China will look beyond its borders for science and technology talent while turning attention in the science and technology fields to innovation.

Chinese President Hu Jintao outlined those priorities during the country's fourth annual National Conference on Science and Technology in Beijing. Jintao said scientific and technological innovations are keys to China's competitiveness, its defense, its economic success and its healthcare, state media reported Tuesday.

Jintao said the country needs to boost manufacturing and information industries, produce technologies for cleaner and more efficient energy use, innovate for better infrastructure to relive the bottleneck effect the country's huge population places on its resources.

He urged greater investment in science and technology and greater resource-sharing between companies, universities and defense organizations. In addition to training and incentives for home-grown word-class scientists, he said China will bring in more outside talent, including Chinese graduates who have left the country. Jintao said he would like Chinese graduates in other countries to return home to start businesses.

The country has already created global alliances with overseas companies, and Jintao pointed toward an increase in that practice. He said Chinese research centers and universities are encouraged to work cooperatively with groups overseas, by setting up centers in other countries and working with foreigners through new research and development groups in China.

Jintao promised broad and profound social reform over the next 15 years as China seeks to boost innovation. He said the country will improve laws, regulations and government plans so they are more conducive to innovation.

He also said he would strengthen protection of intellectual property rights while cracking down on violators.

U.S. companies and organizations, like Mozilla, Sun Microsystems and others, are increasingly taking advantage of China's emerging economy and market potential.