A dialogue session between Nobel laureates and young scientists is held at the World Young Scientist Summit 2019 in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 26, 2019. (HAN CHUANHAO / XINHUA)

HANGZHOU, China (AFP) — Elite, young scientists from around the globe hailed a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping in which he expressed his high hope that they will play a leading role in better promoting innovation and scientific and cultural exchanges worldwide.

In a congratulatory letter to the World Young Scientist Summit 2019, which opened Saturday in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, Xi said that in the flourishing, new scitech revolution and industrial transformation, it is the common aspiration of all countries to engage in sci-tech and cultural exchanges and promote cooperation on innovations among youthful researchers, in whose hands the future of science and technology lies.

Xi called on the participants of the summit to exchange ideas, learn from each other, build a solid foundation of friendship and strengthen the bond of cooperation.

He encouraged the young scientists and technology researchers to give full play to their ambitions and realize their dreams, so as to lead social and economic development with sci-tech innovation and create a better future for human development.

Shi Yigong, a biologist and president of Westlake University, said the essence of global competition today lies in science and technology, so it’s vitally important for Westlake to train and cultivate top-notch young Chinese scientists and pioneers in their fields.

“It’s the mission for scientists like me and the university to train leading innovative scientific talents in China,” Shi said.