In March 2023, while participating in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation at the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed the need to "strive to build an industrial science and technology innovation center with global influence." In July 2023, during an inspection tour in Jiangsu, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "Jiangsu should take the lead in achieving new breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation, build an important national highland for industrial science and technology innovation, and make high-quality development rely more on innovation-driven connotative growth."

Thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches, Jiangsu, building on its advantages of a solid industrial foundation and abundant scientific and educational resources, has continuously raised the level of commercialization and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, deepened the reform of the science and technology system, strengthened the principal role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, and pushed for new breakthroughs in industrial science and technology innovation.

At Renshuo Photon Energy (Changshu) Co., Ltd. in the Changshu Economic and Technological Development Zone, on a 150-megawatt perovskite photovoltaic module production line that went into operation in January this year, pieces of conductive glass are processed into perovskite tandem cells with a new structure that can both capture light and generate electricity. Their photoelectric conversion rate exceeds 30%, ranking at the international leading level.

This original achievement by Professor Tan Hairen's research group at Nanjing University is one of 48 major basic research projects that Jiangsu supports top scientists to lead. "In entering the field of perovskite tandem cells, we both integrate into the national development strategy and focus on Jiangsu's industrial layout," said Tan Hairen.

In June 2023, Jiangsu issued the Action Plan for Building an Industrial Science and Technology Innovation Center with Global Influence, to strengthen the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation. "At present, focusing on key fields such as artificial intelligence and high-end equipment, Jiangsu has identified and supports 89 industrial forward-looking technology research and development projects and 85 major scientific and technological achievement commercialization projects, and has reaped a number of major original innovation achievements such as foundational chips for intrinsic security," introduced Xu Guanghui, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology.

Breakthroughs in basic research ignite the engine of original innovation; how can the path to industrialization be made smoother? Jiangsu has deepened the reform of the science and technology system and the reform of the talent development system and mechanisms, advancing 86 reform tasks across the entire chain of technological innovation decision-making, organization, research and development, and achievement commercialization, and strengthening support for scientific and technological innovation services.

As a pilot unit for "granting researchers ownership or long-term use rights to job-related scientific and technological achievements," Nanjing University has innovatively introduced measures such as granting researchers ownership of achievements and allowing them, after being granted such rights, to use the achievements for capital contribution as shares. Tan Hairen's team transferred intellectual property from the university to the company, stimulating enthusiasm for industrialization. In 2023, the contract value of scientific and technological achievement commercialization at Nanjing University increased by 262% year on year.

In March 2023, Weikuang Technology Co., Ltd., dedicated to domestic substitution of high-end X-ray CT, settled in Suzhou. It encountered financing difficulties in the start-up phase, affecting the commercialization of key core technologies. The Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute and Suzhou Municipality, through a "grant-and-investment combination" mechanism, provided funding and supporting support to the project team and shared the early-stage risks; when the project progressed to the point where market financing was possible, the funding was then adjusted into investment at market prices. At present, the "grant-and-investment combination" mechanism has supported 82 industrial technology innovation projects.

To further strengthen the principal role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, Jiangsu promotes the concentration of innovation factors in enterprises. Since 2023, Jiangsu has issued 10 policies to enhance enterprises' technological innovation capacity and 12 measures to support private enterprises' participation in major scientific and technological innovation, supporting 211 key innovative enterprises such as XCMG Group to serve as the "pathfinders" of industrial science and technology innovation.

In November 2023, XCMG's 3,000-ton all-terrain crane rolled off the line. Li Changqing, chief designer of the equipment, said that with the support of the clustering effect of innovation resources, XCMG Group developed an intelligent control system that predicts the direction of the steel wire rope and offsets the interference of temperature changes, successfully overcoming the common industry problem of "lateral bending of the boom during operation" and ensuring the successful development of this "major national equipment."

"To promote scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, industrial science and technology innovation is the main battlefield, and the key lies in building a full-chain innovation ecosystem from basic research to industrialization. Jiangsu will make every effort to create a sound innovation ecosystem, improve the scientific and technological innovation systems and mechanisms, focus on tackling key core technologies, enhance the global competitiveness of its industries, and strive to build an industrial science and technology innovation center with global influence," said Xin Changxing, Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee.