Open innovation important in promoting common development, prosperity: Li

As economic globalization and informatization advance, all countries need to work together to achieve multiplication of knowledge and value through innovation cooperation, so as to solve development problems and promote common prosperity, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday.[Special coverage]

Innovation has become a new propeller for the development of mankind, Li said at an international forum themed on innovation, adding that the world, undergoing profound changes, calls for innovation in large scale and at deep level.

"We need to open up to, cooperate and share with each other to achieve such innovation," Li said.

Open innovation includes innovation cooperation not only in the fields of technology, but also in structure and mechanism, he noted.

New technologies have triggered profound adjustments in global economic and industrial structure, and economic recovery has gone through ups and downs, Li said.

Creative and innovative vitality can only be stimulated when technological innovation is combined with structural reform, Li said, adding only under these circumstances can the world economy recover steadily with a powerful impetus.

Li called on all countries to share their experiences in reform and innovation, so as to realize a more inclusive development and the all-win situation.

On China, he said the country has opened up to the outside world and kept on raising the degree and level of its opening-up, which in return promotes reform and improves competitiveness the ability of innovation.

Moreover, Li said reform injects vigor into the development of scientific technology which is regarded as the primary productive force in China's development.

However, China remains the biggest developing country in the world, he said, adding that to achieve the goal of becoming a developed country by the middle of the century, Beijing needs to further emancipate minds and stick to the path of reform and innovation.

China has been eliminating the restraints on innovation, Li said, noting that it is a priority to streamline the administration and delegate powers to the lower levels, to make room for the market, expand market access, and foster fair competition in the market.

China has been devising a mechanism to promote innovation. Li pledged that Beijing will carry on reforming the scientific and technological system and improving the distribution mechanism for scientific achievements.

Li promised to build a "safety net" for those who failed in starting a business, to encourage innovation.

China has been creating an environment that protects innovation. Beijing will improve its legal system, regulate the market and create an inclusive environment to attract more innovators, Li said, listing China's efforts in protecting intellectual property rights.

Furthermore, Li said China has been developing an innovation-driven economy, adding that China has been supporting its entrepreneurs to innovate technologies and administration among others.

Li stressed that China is willing to cooperate with any country, organization or enterprise that has a sincere wish to realize mutual benefits via innovation cooperation.

"China always needs to learn from other countries and bring in advanced technologies and managerial experiences," Li said.

On China-Russia ties, Li said Beijing is ready to cooperate with Russia on major strategic projects, deepen people-to-people and local communication, support the cooperation between medium- and small-sized companies, and work out a mechanism that promotes innovation cooperation.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese premier visited an exhibition of the innovation forum, accompanied by his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

Li said young people have the passion to innovate, calling for young people all over the world to strengthen communication and cooperation to enforce such passion and promote practical cooperation between different countries.

He also said cooperation between China and Russia in the field of aerospace has always been an important component of the strategic cooperation between the two countries, urging the two sides to strengthen cooperation in such areas as carrier rocket, manned space mission and the development of satellites.

Medvedev, for his part, said Russia welcomes more Chinese enterprises to open branches in the Skolkovo Innovation Center, Russia's Silicon Valley located in Moscow.

He said he believed cooperation would bring mutual benefits and win-win results to Russia and China.