BEIJING -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on March 5 stressed that it will require addressing a more complex environment and resolving more deep-rooted contradictions to achieve the goals and tasks for economic and social development set out in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). Xi made the remarks while taking part in a deliberation with fellow deputies from Jiangsu province during the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, in Beijing. He said that major provincial economic powerhouses such as Jiangsu, which stand at the forefront of reform and opening-up, should make greater efforts to analyze emerging circumstances and solve new problems, so as to accumulate referable experience.

The deputies of Jiangsu delegation conducted their deliberations earnestly, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Six deputies, namely Shi Zhijun, Zhang Xiaohong, Shi Lei, Yang Hengjun, Gao Derong, and Zhang Yufei, made remarks on various topics. Their presentations respectively focused on advancing new industrialization, promoting the integration of technological and industrial innovation, strengthening efforts to make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, building a beautiful and harmonious countryside, addressing challenges in the seed sector, and promoting sportsmanship.

After hearing the deputies' speeches, Xi delivered his remarks. He expressed approval of the Government Work Report and, in light of Jiangsu's actual conditions, set forth clear requirements for advancing economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

Xi pointed out that developing new quality productive forces is crucial for promoting high-quality development and enhancing economic competitiveness. Jiangsu Province, with a solid foundation in this regard, should strive to take the lead. Efforts should be made to advance the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, so as to achieve new breakthroughs in strengthening original innovation and the push for breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and in seizing the commanding heights of science and technology; explore new approaches to promoting the deep integration of the innovation, industrial, capital, and talent chains, and to driving the efficient transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements; create new prospects in optimizing and upgrading traditional industries, fostering emerging industries, and making a forward-looking layout for industries of the future; and make new advances in further deepening reforms and removing institutional barriers that constrain the development of new quality productive forces.

Xi emphasized that a provincial economic powerhouse can only support the stability of the national economy as a whole when it maintains a solid development foundation and a strong capacity to withstand external shocks. He called on Jiangsu to intensify efforts to boost economic resilience. He urged Jiangsu to build up its internal strengths, enhance its own capabilities, fully integrate itself into the unified national market, and help smoothen up domestic circulation. He also called for efforts to expand high-standard opening up, explore global markets and better connect with the international economic cycles, adding that preparations for worst-case scenarios should be ready to prevent and respond to any kind of risks.

Xi noted that Chinese modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all. He called on Jiangsu to accurately grasp the people's new aspirations for a better life and the new characteristics concerning the work on people's well-being under the new circumstances, take proactive actions to address issues such as how to ensure high-quality and sufficient employment, how to increase the income of urban and rural residents, and how to further raise the standards of basic public services and social security, and to explore effective pathways to advance common prosperity for all.

Xi stressed that the ever-improving effectiveness of the Party's self-governance is the ultimate guarantee for economic and social development. Efforts should be made to conscientiously organize Party-wide study and education sessions on establishing and practicing a correct understanding of governance performance, guiding Party members and officials to implement the overall requirements of "building the Party for the public good, delivering benefits to the people, making sound and scientific decisions, and working diligently with concrete actions," and to achieve results that can stand the test of practice, the people, and history. It is imperative to adopt an integrated approach to strengthening Party spirit, improving Party conduct, and enforcing Party discipline, while advancing efforts to improve conduct, enforce discipline, and combat corruption in a coordinated manner. Through tangible outcomes in exercising full and rigorous self-governance, the Party shall earn the people's trust and support and muster sufficient power to advance the development of its undertakings.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event.