The 12th Communist Party of China Shanghai Congress proposed to strengthen the functions of commencing sci-tech innovation, grow China’s strategic sci-tech capabilities, enhance basic research and original innovation, and promote the deep integration of industrial and innovation chains. The 14th Five-Year Plan period is a critical period for the building of Shanghai as a sci-tech innovation center, which should be comprehensively updated in functions on the basis of forming the basic framework. If we compare the sci-tech innovation as a chess game, it’s necessary to start working from the following three aspects to strengthen the sci-tech innovation as the prime mover of growth:

Firstly, strengthening “the value of pieces”. Accelerating the building of a globally influential sci-tech innovation center is a major strategic task assigned by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core to Shanghai. To strengthen “the value of pieces” in the coming years, Shanghai should remedy shortcomings mainly in terms of strategic scientists, high-level talents in key and core technologies, new infrastructure such as data-computing-algorithm centers, and high-level research institutions and increase efficiency by focusing on how to stimulate the potential energy of elements. For example, with the R&D investment efforts continuously increasing, the efficiency and quality of output should also be focused on. With the distribution and construction of major sci-tech infrastructure accelerated, the improvement of the operational service capabilities should also be focused on, to stimulate the innovation potential of society. With the business environment continuously optimized and global innovation elements overall planned, the optimization of scientific research organization should also be focused on, so as to build strategic sci-tech forces that can fight “battles” and overcome difficulties.

Secondly, planning the “board situation”. In a chess game, the value of pieces is the key. However, the board situation is also very important and can often make up for the value of pieces. It is a systematic process to strengthen the functions of the sci-tech innovation center, involving complex correlations among subjects, elements, activities, environment, and governance, which requires not only strengthening “the value of pieces” but also planning the “board situation”. Therefore, it’s important to, firstly, watch the situations at home and abroad and the global sci-tech innovation trends, explore the effective ways of high-level institution-based opening against the backdrop of increasing unilateralism and isolationism in international sci-tech cooperation, increase Shanghai’s active participation in global sci-tech governance, and strive to make Shanghai a key node in the international innovation network; secondly, identify the new trends of models of knowledge production, diffusion, and transformation into productivity, grasp the new rules of global innovation elements flow and exploitation, optimize the interaction interface between sci-tech innovation supply side and demand side, and set up a world-class strategic platform for new innovation elements and future industries; thirdly, study and determine the opportunities and challenges brought by the reconstruction of innovation chain, industry chain, and supply chain in high-tech fields, promote subjects’ connection, element flow, and mechanisms synergy of the Yangtze River Delta Community of Sci-Tech Innovation, and form a systematic resultant force to enable direct participation in global sci-tech and industry competition as soon as possible.

Thirdly, creating “new situations”. Although games are ever-changing, chess players’ wisdom and experience over time can be summarized in various chess manuals to become efficient means to enhance levels and win. For Shanghai, there is no existing path to follow in the building of the sci-tech innovation center, and Shanghai must have the courage to break new ground and break all the ideological and institutional barriers that restrict innovation. On the one hand, the framework of the sci-tech innovation center should be constantly improved by strengthening the “foundation” and erecting the “pillars” and “beams”; on the other hand, the functions of the sci-tech innovation center as the prime mover of growth should be constantly sharpened by accumulating strength, clearing obstacles, and creating an empowering network. Creating “new situations” is a process of trial and error and will inevitably encounter setbacks and failures and pay the corresponding price. Shanghai, a vanguard and pioneer, has a bounden duty to take up its historical mission and charge forward.

We are in a “VUCA” era at present with the increasing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity in sci-tech innovation governance. Therefore, it’s important to meet changes in the era by sticking to strengthening “the value of pieces”, planning the “board situation”, and creating “new situations”, so as to strengthen the sci-tech innovation as the prime mover of growth. Accelerating the building of a globally influential sci-tech innovation center requires venturing into the areas that have not been explored and taking a proactive move.