Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035) puts forward the goals of Chinese public scientific literacy in 2025 and 2035. This paper interprets and analyzes in aspects as the development status and structural characteristics of Chinese public scientific literacy, the main situation and requirements in the new era, the domestic and global trend of public scientific literacy development, and the main foundation of the establishment of public scientific literacy goals. This paper further states the significance of these goals for accelerating the construction of a global science and technology power, realizing people’s all-round development, serving the modernization of national governance system and governance ability, and serving the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

According to the current development status of China and the goal of initially building an innovative country in 2035, Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035) puts forward and systematically lays out a core proposition: “public scientific literacy is the foundation for the progress of social civilization”. This proposition include: (1) “The foundation for the progress of social civilization” is a new starting point and new direction for the building of national scientific literacy; (2) “Science and technology must meet the people’s growing needs for a better life” is the basic starting point for the construction of public scientific literacy; (3) more balanced and more adequate is the basic spirit for the construction of public scientific literacy; and (4) starts an overall construction of scientific literacy with the Chinese people as a demonstration to the globe.

There are new characteristics in population age structure and population aging has entered a new stage in China. It is necessary to improve scientific literacy of the elderly to remedy the weakness of national scientific literacy. There are still problems in the construction of scientific literacy of the elderly, like the low level of scientific literacy of the elderly, insufficient supply of popular science resources for the elderly, and inadequate utilization of elderly human resources. Facing 2035, science popularization for the elderly should focus on improving information literacy and health literacy to adapt to social development, realizing the inclusive sharing of science popularization resources, and building new momentum of elderly science and technology human resources, so as to promote the general improvement of the citizen’s scientific literacy and serve the all-round development of people.

The development of science popularization calls for high-quality science popularization talents, the cultivation of which is an important way to improve this task force. Based on diagnosis of problems in this cultivation, this paper points out that lack of an academic degree of science popularization consititutes a serious restriction. The paper states that establishing such an academic degree is important for the implementation of Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035), and makes specific suggestions on the establishment of an academic degree in science popularization.

The Action to Improve Scientific Literacy of Rural Residents concentrates on improving the sci-tech and cultural qualities of rural residents, promoting the transformation of social traditions in rural areas and renewing the spirit of the peasants. The rural science popularization system needs to be further improved to merge into the development of agriculture, culture construction, social governance and promoting the development of ecological civilization, in order to promote rural revitalization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

The development of China’s industrial division leads to the difference between the concept of industrial workers in the new era and the traditional meaning. The CPC and the government have high concern about the improvement of the quality of workers. The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial reform put forward new requirements for the scientific literacy of industrial workers. In view of the significant problems existing in the improvement of industrial workers’ quality, the objectives, tasks and corresponding measures have been established in the new action. It is focused on strengthening value guidance skill quality cultivation, and taking a number of measures to promote the improvement of vocational skills and innovation ability, so as to serve the needs of people’s all-round development and the construction of a powerful country in respect of manufacture and quality and modern economic system.

The international exchange and cooperation project of scientific literacy is a new measure in national scientific literacy construction during the 14th Five-Year period. Its establishment conforms to UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and China’s overall diplomatic situation of “promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind” and strengthening international cooperation. It is of both domestic and international significance. The implementation paths of this project are expanding international scientific and technological exchange channels, enriching international cooperation contents, actively participating in global governance and promoting “one belt and one road” technology exchange.

Based on the thinking and experience of the research and preparation of Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035), this article comprehensively interprets this roadmap for the construction of Chinese citizens’ scientific literacy in the next 15 years, analyzes the background and significance of its formulation, and proposes the focus of “core competence” in order to improve the scientific literacy of different groups of people. This article also expresses the content and characteristics of the five key groups’ scientific literacy improvement action, five key projects, and the organization’s implementation. Suggestions are made on how to implement them, with a view to better implementing Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035).

By summarizing the new challenges and existing problems in scientific literacy construction of leading cadres and civil servants, this paper points out the focuses of scientific literacy improvement of leading cadres and civil servants in the new era: strengthening the value guidance of scientific literacy construction, improving the ability of scientific governance, adhering to the evaluation-oriented implementation, and efficiently serving the development of party and country causes.

The construction of scientific literacy in the era of innovation requires a full understanding of the value and role of science popularization and scientific literacy on the development of science and technology and innovation; requires a greatly strengthen of the construction of function for science popularization and scientific literacy to service innovation development; and also requires to promote the construction of scientific literacy to enter a new stage of development and achieve high-quality development. Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035) puts General Secretary Xi Jinping’s statement “Put the popularization of science at the same important position as science and technology innovation” as the fundamental basis for the high-quality development of scientific literacy, emphasizing the construction of institution and mechanism for “science popularization of and science and technology innovation are equally important”. This will provide a powerful impetus and an important opportunity for China’s construction of scientific literacy to achieve high-quality development.