President Xi Jinping has stressed the vital role of young people in making scientific and technological innovations, saying that they can foster friendships with foreign counterparts and contribute to scientific progress while applying their knowledge to address real-world challenges.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to students participating in an innovation competition.

The China International College Students' Innovation Competition 2024 held its final in Shanghai on Tuesday. This year's competition attracted more than 20 million entries from college students in 153 countries and regions, including about 40,000 foreign participants.

"Using the competition as a platform, you have applied the knowledge you gained in classrooms and laboratories to solve real-world problems, honed your skills through hands-on innovation, and fostered friendships with foreign youth through mutual learning. This is highly meaningful," Xi said in the reply letter published on Thursday.

Highlighting that innovation is the wellspring of human progress, Xi said that young people are a crucial driving force of innovation.

He encouraged the students to uphold the spirit of science, dedicate themselves to technological innovations, and contribute to promoting China's exchanges with other countries in the field of science and technology.

Xi urged society as a whole to pay attention to the growth and development of young people and foster a supportive atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship, so that they can better showcase their talent in advancing Chinese modernization.

Wu Zongyu, a senior student from Shanghai who led his team to win the national gold award in the competition, was one of the 25 students who wrote the letter to Xi.

"We obtained a deeper understanding of 'innovation' during the competition, so I shared the insights on personal and team growth with General Secretary Xi," he said, adding that he was thrilled to receive the reply.

Wu said he will keep working in the field of new medical sciences and make contributions to the country's healthcare advancement and the well-being of humanity.

Ding Kuiling, president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said the university, where this year's competition took place, will guide young people to actively engage in sci-tech innovation and also strive to accelerate the application of sci-tech advances.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn