The Foundation of Innovation: Why China Must Strengthen Basic Research

The Foundation of Innovation: Ten Questions on Why China Must Strengthen Basic Research
By Teng Han, The Paper — June 22, 2026

Basic research has been placed on an important agenda. According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended a symposium on strengthening basic research in Shanghai and delivered an important speech. He emphasized that basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the master key to all technological problems.

China is transitioning from "following" and "running alongside" to "leading" in some fields. Facing challenges in new "uncharted territories" and persistent issues in old "stubborn problem areas," the answers are increasingly only found at the source.

The Paper has specially planned a series of reports titled The Essentials of Basic Research. Basic research not only drives the development of its own discipline but also continuously fosters new interdisciplinary fields. Data shows that the average cross-disciplinary citation ratio for top journal papers reaches 67.3%. Basic research has a lasting impact, with an average sustained influence period of 76 years.

Renowned mathematician Qiu Chengtong believes that in conducting basic research, one must serve both the country and the people while preserving space for free exploration from "0 to 1." "Interest is the most important driving force for 'from 0 to 1.'"

Luo Minmin, Director of the Beijing Institute of Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, stated that fundamental questions such as the formation of memory and the origin of consciousness remain unsolved mysteries. Once breakthroughs are achieved, they will greatly deepen human understanding of ourselves.

Qian Qian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, divides basic research into fundamental theoretical research and applied basic research, noting that "landing-oriented applied basic research" is currently the weakest and most easily overlooked area.

Liu Chenli, President of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that national strategic needs present us with "real problems," and mission-oriented free exploration offers us "new pathways" to solve these "real problems."

The fundamental change lies in China's different position. Lin Yifu, Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University, stated that when you are at the forefront of the world, no one can provide you with technology; you must invent it yourself. The world is facing the fourth industrial revolution, and China stands on the same starting line as developed countries.

Regarding the allocation of research funding, Lin Yifu emphasized that it cannot be "sprinkled like pepper powder." It must be directed to areas crucial to national economic development and national security. The government's share should be 50% or even higher.