They attended the biennial conference of the country's two top think tanks, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), which advise the government and industries on key scientific and technological issues.

China's economic development will rely more on innovation in science and technology as the country transforms its development pattern, restructures the domestic market and expands domestic demand, said Hu while delivering his conference speech.

The country's current situation not only brings tough challenges but also provides great opportunities to scientists and engineers, he said.

To fuel the economic growth, the key is to foster "indigenous innovation" and obtain genuine scientific and technological progress through the efforts of Chinese scientists and engineers, Hu said.

The president urged top scientists and engineers to lend their wisdom to the country and provide advice on key policies.

Also, he expected the academicians to set the examples in terms of academic honesty and ethics.

Also present at the ceremony were senior state leaders Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang and Zhou Yongkang.

During the conference, the CAS will elect new presidiums of its all divisions and members of special academic committees as well as deliver the letters of appointments to new foreign academicians.

The CAE members will discuss a report on how to improve the academician management and deliver the letters of appointment to newly-elected academicians and foreign counterparts.

The CAS has six divisions with 723 Chinese academicians and 64 foreign ones, while the CAE has nine divisions with 774 Chinese academicians and 41 foreign ones.

(Source: Xinhua)