Zhang Junjie, a 51-year-old cardiologist from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, said he believes that saving lives is not only the fundamental mission for doctors, but also a driving force behind technological innovation.

On Wednesday afternoon, he shared this belief with President Xi Jinping during a deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, talking about the significant breakthroughs in cardiovascular treatment he has both witnessed and contributed to in China.

In 2004, Zhang performed his first coronary intervention surgery, successfully inserting a stent via catheter to open a patient's blocked artery. Since then, he has been dedicated to overcoming technical and equipment barriers to make cardiovascular surgeries more accessible and affordable for Chinese patients. His words evoked Xi's memories of the country's medical services in the past.

"Back in the 1990s, China was still not capable of performing coronary stent placement surgeries. Nowadays, the localization rate of stents used for such surgeries is quite high, right?" Xi asked.

Zhang responded with pride, saying that China's domestically developed stents not only meet the needs of the Chinese population, but also are exported to benefit patients in other countries.

"Our team's pulmonary artery denervation products have received foreign accreditation, and premarket clinical research will be launched abroad in the second half of this year," Zhang told Xi, who represents Jiangsu as a deputy to the country's top legislature.

Xi said he was deeply touched by the doctor's words, adding that China has made great progress in terms of the quality of medical services and the development of domestically produced medical devices, both of which are now internationally competitive.

"The cardiovascular surgery you just mentioned is a prime example. We should continue to strive for even greater achievements," he said.

Xi told his fellow deputies that Jiangsu, as one of China's economic powerhouses, should shoulder its due responsibilities, and play a leading role in promoting integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation.

Innovation remains at the heart of China's modernization drive and the country has been consistently strengthening the role of science and technology in providing strategic support for national development.

As of last year, China has steadily climbed the ranks of the Global Innovation Index for 10 consecutive years, according to the index's report.

To promote technological innovation, Xi stressed on Wednesday the need to develop a modernized industrial system and to equally prioritize education, science and technology, as well as talent. He said it is crucial to yield more technological achievements as well as to translate them into tangible productivity.

"We should follow the path of technological innovation, implement the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, and develop new quality productive forces, so as to enable our country to consistently remain at the forefront of the modern economic tide," Xi said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn