Highlights of Xi Jinping's speech at talent-related work conference

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A two-day central conference on talent-related work was convened on Monday and Tuesday.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the conference, calling for accelerated efforts to build China into a major world center of professional talent and innovation.

The following are some highlights of his speech:

-- Never in history has China been closer to the goal of national rejuvenation and never in history has it been in greater need of talented people.

-- We must strengthen our awareness of potential dangers, pay greater attention to fostering people with talent through our own efforts and sharpen our competitive edge in human resources.

-- To accelerate building a major world center of professional talent and innovation, we must seize the strategic initiative and improve top-level design and strategic planning.

-- Scientists should be given more power to decide on technological routes, and more funding and resources should be placed at their disposal.

-- We must strive to foster a team of engineers who follow the Party, are patriotic, devote themselves to their careers, have outstanding ability to make technological innovation, and are good at solving complex problems.

-- We must maintain a correct political orientation in talent-related work, constantly improve intellectual-related work, and encourage talent to shoulder the missions and responsibilities of the times with a deep love for the country and a stronger willingness to serve the country.