Senior leader stresses talent-backed science innovations

Liu Yunshan (2nd L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visits physical chemist Zhang Cunhao (2nd R), who is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Beijing, China, Feb. 11, 2015. On behalf of President Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, Liu extended festival greetings to scientists ahead of the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 19 this year. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

Senior leader Liu Yunshan paid a visit to two scientists who have been awarded China's top science prize, urging greater effort to foster talent for the country's science and technology (S&T) innovation drive.

On behalf of President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Liu, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, extended Lunar New Year greetings to Yu Min and Zhang Cunhao as well as all S&T workers in the country.

Born in 1926, nuclear physicist Yu is the man behind China's first hydrogen bomb in the Cold War era. He played a key role in the miniaturization of nuclear weapons, technological breakthroughs in the neutron bomb, and filled a national void in the theory of the atomic nucleus.

Chemist Zhang, born in 1928, made significant achievements in various pioneering technologies, including water and gas technology, rocket propellant and in the laser field during his 60 years of scientific research.

Yu garnered the country's top science and technology accolade earlier this year. Zhang won the award in early 2014.

"All science and technology workers should learn from their predecessors' honesty, truth-seeking spirit, disregard of fame and gain as well as their concentration in research, combining personal goals with the country's future so as to make more leading achievements," Liu said.

Liu called for organizations to have the audacity to give young, talented people key roles in the S&T field while urging senior scientists to offer them sound guidance.

According to Liu, S&T achievements should be integrated into economic development so as to push the country's economy toward medium- and high levels, and greater efforts should be made to foster, attract and use talent well as a key stimulus for independent innovation.