policies to promote technological innovation of enterprises, and increase the support of the capital market for science and technology enterprises.
Play basic research first-hand chess. Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the cornerstone of scientific and technological undertakings. Both applied research and technology development are inseparable from its support. If basic research is not done well, applied technology will become a source of water and a tree without roots. At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is advancing by leaps and bounds, the transformation cycle of basic research is significantly shortened, and international scientific and technological competition is moving forward to the basic frontier. To cope with international scientific and technological competition, promote the construction of a new development pattern and achieve high-quality development, we urgently need to strengthen basic research. It is necessary to strengthen the forward-looking, strategic and systematic layout of basic research, organize and promote strategy-oriented systematic basic research, frontier-oriented exploratory basic research, and market-oriented applied basic research, and play independent innovation first. It is necessary to give full play to the value-driven and strategic traction role of systems and policies, establish and improve the basic research investment mechanism combining competitive support and stable support, optimize the basic research support system of the national science and technology plan, and encourage free exploratory research and non-consensus innovative research. Efforts should be made to build a systematic and high-level basic research talent training platform, increase the support of various talent plans for basic research talents, improve the differentiated evaluation and long-term support mechanism for basic research talents, adhere to the road of independent training of basic research talents, optimize the basic discipline education system, strengthen the training of high-level talents urgently needed by the country, and continuously create a large-scale basic research reserve force.
Do a good job in the integration and combination of innovation chain and industrial chain. The problem of weak ties between scientific research and economics has been a major problem for many years. If this problem is not solved well, scientific research and economy are always "two skins", and it is difficult to have a big improvement in the efficiency of scientific and technological innovation. Scientific and technological innovation is not only research in the laboratory, but also to strengthen the integration of the innovation chain and industrial chain, and transform the scientific and technological innovation achievements into a realistic driving force for economic and social development. It is necessary to adhere to the system concept, focus on "for whom to innovate, who will innovate, what to innovate, and how to innovate", from the perspective of system construction, the overall deployment of the whole chain of technological innovation decision-making, research and development investment, scientific research organization, and achievement transformation, and the systematic layout of key innovation resources such as policies, funds, projects, platforms, and talents, and promote scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, and institutional mechanism innovation as a whole. It is necessary to focus on the major needs of national strategy and industrial development, increase enterprise innovation support, actively encourage and effectively guide private enterprises to participate in major national innovation, and promote enterprises to play a role in key core technological innovation and major original technological breakthroughs. It is necessary to build an international source of scientific and technological innovation and a pole of growth, accelerate the construction of international scientific and technological innovation centers in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, radiate regional innovation and development, and build a scientific research and innovation highland for key core technology research.
3. Improve the new national system for tackling key core technologies
The purpose of improving the new national system for tackling key core technologies is to strengthen the national strategic scientific and technological strength, greatly improve the systematization of scientific and technological research, and scientifically coordinate, concentrate, optimize the mechanism, and coordinate the research. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed, "It is necessary to give full play to the significant advantages of the mainland's socialist system that can concentrate on doing big things, strengthen the leadership of the party and the state over major scientific and technological innovation, give full play to the role of the market mechanism, optimize the allocation of innovation resources around the national strategic needs, strengthen the national strategic scientific and technological strength, greatly improve the systematization ability of scientific and technological research, form competitive advantages in a number of important fields, and win the strategic initiative." "The mainland's socialist system can concentrate on doing big things is an important magic weapon for us to achieve our cause, and we must rely on this magic weapon to promote key core technology research and form a strong joint force to promote scientific and technological research."
Give full play to the organizational role of the government in the research of key core technologies. To promote the research of key core technologies, what the government should do is to strengthen support and coordination, determine the overall direction and route of technology, make good use of major national science and technology projects and major projects, create a better ecology, and put forward problems, provide conditions and provide an environment for concentrating on fighting tough battles. It is necessary to have a broader vision, use demand engineering, technology promotion, scenario driving and other methods to find problems, classify key core technologies in layers, strengthen top-level design, improve working mechanisms, continuously strengthen the overall coordination of various scientific and technological plans, and systematically layout key research tasks. It is necessary to make overall plans to promote the completion of short boards and forge long boards, determine follow-up and breakthrough strategies, implement key core technology research projects in accordance with the principle of active follow-up, careful selection, and doing something and not doing something, solve a number of "stuck neck" problems as soon as possible, and strive to improve the resilience and safety level of the industrial chain and supply chain. It is necessary to promote the transformation of government functions, change the style of work, improve capabilities, reduce direct intervention in the division of money, materials, and projects, strengthen the guidance of planning policies, and make institutional arrangements in the construction of strategic scientific and technological forces, the training and use of talents, the formulation of planning policies, and the evaluation of scientific research achievements in accordance with the positioning of grasping strategy, reform, planning, and service.
Let the market truly play a decisive role in the allocation of innovative resources. The market determines the allocation of resources is the general law of the market economy, and the market economy is essentially an economy in which the market determines the allocation of resources. To improve the new national system for tackling key core technologies under the conditions of the socialist market economy, we must promote a better combination of effective market and active government, highlight the main position of enterprise scientific and technological innovation, and build a technological innovation system with enterprises as the main body, market-oriented, and combining production, education and research. It is necessary to promote the efficient allocation of innovation factors, give play to the market's guiding role in the allocation of various innovation factors such as research and development direction, technical route selection, and technical element prices, accelerate the development of the technology element market, and maximize benefits and optimize efficiency according to market rules, market prices, and market competition. It is necessary to give full play to the leading and supporting role of science and technology-based backbone enterprises, create a good environment conducive to the growth of technology-based small, medium and micro enterprises, support the development of specialized and special new enterprises, promote state-owned enterprises to build original technology sources, and strengthen product innovation, brand innovation, industrial organization innovation, and business model innovation. It is necessary to accelerate the transformation and application of innovative achievements, promote the docking of capital, technology, application, market and other factors, and solve the bottleneck of achieving "one-stop" transformation of technological breakthroughs, product manufacturing, market models, and industrial development.
Create a good atmosphere that encourages bold innovation, courage to innovate, and inclusive innovation. To win the battle of key core technologies, we must not only overcome our own difficult bottlenecks, but also break through the blockade and suppression of foreign countries, we must strengthen our confidence in innovation, create a strong atmosphere of respecting knowledge, loving science and advocating innovation in the whole society, and cultivate the soil of innovation culture. It is necessary to create an innovative atmosphere of active exploration and dare to "trial and error", deepen the reform of scientific and technological evaluation, encourage "adventure" within the affordable range and the whimsy of scientific and technological personnel, dare to challenge scientific problems, bravely enter the "no-man's land" of technology, and maximize the vitality of innovation and creativity. It is necessary to create an innovative atmosphere that dares to surpass and take responsibility, vigorously advocate the original research of "ten years of grinding a sword", improve the continuous support mechanism for basic frontier and public welfare research, guide scientific and technological personnel to abandon exaggeration and impetuosity, sit firmly on the "cold bench", and focus on solving key core technical problems at the source and bottom. It is necessary to create an innovative atmosphere that tolerates failure and dares to create, fully respects the law of scientific and technological innovation, attaches importance to success, but also tolerates failure, builds a scientific and effective risk prevention and correction mechanism, improves the role of the baton in talent evaluation, and creates a good ecology for scientific research.
Source: Red Flag Manuscript