Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for a push to speed up the application of new advances in science and technology, as the country accelerates efforts to break its dependence on US tech and develop a world-leading industrial base.
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In a State Council meeting on Monday, Li called the application of new technologies the “last mile” of innovation, as it links innovation and industry and is important in driving new products and services, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
The premier’s comments come as China faces a fresh barrage of US export curbs aimed at restricting its access to a string of crucial technologies, including jet engines, chip design software and nuclear power plant components.
US officials have indicated they are willing to remove these latest restrictions if China allows more rare earth minerals to be exported to America, with top officials from both sides currently locked in a high-stakes round of trade talks in London.
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, told CNBC that the US expected “immediately after the handshake, any export controls from the US will be eased, and the rare earths will be released in volume”.
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But the episode has highlighted the extent to which China still relies on US technology in several strategic fields, despite a concerted government push to boost investment in research and development and become technologically self-reliant.
At the State Council meeting, Li urged “further pooling of innovation resources, pushing forward with institutional reforms, and strengthening the links between supply and demand” to deliver more concrete results in turning research into practical applications.