China aims to become global innovator

China has unveiled its goal of making itself into a major global science and innovation center by the middle of the century.

The country is also poised to produce a large trove of original scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge experts, according to a guideline signed by Premier Li Keqiang earlier this month and made public by the State Council on Wednesday.

The latest unveiled goals are part of China's freshly made blueprint for boosting the country's scientific research in fundamental areas such as mathematics and physics.

China updated its commitment to reinforce basic areas of research at a time when the country has seen funding for such research growing rapidly in recent years.

An increase of 65 percent was achieved in the nation's funding for such research from 2012 to 2016. The funding in 2016 was 82.3 billion yuan ($13.1 billion), according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Efforts to reinforce research in fundamental areas should follow the natural laws of science, and promote originality, innovation, coordination, opening up and proper support, according to the guideline.

The guideline has mapped out 20 priority tasks for reinforcing nationwide efforts.

According to the tasks, China will boost its supporting measures for research, strengthen key labs, and nurture middle-aged and youthful talent to help them become pioneers on the world stage.

Reform measures will be geared up in order to improve scientific research programs as well as management of funding and budgets.

Evaluation procedures that honor the natural laws of fundamental areas studies will be built and perfected, said the guideline.

To boost the internationalization of China's research, the country will participate in more major international science projects that involve countries across the globe.