International Desk: China held the National Science and Technology Awards Conference on the morning of July 8 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, alongside the 22nd Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the 18th Academic Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology.

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the event, presented the country`s highest science and technology awards, and delivered a keynote address.

During the ceremony, Xi presented medals and certificates to Chen Liquan, an academician from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Ben De, an academician from the 14th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, recipients of the 2025 State Preeminent Science and Technology Award.

Xi warmly congratulated the two awardees before joining other Party and state leaders in presenting certificates to representatives receiving the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, and the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.

In his speech, Xi emphasized that the period covered by China`s 15th Five-Year Plan will be a critical stage in building the country into a global science and technology powerhouse. He said China must seize this historic opportunity, respond to emerging challenges, accelerate high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, and strengthen innovation-driven development to support Chinese modernization. He reaffirmed the country`s goal of becoming a leading science and technology nation by 2035.

Premier Li Qiang chaired the conference.

Source: Lili, Touhid, Subarna, China Media Group (CMG).