According to an action plan released in March, Northwest China's Gansu province plans to build a national regional scientific and technological innovation and transformation base with high-level standards.

The plan proposes that by the end of 2025, the contribution rate of scientific and technological progress in the province should reach 62 percent and investment in research and development (R&D) funds in society should reach 18 billion yuan ($2.5 billion). At that time, the province should be home to 2,600 high-tech enterprises and the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people should have reached three.

By 2030, its total investment in R&D in society should reach 28 billion yuan and the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people should reach 4.5. The province's comprehensive level of scientific and technological innovation should enter the top 20 in the country, and a national high-level regional scientific and technological innovation and transformation base should be built.

Dynamic Yumen, administered by Jiuquan, Gansu province. [Photo/gansudaily.com.cn]

The action plan highlights key tasks like building five meccas of scientific and technological innovation and facilitating four channels to boost the practical application of achievements. A total of 26 specific measures were proposed.

In recent years, Gansu has insisted on making scientific and technological innovation a key driver of high-quality development. The province's number of high-tech enterprises and technology contract transactions have maintained an average annual growth rate of over 20 percent.