Science and technology, as the primary productive forces, is important in China, especially as its society and economy are coming to a critical stage, said Vice-Premier Liu He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Nov 18.

Liu made the remarks at the 2019 award ceremony of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation in Beijing.

Both the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to scientific and technological development, Liu said, urging skilled personnel and scientists to strive for more outstanding achievements in their area of expertise. Government departments in charge of related work should create an environment for scientific and technological innovation, he added.

This year the Science and Technology Achievement Award went to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, who pioneered studies on deep space exploration. Thirty-five workers specializing in science and technology won the Science and Technology Progress Award, and another 20 were honored with the Science and Technology Innovation Award.

Zhang Chunxian, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Wan Gang, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, attended the ceremony.

The Hong Kong-based Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation was established in 1994 to recognize eminent Chinese scientists with the goal of serving China’s modernization drive. The foundation has announced 1,362 award winners over the past 25 years.