BEIJING - China will strive to make innovation a driving force of the country's economic upgrading, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the Global Research Council, Li said China will nurture innovative and entrepreneurial energies, and encourage scientific and technological achievements to be used in real practical applications.

China's economic growth dipped to 7.4 percent in the first quarter, the lowest level since the third quarter of 2012.

Meanwhile, problems including manufacturing overcapacity, a deteriorating environment and high energy consumption require the country to accelerate upgrades to its growth pattern.

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