Prime Minister Li stresses innovation for higher education

Li Keqiang learns about the preservation and study of Tsinghua Bamboo Slips

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called on the country's higher education institutes to boost science and technology research to help with economic development.

Li made the remarks on Friday during his visits to Tsinghua and Peking, two prestigious universities in Beijing, according to a press release issued on Saturday.

"Innovation requires one's own efforts as well as the ability to look to, and learn from, advanced experiences and concepts from overseas," Li said after being briefed on Tsinghua's major research and development projects concerning new-generation nuclear technology, new energy vehicles, next-generation internet, and condensed matter physics.

Li called for universities to be better coordinated with each other and science and technology institutes to avoid parallel research at the same level and to utilize talent and resources more efficiently.

At a life science research center, the premier underscored that there should be a more flexible mechanism to attract high-caliber talent and motivate their research so China would take the lead in the world in core technology and contribute to the health of everyone the world over.

While talking with teachers and students at the School of Architecture, Li urged them to make full use of their talents as the country is in the phase of new-type urbanization and rural construction.

During his visit to the Peking University, Li noted that currently, economic and social development faces "many hard choices," and both macroeconomic control and development upgrades rely on theoretical and practical advancements.

According to Li, as traditional development momentum became weak, the country must promote the development of the new economy to stimulate employment and realize high-speed economic growth.

At the School of Mathematical Sciences, Li said that China's shortcomings were in basic research, and in this regard he urged the university to give priority to basic math research and give long-term support to researchers, including reasonable and steady incomes and social insurance.