Abstract: The deepening of the new global S&T revolution and industrial change, and the superposition of the Covid-19, are accelerating the pace of S&T innovation and intensifying the competition among countries around the world. Global S&T presents a rapid breakthrough development, and the international S&T innovation environment with competitive pattern accelerates adjustment. China's overall strength in S&T has also moved to a new stage of systematic improvement. At the same time, China is moving into a new stage of high-quality development, S&T self-reliance to become a strategic support for national development. Modernization puts forward five strategic demands on S&T innovation, namely, the demand for the goal of a S&T, the demand for international S&T competition, the demand for innovation-driven development, the demand for the layout of the S&T system, and the demand for economic and social development. To this end, China should seize the opportunity and meet the challenge. China should adhere to the six high-quality development paths of S&T innovation, namely, stabling support for basic research, focusing on core technologies, strengthening strategic S&T forces, promoting enterprises as the main innovation body, solidifying the foundation of human resources, and improving the S&T innovation ecology.

Key words: S&T Innovation, S&T Self-reliance, S&T Competition, High-quality Development, Modernization