President Xi Jinping, in his address to his fellow deputies, said that high-quality growth is the primary task for China in building itself into a modern socialist nation in all respects and said that the nation must deepen reform and pursue in-depth transformation in its model of development.
The President said that the nation must accelerate steps to attain a high level of self-reliance in science and technology, a requirement for promoting high-quality growth.
He also stressed the need to translate the outcomes of growth into improvements in the people’s living standards and continue enhancing the sense of gain, happiness and security for the general public.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was elected by unanimous vote as a deputy to the NPC at the first session of the 14th Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress.
For China to forge new strengths in its growth, he mentioned, the key is to rely on innovation in science and technology. It is important to promote in-depth collaboration between industries, academic institutions and research institutes to strengthen the development of major innovation platforms for science and technology and support leading scientists in achieving breakthroughs, he added.
Adding further, he said, businesses must be encouraged to take up the principal role and move forward the integration of innovation chains, industrial chains, funding and talent. The nation must integrate the strategy to boost domestic demand with its deepening of supply-side structural reform and accelerate the building of a modern industrial system.
Xi reiterated the need to focus on the real economy in pursuing growth, saying that China must move forward new industrialization and step up the reengineering of its industrial foundation and research projects on major technologies and equipment. A strong agricultural sector is the foundation for a modern socialist country, and agricultural modernization is required to attain high-quality growth.
He highlighted the imperative to coordinate the development of rural infrastructure and public service systems, promote initiatives to improve the living environment in rural areas and accelerate the building of a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in.
The ultimate goal for the nation in pursuing high-quality growth is to ensure the people’s happiness and well-being, the president said.
More work must be done to help key groups find jobs, improve the social security system and strengthen elderly care and child care services, he added.
