Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has underscored the need to hold on to the goal of basically achieving socialist modernization while planning socioeconomic development for the next five years, and called for concentrated efforts to manage the country's own affairs well regardless of changes in the external environment.

Xi made the remarks while chairing a symposium in Beijing on Aug 27 to solicit opinions from non-CPC personages on drafting the CPC Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for Economic and Social Development, according to a press statement released on Friday.

He highlighted that it is imperative to gain a deep understanding of both domestic and international situations, make solid efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, steadily advance common prosperity, and mobilize the whole Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to work together in building a great country and rejuvenating the Chinese nation.

It has been a long-held practice for the CPC to solicit suggestions and opinions on major policies and decisions of the CPC and the country from non-Communist parties, leading figures of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and those with no party affiliation.

At the symposium, leaders of the eight non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, as well as a representative of personages without party affiliation, hailed the glorious achievements the nation has made in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core.

They also made comments and suggestions on important issues such as expanding domestic demand, building a modernized industrial system, cultivating and developing new quality productive forces, strengthening the synergy of innovation, industry and consumption chains, and promoting common prosperity.

After hearing their comments, Xi said that the 15th Five-Year Plan period will be critical as the country works to reinforce the foundations and push ahead on all fronts toward basically achieving socialist modernization.

While planning for the country's social and economic development for the next five years, it is important to focus on key areas and critical links affecting and constraining high-quality development, consolidate and expand advantages, break through bottlenecks and strengthen weak areas, he said.

Noting that the nation is in a period when strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, and it faces increasing uncertain and unpredictable factors, Xi said that it is essential to closely watch and accurately assess the international situation, and actively recognize and adapt to the changes.

He emphasized that achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology is a strategic support for high-quality development, and called for efforts to promote the development of new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, while moving faster to build a modernized industrial system.

Saying that Chinese modernization is socialist modernization characterized by common prosperity for all, Xi urged continued efforts to ensure and improve people's well-being through development.

More tangible and accessible measures should be taken to address the needs of the people in employment, education, social security, housing, healthcare, elderly care and childcare, he said.

With the people and the country's development and security in mind, Xi has charted the course for the 15th Five-Year Plan. He has chaired a number of high-level meetings attended by senior officials to discuss key priorities for the new plan.

The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which concluded in Beijing on Thursday, adopted the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development.

Xi has played a decisive role in formulating the recommendations for China's 15th Five-Year Plan, said Jiang Jinquan, head of the CPC Central Committee Policy Research Office, at a press conference on the guiding principles from the just-concluded plenum on Friday.

Jiang hailed the recommendations as the most important outcome of the plenum, saying that Xi, leading the drafting team, set the overall vision and provided guidance throughout the process.

In an instruction on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan in May, Xi emphasized the importance of upholding scientific, democratic and law-based decision-making.

A dedicated online portal was opened from May to June to solicit public suggestions, receiving over 3.1 million submissions covering a vast spectrum of subjects from technological innovation to social welfare.

"The drafting of the recommendations can thus be seen as another vivid practice of promoting intra-Party democracy and whole-process people's democracy," Jiang said. It highlights the firm political stance of the CPC Central Committee in respecting the people's role, working for the people, and relying closely on the people, he added.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn