On January 8, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CIAC, CAS) held the 2026 Annual Work Conference and the 7th Session of the 6th Staff Representative Congress. Over 400 attendees participated, including members of the institute's leadership team, academicians, members of the Party Committee and the Commission for Discipline Inspection, members of the Academic and Degree Committees, directors and deputy directors of laboratories, heads of management, support, and industrial departments, secretaries of general Party branches and Party branches, chairpersons of trade unions, research fellows, the 6th staff representatives, heads of democratic parties, representatives at people's congresses and members of political consultative conferences at all levels, retired staff representatives, postgraduate student representatives, and other key research staff. Deputy Directors Yi Zhuo and Zhang Xinbo presided over the conference in alternating sessions.

At the conference, Director Liu Jun, on behalf of the institute's Party and administrative leadership, delivered a work report entitled "Facing Challenges, Breaking Through Reform, and Seizing the Commanding Heights of Science and Technology in Applied Chemistry and New Materials." The report comprehensively reviewed the important progress made by the institute in 2025, including efforts to secure key tasks at the commanding heights of science and technology, major scientific and technological achievements, talent and cadre team development, comprehensive deepening of reform, collaborative innovation, and Party building. It also objectively analyzed the prominent problems and challenges facing the institute's development, and, in close alignment with CAS's "New Three Functions" directives and the mission of national strategic science and technology forces, outlined key tasks for the current and upcoming period — including strengthening the Party's overall leadership, implementing the "15th Five-Year Plan," organizing major science and technology missions, building a well-structured talent team, applying for national-level research platforms, and continuing to enhance the institute's standardized management.

Liu Jun emphasized that 2026 marks the launch year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and a pivotal year for CIAC's reform and development. He called on all staff to earnestly study and comprehend the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, shoulder the mission of building a science and technology powerhouse, implement CAS's "New Three Functions" directives and the strategic deployment of the "15th Five-Year Plan," strengthen institutional responsibilities, and aim to build a world-class research institution. He urged all staff to pursue their work with pragmatism and perseverance, gallop forward without pause, adhere to the goals of "Four Pioneers" and "Two Accelerations and One Effort," strive to seize the commanding heights of science and technology, and contribute to building a world-class research institution in service of the grand vision of strengthening science and technology in China.

Subsequently, Deputy Director Lu Lehui presented a report on the formulation of the institute's "15th Five-Year Plan," and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection Jiang Shouzhong provided a briefing on the 2025 supervision and audit work. The Party Committee Office reported feedback on proposals and suggestions submitted by staff representatives at the 6th Session of the 6th Staff Representative Congress, and the Finance Division presented a special report on the institute's 2025 financial situation.

To effectively safeguard the rights and responsibilities of staff representatives in performing their duties of democratic management and supervision, the conference recognized four outstanding proposals from the previous session. Deputy Party Secretary (presiding) and Deputy Director Wang Xiaohui read out the commendation decision, and Director Liu Jun and Deputy Director Wang Xiaohui jointly presented awards to the winning representatives.

As scheduled, attendees broke into discussion groups to deliberate on the institute's "2026 Annual Work Report" and the "15th Five-Year Development Strategic Plan," focusing on the core mission of seizing the commanding heights of science and technology, bottlenecks and challenges in the institute's innovation-driven development, and priorities for the next phase. Members of the leadership team participated in group discussions, and convenors of each group reported their deliberations to the plenary session.

The attending staff representatives deliberated and voted to adopt the "2026 Annual Work Report," the "15th Five-Year Development Strategic Plan," and the "Resolution of the 2026 Annual Work Conference and the 7th Session of the 6th Staff Representative Congress of CIAC, CAS (Draft)."

In his closing address, Liu Jun emphasized that all staff should be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, CAS's "New Three Functions" directives, and the strategic deployment of the "15th Five-Year Plan." He called for combining problem-oriented and goal-oriented approaches, prioritizing key tasks, ensuring accountability, focusing on the core mission of seizing the commanding heights of science and technology, giving priority to deploying and organizing major science and technology missions, deepening reform, and coordinating development with safety. He rallied all staff to take this conference as a new starting point, always bear in mind the requirements of "Four Pioneers" and "Two Accelerations and One Effort," strengthen confidence, forge ahead with determination, work diligently, accelerate the seizure of the commanding heights of science and technology in applied chemistry and new materials, and contribute to achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance in China.