China sets 2029 deadline to create science and tech ‘quality workforce’ to power nation

Name: China posts 4.7% second-quarter growth, lower than expected
Uploaded: 2024-07-19T04:00:18.000Z
Duration: 1 min 15 s
Description: China posts 4.7% second-quarter growth, lower than expected

Communique after four-day Central Committee gathering says ‘education, science and technology, and talent’ underpin Chinese modernisation

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China’s Central Committee of the Communist Party says the nation must put in place a “strategy of invigorating China through science and education”. Photo: Xinhua

Victoria Belain Hong Kong,Dannie Pengin BeijingandZhang Tongin Beijing

Published: 12:00pm, 19 Jul 2024Updated: 5:43pm, 19 Jul 2024

China is targeting science education and expertise, embarking on a five-year skills upgrade drive as it seeks to develop the critical technology needed to counter US-led containment efforts.

The Communist Party’s Central Committee announced on Thursday that the country had a 2029 deadline to develop a “quality workforce” to help power a country and economy driven by innovation.

The commitment was included in an official communique released after a four-day plenum, a gathering of the Central Committee’s more than 350 full and alternate members.

“Education, science and technology, and talent function as a basic and strategic underpinning for Chinese modernisation,” the statement said.

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China posts 4.7% second-quarter growth, lower than expected

It comes as the United States and its allies apply increasing pressure on China to limit its growth in science and technology. But it also comes as China faces a number of major domestic challenges – problems the party leaders appeared to concede with the communique’s inward focus.