China will include quantum technology as one of the new high techs in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), a senior official with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said at a press briefing on Wednesday.  

China's five-year plan (FYP) is one of the most important policy blueprints that sets medium-term goals for the country's economic and social development. Developing self-reliant technologies is expected to be one of the top priorities in its 14th FYP.  

Qin Yong, director of the Department of High and New Technology at the MOST, said China will be more forward-looking and vigorously develop the new generation of high techs represented by intelligent and quantum technologies in the next five years, striving to gain first-mover advantages.  Efforts should be made to bridge the gap between the demand for high-quality development and insufficient technological innovation capabilities, he said.  

Chinese President Xi Jinping last week stressed the importance and urgency of advancing the development of quantum science and technology.