BEIJING: On April 24, 1970, a young man in Liangjiahe, a village in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, was excited to get the news that China successfully sent its first satellite Dongfanghong-1 into space.
The young man, Xi Jinping, later became Chinese President. On May 15, 2021, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended congratulations on the successful landing of China’s first probe on Mars. He called for making new and greater contributions to exploring the mysteries of the universe and promoting the noble cause of peace and the development of humanity.
Stressing the importance of sci-tech innovation in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Xi once noted that “We must blaze a new trail and rely on innovation to drive growth.”
Xi noted that satisfying people’s longing for a better life should be the foothold of sci-tech innovation, the goal of which should be to benefit, enrich and improve people’s lives.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Xi has put forward new requirements for sci-tech innovation. China clearly stated that people’s lives and health should be the top priority in the fight against the virus. – Agencies
