Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called for pushing forward the country's scientific progress and making endeavor to build an innovation-oriented country at China's Fourth National Conference on Science and Technology, which was concluded on Wednesday.

Wen said China's medium and long-range scientific and technological development program, recently issued by the State Council, was the country's first overall scientific and technological plan since the beginning of the new century, the first medium and long-range scientific program under the condition of the socialist market economy, and a programmatic document for the country's coming 15 years of scientific and technological development.

He said in a speech made at a plenary meeting on Monday, which was held during the convention of the National Conference on Science and Technology, that the implementation of the medium and long-range scientific and technological development program is important to improving the country's competitive force.

China's development depends on two forces, he said: unswerving reform and opening-up, and scientific and technological progress and innovation.

He asked all departments concerned to carefully implement China's medium and long-range scientific and technological development program, unremittingly follow up the scientific conception of development and the strategies of rejuvenating the country by education and technology, and endeavor to push forward scientific and technological progress and innovation.

He said innovation was the soul of scientific and technological development and the motive power for national development. Therefore, innovation improvement is the primary choice for enhancing the nation's competitive force.

In a bid to push forward the country's scientific and technological development, five aspects should be paid attention to. First, technology development on energy conservation, water resources and environment protection should be given priority. Second, core technology and intellectual property in equipment manufacturing industry and information industry should be grasped. Third, development of biological technology should be beefed up. Fourth, the development of space technology and maritime technology should be enhanced. Fifth, research on fundamental sciences and frontier sciences should be pushed forward.

Wen said to better implement the medium and long-range scientific and technological development program, the reform on the country's scientific and technological system must be vigorously pushed forward. Strategies on how to make innovations should be stipulated and implemented. Investment in scientific and technological sections must be increased and the training of scientific and technological personnel should be strengthened.