Chinese Premier Li Keqiang addresses the National Science and Technology Award Conference in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday called for more scientific and technological research in major disease prevention and control to improve people's well-being.

Li made the remarks at an annual ceremony held in Beijing to honor distinguished scientists and research achievements.

He also said that more efforts should be made in food safety and pollution control to enable people to live a better life.

Li called for building China's strength in science and technology and urged increasing basic scientific research, diversifying investment in research and development, boosting integration of basic and applied sciences and enhancing innovative ability.

Scientific and technological workers should tackle key and common technology and solve bottleneck problems in industrial development, said Li.

Li also called for further integrating scientific and technological innovation with the economy and accelerating the development of new technology, new industry and new businesses.

At the ceremony, two Chinese scientists, explosives expert Wang Zeshan and virologist Hou Yunde, won the top science award.