President Xi Jinping called on Friday for improving the nation's innovation capability in core technologies of key sectors to support the nation's development.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark in Beijing while presiding over the second meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, of which he is director.

Key and core technologies in crucial sectors are pillars of the country and are important to pushing for the nation's high-quality development and safeguarding state security, said Xi.

It is imperative to gain the initiative on technological development, Xi said.

The meeting heard reports from officials of the National Reform and Development Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Information, as well as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

There is still a big gap between the development level of China's science and technology, particularly its innovation capability in key and core technologies, and advanced world standards, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The nation should take advantage of the strength of the socialist system to form a mechanism for breakthroughs in technologies in crucial sectors and let scientists and entrepreneurs take the initiative, the statement said.

The meeting called for further opening-up in the field of science and technology, fully using international resources in innovation, the statement said.

Universities and technological institutions should intensify cooperation with their foreign counterparts and strengthen innovation partnerships, the statement said.

Achieving technological breakthroughs in key sectors depends on talent, and scientists, particularly outstanding young talent, should play a key role, the statement said.

The meeting called for the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over the scientific work to help push for breakthroughs in core technologies, the statement said.