Innovation is the primary driving force of development. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic is making a far-reaching impact on the world. Economic recovery is confronted with serious challenges. Regional conflicts and climate change are aggravating global crises. Science, technology and innovation (STI) provides important means and ways for countries around the world to advance development, promote transformation and jointly tackle global challenges. China places innovation at the center of its national development agenda and vigorously persues an innovation-driven development strategy. In 2006, the Outline of the National Program for Long- and Medium-Term Scientific and Technological Development (2006-2020) put forward the strategic goal of “improving indigenous innovation capability and building an innovation-­oriented country”. In 2016, the Outline of the National Innovation-driven Development Strategy set a three-step strategic goal of “entering the ranks of innovation-oriented countries, moving to the forefront of innovation-oriented countries, and becoming a world STI power”. On this basis, the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) further made the strategic plan to accelerate the building of an innovation-oriented country and a world STI power. The 20th CPC National Congress made comprehensive plans for the implementation of the education, science and technology, and talent strategies, and stressed the importance of taking science and technology as the primary productive force, talent as the primary resource, and innovation as the primary driving force. It also called for deepening the implementation of the strategy of developing the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through talent, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, in order to open up new sectors and tracks of development, and cultivate new development drivers and strengths.