Chinese President Xi Jinping stands with radar know-how professional Ben De (left) and founding father of China’s lithium battery sector Chen Liquan (proper) as the 2 academicians are introduced with China’s top sci-tech award for the yr 2025 in Beijing on July 8, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced the nation’s top sci-tech award and delivered an essential speech at a gathering in Beijing on Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The assembly brings collectively the nationwide science and know-how award convention, the final assemblies of the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the eleventh nationwide congress of the China Association for Science and Technology.
Wednesday’s assembly honored 258 tasks and 11 scientific and technological specialists. Among them, 51 tasks acquired the State Natural Science Award, 58 tasks had been awarded the State Technological Invention Award, and 149 tasks acquired the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Founder of China’s lithium battery sector Chen Liquan and radar know-how professional Ben De had been introduced with China’s top sci-tech award for the yr 2025 on Wednesday.
Besides presenting China’s top sci-tech award to Chen and Ben and shaking palms with them, Xi, together with different Party and state leaders and two top-award winners, introduced certificates to representatives of recipients of different awards.
Prior to the ceremony, Xi and different leaders met warmly with all representatives of winners of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award and posed for group pictures with them, per Xinhua.
Innovation drive
In his speech on Wednesday, Xi known as for accelerated efforts to attain high-level self-reliance and energy in science and know-how, and leverage sci-tech innovation to underpin and drive Chinese modernization, Xinhua reported.
He mentioned the fifteenth Five-Year Plan interval (2026-30) is a vital section for tackling robust challenges in build up the nation’s energy in science and know-how.
“We must seize the historic opportunity, rise to the challenges of the times, accelerate efforts to achieve high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and make steady progress toward the 2035 goal of becoming a leading country in science and technology,” he mentioned, per Xinhua.
“The achievements of the two academicians who received this year’s top honor in science and technology represent core accomplishments in both safeguarding national security and advancing scientific innovation, while also driving China’s green transition and strengthening its national defense capabilities,” Chinese engineering professional Song Zhongping informed the Global Times on Wednesday.
Their work serves as a benchmark for assembly the nation’s strategic wants and enhancing its capability for impartial innovation, Song mentioned.
Chen, born in 1940, is a researcher on the Institute of Physics beneath the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). He is well known because the founder, pioneer and chief of China’s lithium battery sector.
Chen constructed China’s first solid-state ionics laboratory from scratch. His group produced China’s first lithium-ion battery and established the nation’s first pilot manufacturing line utilizing completely homegrown know-how, tools and uncooked supplies, in line with Xinhua.
He pioneered and realized the in-situ solidification battery know-how method, advancing sodium-ion batteries from basic analysis to commercial-scale deployment, and cementing China’s strategic lead in next-generation battery applied sciences.
Ben, born in 1938, is a researcher on the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation and likewise a CAE academician. He is acclaimed because the founding father of China’s airborne pulse Doppler radar know-how, a serious pioneer of phased array radar know-how, and a forerunner of space-based surveillance radar know-how.
Ben efficiently developed China’s first airborne pulse Doppler fire-control radar and its first large-scale long-range phased array early-warning radar. The two basic trendy radar applied sciences he pioneered, pulse Doppler and phased array, have guided the event of China’s land, sea, air and house early-warning and detection methods.
Song famous that this yr’s record of awardees reveals a transparent emphasis on unique homegrown innovation, significantly in applied sciences associated to nationwide safety. As a consequence, the awards are now not centered totally on sensible purposes, as they had been previously, however place larger weight on breakthroughs in basic science.
In explicit, precedence has been given to overcoming key technological bottlenecks, resembling semiconductors, chips, new supplies, and different areas that stay amongst China’s best technological challenges. Many of this yr’s award-winning achievements have crammed vital home gaps and addressed long-standing weaknesses in strategically essential industries, Song mentioned.
“The great honor shines on every one who works in the battery industry,” mentioned Yang Quanhong, a professor at Tianjin University and an professional in battery applied sciences, who has labored intently with Academician Chen.
“In the late 1970s, starting from scratch and keeping pace with the world, Chen pioneered solid‑state ionics and secondary battery research in China with his keen scientific acumen. He then drove the birth and rapid growth of China’s lithium battery industry through technological innovation – an industry that has now become the undisputed global leader,” Yang informed the Global Times.
“Today, the all‑encompassing supporting role of lithium batteries and new battery technologies for future industries in China is becoming ever more critical… As peers in the field, we are truly inspired,” Yang famous.
Promoting humankind progress
In addition to the 2 recipients of the top award, 9 specialists had been conferred the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award on Wednesday.
China is accelerating its transformation from a participant and contributor to a pioneer and chief in international science and know-how, making it one of many fastest-rising economies in innovation, Xi mentioned, per Xinhua.
He known as on Chinese scientists to be deeply concerned within the international governance in science and know-how, provide Chinese knowledge, and make larger efforts to advertise the constructing of a neighborhood with a shared future for humanity.
As early as 2018, at China’s top sci-tech gathering, the Chinese chief has put ahead comparable propositions. He known as on Chinese scientists to supply Chinese knowledge and make larger efforts to advertise the constructing of a neighborhood with a shared future for humanity. “While achieving its own development, China will bring benefits to more countries and their peoples and promote balanced development around the globe,” he mentioned in 2018, per Xinhua.
So far, China has shared the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, the anti-malarial drug artemisinin and hybrid rice with the world to deal with widespread challenges. China has additionally opened 10 main items of scientific analysis infrastructure, together with the FAST telescope and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe, to international scientists and engineers.
Wang Yiwei, a professor on the Renmin University of China, informed the Global Times that this yr’s award-winning tasks cowl not solely disciplines serving main nationwide strategic priorities, together with physics, chemistry, biology, superior supplies and mineral exploration, but additionally key fields resembling meals safety, catastrophe prevention and mitigation, low-carbon improvement, and landmark nationwide sci-tech initiatives represented by FAST.
“These achievements demonstrate that China’s scientific and technological agenda is not only focused on meeting its own development needs but is also aimed at contributing to global progress,” Wang mentioned, “The benefits extend beyond China to other countries and, ultimately, to humanity as a whole, underscoring the broader significance of science and technology for the common good and international cooperation.”
Therefore, these awards acknowledge not solely scientific and technological excellence itself, but additionally contributions that advance the progress of humankind, Wang mentioned.