Xi Jinping admits China is 'relatively weak' on innovation and needs more talent to dominate tech 'battlefield'

• Chinese leader Xi Jinping is urging his country's scientists to innovate in the technology sector.

• While praising China's overall progress, he also highlighted several pressing shortcomings of the country.

• He said innovation in China was “still relatively weak” and it suffered from a shortage of top talent.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly admitted the country's shortcomings in its race to become the world's tech powerhouse, saying its innovation is “relatively weak” and its scientists are overworked.

Be certain, Xi's remarks on Tuesday at a national conference in Beijing, he praised all of China's scientific industries.

But he also highlighted glaring challenges and urged the country to focus on technological growth, which he said is now the “main battlefield of international competition.”

“Although the country's scientific and technological development has made great progress, its initial innovation capabilities are still relatively weak,” Xi said.

Indeed, Xi mentioned innovation 55 times in his speech on Tuesday, emphasizing the point while discussing artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology and new energy.

China's technological advances are too dispersed across different companies and sectors for Xi Jinping's liking, who says they suffer from a “low degree of organization and coordination” that needs to be addressed.

Core technologies beyond China's control, Xi says

Key to his drive for innovation is the idea of ​​China becoming self-reliant, a theme common to all of his ideologies, particularly as tensions with the West rise.

“The scientific and technological revolution and the superpower struggle are closely linked,” Xi said.

Although he did not name the United States, Xi said it was clear that China would have to address how “certain key technologies are controlled by others.”

The comment comes as the United States threatened to expand sanctions against several Chinese chip companies linked to Huawei and blocked the sale of advanced semiconductors essential to the development of artificial intelligence technology.

Last week, the US Treasury Department called China a “country of concern” and proposed new rules to limit international investment in “next generation military, intelligence, surveillance, or cybersecurity capabilities that pose risks to U.S. national security” .

Researchers still struggling with administrative formalities

Xi also cited a shortage of labor and talent in technology and science. Researchers still complain about “heavy non-academic burdens” such as red tape involved in publishing papers, tedious work in official reports and demand for resources, he said.

He added that China should “improve incentive systems”, such as better rewards for science and technology and a fairer salary system for employees and researchers.

While the United States is in the midst of its own tech boom, thanks in part to giants like OpenAI, Nvidia, Amazon and Microsoft, Business Insider previously reported that the country's bosses The Chinese technology sector are increasing pressure on workers following the loss of approximately $1.3 trillion in market value of the country's five largest technology companies since 2021.

The Chinese government has particularly focused on development artificial intelligence technology. BI previously reported that an April report from Microsoft indicated that social media accounts linked to China planned to use AI-generated media to influence elections in the USA.

After everything that was said on Tuesday, it's clear that Xi wants China to not just become a major player in technology, but to dominate it.

“We need to strengthen our sense of urgency. We need to go further in our innovation efforts,” Xi said. “To occupy the peaks of scientific and technological competition and future development.”

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