BEIJING (AP) — President Xi Jinping has called for China's ruling Communist Party to step up technology development, an area in which Beijing faces complaints that it encourages theft of foreign know-how and blocks access to emerging industries.

In a speech Wednesday at the opening of a party congress, Xi called for making China a "country of innovators" and create competitors in aerospace, cyberspace, transportation and other areas. He promised to promote cooperation among universities, state companies and small enterprises.

China's technology development has prompted complaints by foreign governments and companies that Beijing encourages theft of foreign intellectual property. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an investigation in August into whether China improperly requires companies to hand over technology as a condition of market access.