Vice-Premier Ma Kai on Feb 28 urged experts to provide intellectual support and contribute more to help the development of China’s new materials industry.

The vice-premier made the remarks at a founding conference of an expert committee on national materials industry development.

Pushing the development of new materials industry is part of China’s major strategy of building a powerful manufacturing country, said Ma.

Establishing the expert committee is a move to promote scientific decision-making and public participation in policy-making.

The committee should use its advantages to strengthen research on strategies, plans and policies and put forward high-quality proposals and advisory opinions, the vice-premier said.

Efforts should also be made to closely follow cutting-edge technology and scientifically lead the industry’s development.

He also asked the committee to make sound judgments and evaluations on major projects and platforms and promote building an innovation system in the new materials industry.

Policy-making consultations should also be improved and favorable environment should be created to help the experts in their work, Ma added.