国内英语新闻:Chinese VP urges support from S&T societies in development

BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao encouraged science and technology societies and workers nationwide to offer technological and intellectual support for the country's development in the 2016-2020 period on Tuesday.

S&T workers should take the lead in China's drive to promote mass innovation and entrepreneurship, refueling the growth engines for the country's economy, which features a "new normal" of slower but higher-quality growth, said Li during a work conference of S&T societies.

Li urged S&T societies to boost and innovate "precision" poverty relief measures with local characteristics in poverty-stricken areas as the country plans to lift all poor people out of poverty by 2020.

Li also called for continued efforts in popularizing science and technology through the Internet.

S&T societies must reform their work to better connect with people and S&T workers, and further take over some government functions in an orderly manner, said Li.

Li urged leading cadres with S&T societies to improve their ideological integrity, work styles and their image among the public to meet the Communist Party of China's goal of comprehensively and strictly governing itself.

Han Qide, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, attended the meeting.