Photo taken on May 3, 2018 shows a weld plant at a research and development center of Geely Auto in east China's Zhejiang Province.Photo:Xinhua

Isolation leads nowhere, suspending industry chains does not bring any good for anyone, and technological independence contradicts with international cooperation, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday, amid the background of an escalating tech war between China and the US in recent years.

The remarks were made when Li met the press after the closing of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li said science and technology must be self-reliant, and scientists must work hard, and this is also in line with international cooperation as scientific inventions require cooperation and joint efforts.

Isolation leads nowhere, suspending industry chains does not bring any good for anyone, and China is willing to strengthen cooperation in the field of science and technology on the basis of protecting intellectual property rights and jointly promote the progress of human civilization, Li added.

China had climbing up the technological ladder and focusing on self-reliance on key technologies on the agenda in the 2021 Government Work Report delivered by Li on Friday.  

Chinese analysts said the blueprints and work method detailed in the report could lead to a big step forward in the volume and structure of research and development spending and be conducive for China's efforts to narrow its gap with the US in technology.

Detailing some of the concrete targets to be achieved during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period in the Government Work Report, Premier Li said the country will strive for above 7 percent annual growth in R&D spending, and will account for a higher percentage of GDP than during the 13th Five-Year Plan period to keep up the country's momentum to scale the ladder of technology.

"Innovation remains at the heart of China's modernization drive. We will strengthen our science and technology to provide strategic support for China's development," Li said.

Premier Li said on Thursday that China has achieved major improvements in technology, but is also under performing in basic research, especially as input in R&D accounts for a modest part of GDP; that is, only 6 percent, whereas it is 15-25 percent for developed countries.