Аннотация
This article examines the genesis of the People's Republic of China's innovative development strategy in the context of socialist construction and reform. It demonstrates that innovative development in China is not a spontaneous phenomenon, but has evolved consistently over several generations of the country's political leadership – from the founding of the PRC to the "New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics." The article analyzes the evolution of party leaders' views on the role of science, technology, and innovation in socioeconomic development, as well as the institutional and political conditions for the formation of a national innovation system. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of innovation policy from the adoption of foreign technologies to the development of independent innovation, strengthening the role of enterprises, and the formation of an innovation ecosystem. It concludes that innovation plays a key role as a strategic pillar of China's economic modernization and enhancing its global competitiveness. A comprehensive analysis of the genesis of the PRC’s innovation strategy confirms that the country's technological modernization is the result of long-term party-state planning, which organically combines socialist construction with institutional reforms. Thus, the Chinese experience demonstrates the synergy of an active state role and an evolving national ecosystem, where innovation serves as the primary political and economic tool for ensuring the country's global competitiveness.