BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Friday stressed the vital role of science and technology as the country's reform and development was standing at a new starting point.

    He Guoqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks during a visit to the exhibition marking the 60th founding anniversary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

    "It can't work without science and technology as the first productive force to make further progress in building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and create new prospects for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics," He said.

    The CAS has made remarkable contributions to the country's economic development, social progress and state security over the past 60 years, he said.

    As a leading academic institution in China, the CAS was founded in Beijing on Nov. 1, 1949, on the basis of former Central Academy of Sciences and Peiping Academy of Sciences.