Wan Gang, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), called for more efforts to achieve self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, a strategic support for the country's new development paradigm, during the 23rd Annual Meeting of the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) in Beijing on July 27.

Wan, also president of CAST, said the Chinese science community needs to fully and accurately contribute to the new development paradigm, forge ahead with innovative ideas and goal-oriented practices, and promote the integration of technological advances and economic growth. 

To address COVID-19 and other global challenges, it's also important to adhere to openness, trust, and international cooperation and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for humanity, Wan said. 

He also said Beijing, as an international hub of technology innovation, should continue to play a leading role in driving innovation and offer robust support to the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. 

More than 700 people, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, frontline science and technology personnel, business leaders and representatives from S&T organizations, attended the meeting, jointly organized by the Beijing Municipal People's Government.