Delivered at the Fourth Session

of the 13th Provincial People’s Congress of Jiangsu

on January 26, 2021

by Governor Wu Zhenglong

Fellow Deputies,

On behalf of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, I now present to you the report on the work of the government for your deliberation, and I invite comments and suggestions on my report from the members of the Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

I. Review of the Work in the 13th Five-Year Plan Period

The 13th Five-Year Plan period marked the decisive stage for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The complexity of international landscape, the arduous tasks of promoting reform and development and ensuring stability, and especially the disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic added to the difficulty and pressure of our work. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we acted on the guiding principles of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and requirements for Jiangsu, and implemented the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. In line with the underlying principle of making progress while maintaining stability and the new development philosophy, we focused our efforts on ensuring a decisive victory in the three critical battles against major risks, poverty and pollution and on promoting high-quality development. Such efforts were rewarding as we have accomplished goals and tasks set in the 13th Five-Year Plan, made remarkable achievements in building a New Jiangsu with prosperity, sustainability and civility, and concluded satisfactorily the mission of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. These achievements have laid a solid foundation for our next journey towards socialist modernization in all aspects.

1. Significant progress was made in economic development. The provincial GDP soared from RMB 7.13 trillion at the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period to RMB 10.27 trillion. GDP per capital exceeded RMB 125,000, the highest among all provinces and autonomous regions in China. General public budgetary revenue reached RMB 905.9 billion, in which tax accounted for 81.8%. We focused on developing 13 advanced manufacturing industry clusters and strengthening 30 competitive industrial chains. Nine clusters entered the finals of China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Advanced Manufacturing Industry, 1/5 of the national list. The development of modern service industry sped up and the added value of the services industry contributed to 52.5% of the total. The foundation of manufacturing industry was further strengthened and its competitiveness, further enhanced. The balance of Renminbi deposits and loans of financial institutions were over RMB 17 trillion and RMB 15 trillion respectively, capable of better facilitating high-quality development.

2. New growth drivers became stronger. We continued with the innovation-driven development strategy, strengthening the role of innovation in supporting and driving development. R&D investment accounted for 2.82% of the provincial GDP. The number of high-tech enterprises was over 32,000. The number of invention patents owned by every 10,000 people was 36.1. The contribution of scientific and technological progress to economic growth was 65%.

New progress was made in the development of the Sunan National Innovation Park as well as in the construction of key national sci-tech infrastructure such as test facilities for future networks and high-efficiency low-carbon gas turbines, and the Vacuum Interconnected Nano-X Research Facility. The number of national key labs and incubators in Jiangsu was one of the largest in China. The output value of strategic emerging industries and high-tech ones accounted for 37.8% and 46.5% of industries above a designated scale, respectively. The scale of digital economy in Jiangsu surpassed RMB 4 trillion. Technological innovation in AI, big data, blockchain, and Internet of Vehicles and their application in industry were further promoted. Jiangsu was one of the first in implementing the pilot Digital Renminbi project of the People’s Bank of China. Mass entrepreneurship and innovation were in progress. New industries, new forms of business and new models flourished.

3. New achievements were made in the coordinated development of urban and rural areas and among regions. We took rural revitalization as the focus of our work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers in the new era, deepened the supply-side structural reform of agricultural industry, bringing huge changes to the agricultural industry and rural areas. 1.38 million ha of high-standard farmlands were built. The mechanization rate in the agriculture sector hit 80%. Annual yield of grain remained at above 35 billion kg. The contribution of scientific and technological progress to agricultural industry rose to 70%. Agricultural production capacity continued to improve. The development of characteristic towns and pastoral villages was advanced with concrete steps. The reform of collective property rights system was basically completed as the right issuance to, registration of and certificate granting of rural contracted lands were fully finished. Reform in other areas such as rural finance was carried out in an orderly manner. Substantive steps were taken in building the demonstration zone for green and integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region as part of our efforts to promote the integrated development of this region.

In line with the overall planning for “1+3” functional zone development (“1” refers to the Yangtze River city cluster, “3” refers to the Jianghuai ecological economic zone, costal economic belt, and Xuzhou as a key city of the Huaihai Economic Zone), we promoted coordinated development of land and coastal areas, and nurtured synergy among regions at both sides of the Yangtze River, enhancing the gravity of central cities. New type of urbanization was promoted with the percentage of urbanized areas increased to 72%. We made major breakthroughs in infrastructure construction in the fields of transportation, energy, information, and water conservancy. A total of 71,000 5G base stations have been built, covering main urban areas of all cities and counties and key and central towns. The ability to ensure power and natural gas supply has been further improved. The installed capacity of new energy such as offshore wind power and distributed PV ranked among the national top. T1 terminal of Lukou International Airport was put into operation after reconstruction and expansion.

Major projects including the construction of a new port area at Tongzhou Bay were launched. Nanjing Jiangxinzhou Bridge and the Wufeng Mountain Bridge across the Yangtze River as well as the Lianyungang-Huai’an-Yangzhou High-speed Railway, the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong High-speed Railway and its highway-railway bridge across the Yangtze River, and the Yancheng-Nantong High-speed Railway opened to traffic. The Xuzhou-Lianyungang High-speed Railway will soon be open to traffic. The construction of the inter-city railway along the southern bank of the Yangtze River and the Nanjing-Huai’an High-speed Railway was in smooth progress. And the construction of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway began. Another 1,356 km were added to the mileage of high-speed rails in Jiangsu, enabling Jiangsu to rise from the 14th place in 2015 to the 3rd place with a total of 2,215 km. The basic framework of the provincial railway network has taken shape in Jiangsu.

4. A decisive victory in the three critical battles was secured. We took the initiative to find out and resolve hidden dangers in fields such as economy, finance, society, and science and technology. Government’s implicit debts were reduced substantially, overall debt-to-GDP ratio saw steady decrease, and the rise of illegal fund-raising was curbed. We launched a special campaign on workplace safety, which helped enhance safety regulations and capacity in emergency rescue, and resulted in a general improvement in safety development. In 2020, the number of accidents in production and death toll decreased by 66% and 63% compared to the previous year. Following the requirements of the strategy of promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoiding excessive development, we have taken effective measures that led to an upturn in the ecological environment of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. We shut down 57,275 poorly-managed, polluting and small enterprises and addressed the cases of 876 zombie enterprises in total, and phased out excessive capacity in iron and steel and cement industries completely. Emissions of four major pollutants, namely SO2, NOx, COD, and ammonia nitrogen were cut respectively by 28.4%, 25.8%, 14% and 14.6%, carbon emission intensity, down by 24%, and energy consumption per unit of GDP, down by 20%, a much better performance than the nationally assigned target.

We addressed the issues listed out by the environmental protection inspection groups sent by the central government and during their revisit, the problems pointed out by the National People’s Congress during the inspection on the enforcement of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, and problems revealed in the Warning Film on the Ecological Environment of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Our determination and dedication in securing a victory in battles for our blue sky, clear water, and clean land have led to continuous improvement of the ecological environment. The average concentration of PM2.5 in the province in 2020 dropped to 38 μg/m3; 81% of the days saw good air quality; 86.5% of the water sections evaluated by the national authorities reached Grade III or above; and waters with quality worse than Grade V were eliminated in all major tributaries of rivers and in water sections of rivers flowing to the sea, the best performance since the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan.   Thanks to our efforts in soil protection, pollution treatment, and rehabilitation, soil-related environment risks were mitigated. Forest coverage in Jiangsu increased from 22.5% to 24%.  For 13 consecutive years, we have ensured water safety and non-occurrence of large-scale algae-induced black bloom of Taihu Lake. The number of demonstration cities and counties for eco-preservation was among the top in China.

We ensured that the basic needs of food and clothing for those living in poverty were met and they had access to compulsory education, basic medical care and safe housing. Poverty-relief campaign toward moderate prosperity continued. 2.549 million registered low-income people, 821 economically weak villages by provincial standards, and 12 counties (districts) under prioritized assistance from the provincial government met the poverty-relief targets. Work in one-on-one assistance and poverty alleviation collaboration between East and West China were carried out with concrete steps, helping 102 poverty-stricken counties in the national list, involving 4 million people, shake off poverty.

5. Reform and opening-up endeavor continued. Greater progress was made in developing an open economy by leveraging Jiangsu’s position as the intersection of the Belt and the Road and implementing a special action plan comprising five major projects. Paid-in FDI exceeded USD 120 billion in accumulative terms, remaining the largest in China. Foreign trade  maintained stability with improvement in quality, reaching RMB 4.45 trillion in 2020, among the national top. The proportion of general trade rose from 43.8% to 53.4%, while exports to Belt and Road countries, from 22.7% to 26.9%. International production capacity cooperation has deepened. The development of the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone and the SSEZ made steady stride. Further progress was made in the development of the China-Kazakhstan Logistics Base in Lianyungang, SCO (Lianyungang) International Logistics Park, and Huaihai International Land Port in Xuzhou. The Nanjing, Suzhou, and Lianyungang Areas of the China (Jiangsu) Pilot Free Trade Zone gained approval. Transformation of development zones accelerated with emphasis on their respective competitiveness. The development of the Jiangbei New Area and the China-ROK (Yancheng) Industrial Park gained new momentum. Reforms in key fields such as state-owned assets and enterprises, science and technology, price regulation, natural resources, and agriculture and rural areas were carried forward steadily. Preferential policies for enterprises were implemented, saving RMB 800 billion accumulatively for them through tax and fee cuts. The amount reached RMB 222.9 billion and RMB 252 billion in 2019 and 2020 respectively. With the strong support from the provincial government, the added value of private economy amounted to RMB 5.8 trillion. The number of businesses in Jiangsu reached 12.38 million. We completed institutional reform and accelerated the transformation of government functions within Jiangsu. Reforms that delegate power, improve regulation and services continued, with the administrative power over a total of 525 items cancelled, delegated to lower levels, or adjusted. The business environment in Jiangsu has become one of the best in China.

6. We took effective measures to improve people’s wellbeing. In line with the people-centered development philosophy, we took effective measures to ensure and improve people’s wellbeing, which enhanced people’s senses of gain, happiness and security. We made adjustment to the public fiscal expenditure structure, raising the proportion of our public fiscal expenditure on people’s wellbeing to 79%. Cumulatively, another 7.26 million people found urban jobs, and surveyed unemployment rate stood under 5%. Per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents reached RMB 53,000 and RMB 24,000, both ranking among the national top. Social security system and the basic pension schemes for rural and non-working urban residents were improved. We established a municipal-level unified medical insurance system and ensured that the basic needs of people living on subsistence allowances and those in extreme poverty were met. We made progress in building Jiangsu into a modernized education powerhouse. The province is now among the national top in terms of the scale, overall strength and overall quality of education. We firmly promoted the development of a healthy Jiangsu. The level of healthcare and residents’ overall health in Jiangsu were significantly improved and people’s average life expectancy exceeded 78 years. We continued to enhance public sports service system, ensured full coverage of cultural service centers at community level, and implemented cultural projects to benefit the people. New achievements were made in developing the demonstrative Jiangsu Section of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt. Jiangsu is one of the national leaders in developing cities with high civility. Housing conditions of Jiangsu residents have been greatly improved. Cumulatively, we have built 1.34 million units of affordable housing, renovated and redeveloped 5,343 communities in rundown urban areas and improved housing conditions for over 200,000 rural households in Northern Jiangsu. Elderly care system was further improved, and so were infant and pre-school childcare services, the related regulatory system, and the oversight of food and drug safety. We were committed to building a safe Jiangsu under the rule of law. We launched a special campaign to crack down on organized crimes and local mafias as part of our efforts to enhance social security and comprehensive social governance, and our work of handling complaint cases saw new progress. 98.7% of our residents felt safe living in Jiangsu and social stability and harmony were sustained.

Over the five years, we have made new progress in work related to the elderly, women and children, the youth, people with disabilities, trade unions, the Red Cross, charity, volunteer service, care for the next generation as well as ethnic minorities, religions, audit, statistics, foreign affairs, Taiwan affairs, Hong Kong and Macao affairs, overseas Chinese affairs, advisory work, culture and history, archives and local chronicles. New achievements were scored in work related to national defense mobilization, support to the army and preferential treatment of the families of servicemen, mutual support between the military and the civilians, ex-servicemen affairs, and civil air defense.

2020 was an extraordinary year. We were faced with major changes unseen in a century, unprecedented pandemic and severe floods rarely seen in many years. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we acted on the important instructions and requirements in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speeches on coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control and economic and social development, strived to ensure stability on six fronts (employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and expectations) and maintain security in six areas (job security, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments). Thanks to our concerted efforts in the fight against COVID-19, in promoting work and production resumption, and in flood control and prevention, we achieved satisfactory results in these major tests. Facing the unexpected COVID-19, we made people’s lives and health our first priority. Acting on the general requirements of strengthening confidence and solidarity and taking science-based approach and targeted measures, we kept in mind our due responsibility and made quick response to secure a victory in the battle against COVID-19 by pulling the efforts of people from all walks of life. At the beginning of the pandemic, we pressed the “pause” button with a determined mind. Thanks to our decisive and effective measures, the number of newly confirmed local cases was brought down to zero in less than one month, and all local cases were cured and discharged from hospitals in the following 30 days, which represented a remarkable achievement in COVID-19 control. We did our best to bring down the infection rate and ensured zero death among confirmed cases. Nothing interprets the belief of “people’s life and health always comes first” better than our actions and achievements. Echoing the national arrangements, we were the first to send a team to Hubei’s aid, a team of over 3,100 people, including over 2,800 medical workers, giving full support to Wuhan and Hubei in their battle against COVID-19. We also made all-out efforts to produce medical supplies and actively participated in the national and global fight against COVID-19. In this tough battle, Jiangsu acted as a responsible province, contributing to the utmost of our capacity to the final victory. Facing the severe impacts and unprecedented challenges brought by COVID-19 and global economic recession, we attached equal importance to COVID-19 control and economic and social development. Under the premise that the situation was under control and prevention and control endeavor became regular, we “stepped on the gas” in work and production resumption to fast forward economic recovery. We put forward 50 measures on administrative services, 22 measures to benefit enterprises and other policies and measures to stabilize foreign trade and investment. Economic and social development got back on track quickly and stability on six fronts and security in six areas were effectively ensured. Jiangsu was the first to resume positive economic growth in the first half of 2020. In 2020, Jiangsu’s GDP grew by 3.7%, and its general public budgetary revenue rose by 2.9%, both high among all economically-leading provinces. Jiangsu’s foreign trade and foreign investment increased against the odds. Its paid-in foreign investment stood at USD 28.38 billion, up by 8.6% year-on-year and topped the country. And its foreign trade increased by 2.6% year-on-year. Another 1.328 million people found urban jobs in Jiangsu, accounting for over 1/9 of the country’s total. Total grain output registered 37.29 billion kg, a record high. The number of hogs reached 13.749 million and 18.257 million hogs were supplied to the market, all exceeding the annual national targets. Facing the heavy rainfall and severe floods in the uncommonly long Meiyu period in 2020, we secured a full victory in flood control and disaster relief by making all-out efforts and adopting appropriate measures. We timely evacuated residents from disaster-hit areas, ensured no disaster-caused casualty, and brought down asset and property damage to the minimum.

One who has not experienced the difficulty will not be able to fully appreciate the gravity of the difficulty itself. Faced with the spreading virus and other challenging tests in the past year, we secured victories in both COVID-19 control and economic and social development, living up to the expectations of our people. We are truly proud of these hard-won results. What is fundamental to our success is the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and the concerted and all-out efforts of people from all walks of life in Jiangsu in implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. 2020 marked an extraordinary year in the history of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese nation and mankind. Facing the difficult and complex external environment and rising challenges and risks, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core gained a keen understanding of the complex context with vision and strategic insight at the moment of crisis. Under the planning and leadership of President Xi Jinping, all Party members, armed forces and people of all ethnic groups forged ahead in the face of challenges, making remarkable achievements in this truly extraordinary year. We lived up to the expectations of our people with achievements remarkable in both the world’s history of pandemic control and the history of China’s development. This was a time when crisis was timely resolved and turned into opportunity and an occasion that truly inspired people’s sense of patriotism. We are proud of our great country, our great people, and our great CPC.

The journey we have traveled is unforgettable and the accomplishments we have made are inspiring. We owe them to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the direct leadership of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the oversight and support of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress and the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the support of people from all walks of life, and the concerted, all-out efforts and determination of people across Jiangsu. On behalf of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, I wish to pay tribute and express sincere gratitude to workers, farmers, intellectuals, officials, people from all quarters across the province, as well as to medical workers, public security officers, primary-level officials, community workers and volunteers fighting at the front line against COVID-19. My thanks also go to deputies of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress and members of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, all other political parties, federations of industry and commerce, public figures without party affiliation, civil societies, the People’s Liberation Army stationed in Jiangsu, armed police forces, firefighters, and to compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese and international friends who has been following and supporting Jiangsu’s reform, opening-up and modernization efforts.

When acknowledging our accomplishments, we are also conscious of the complexities in the external environment and the increasing instabilities and uncertainties. COVID-19 has caused great disruptions and the world economic recovery still lacks momentum. Jiangsu province is still facing many difficulties and challenges in its development. Pressures remain in improving quality and stability of foreign trade and foreign investment. There is an urgent need to enhance innovation capacity. Certain industries and small and medium-sized enterprises are faced with difficulties. Hidden risks still exist in fields such as economy, finance, technology, real estate and workplace safety. Resource and environment constraints are increasing and the task of pollution prevention and control remains arduous. We still have weaknesses in ensuring the wellbeing of people as well as obstacles, disrupted links, and difficulties in creating a new development paradigm. The practice of formalities for formalities’ sake and bureaucratism have not been eliminated entirely and the performance of government staff as well as governance efficiency need to be enhanced. We take these issues seriously and will adopt effective measures to address them.

II．Overall Requirements, Targets and Tasks for

14th Five-Year Plan Period

Building on the achievements, we have embarked on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country and achieving the second centenary goal after having finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieved the first centenary goal. This marks the launching of a new development stage for our country and serves as a milestone in China’s national development. We must fully understand the circumstances of the new development stage, implement the new development philosophy, and accelerate to foster the new development paradigm. The new development stage has defined the historic juncture in China’s development. It is a new stage of historic transformation when the people have stood up, grown prosperous, and are becoming strong under the leadership of the CPC. With the guidelines for achieving modernization in our country defined, the new development philosophy is thus an over-arching, fundamental and long-term strategic thinking. The new development paradigm has defined the path for economic modernization in our country.

It is a major strategic mission involving the overall development of our country, an upper-hand move to take the initiative in future development, a major task to be accomplished in the new development stage, and a major measure to implement the new development philosophy.

We are particularly inspired and encouraged by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s choosing Jiangsu as the destination of his first local inspection tour after the conclusion of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, his full recognition of Jiangsu’s work and the important mission he conferred on our province, which is setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization . It has reflected the attention paid by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee to the development of Jiangsu and their expectations for the future of Jiangsu, pointing the direction and providing fundamental guidance for us in the new development stage and on the new journey.

As part of the move to set an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development is, we will bear firmly in mind the new tasks and targets in the new development stage, focus on the key areas and links of high-quality development, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, emphasize the core position of innovation in modernization, advance reform with greater vigor and take innovation to a higher level, try to build our province’s strength in science and technology, manufacturing and opening up, and foster new edges for high-quality development.

To set an example in building a new development paradigm is to keep the overall national development and national strategies in mind, give full play to Jiangsu’s advantages as the starting point and connecting point for the circulation of many domestic industries and an important channel of international circulation, expand domestic demand, open wider to the outside world and facilitate circulation with higher standards, and serve as a pivot and strategic hub in fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other.

To take the lead in achieving socialist modernization is to gain a keen appreciation of the essential features of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics, stay committed to the people-centered principle in our work, give full play to the leading role of advanced culture, strive for harmony between man and nature, promote well-rounded development of the people and common prosperity, explore the strategic path and realize modernization, so as to further consolidate and amplify Jiangsu’s advantages as a trailblazer in the  modernization of the whole country.

Major changes unseen in a century are taking place in our world. Chinese national renewal is at a crucial juncture. Both in the immediate future and for some time to come, China will still be in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with unprecedented and major opportunities and challenges. We should not only be aware of the increasingly complex international environment, the evolving profound impact of COVID-19, the backlash against economic globalization, and the rocketing number of new difficulties and challenges against development, but also take note of the major opportunities in momentous changes and challenges. China has marked institutional strengths, sound economic growth in the long run, a massive market, and strong resilience of development.

In particular, the strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee on building a new development paradigm will not only inject new impetus for domestic market and enhance stability and certainty, but also create broad space for us to make full use of both international and domestic markets and resources and enhance our international competitiveness.

Meanwhile, our province boasts a solid real economy, a sound industrial chain, a complete supply chain, rich scientific, educational and human resources, and a good business environment as well as unique opportunities brought about by the concurrent implementation of three major national programs, namely, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze Economic Belt and the strategy for integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. There are tens of millions of market entities, a large number of honest and law-abiding entrepreneurs who have the courage to break new ground intelligent and hardworking people, and officials who do solid work with a sense of responsibility.

As long as we bear in mind both domestic needs and the international context, boost confidence in development, think about worst-case scenarios, faithfully implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and manage our own affairs well, we can surely build on our achievements and effectively fulfill the important mission of setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and of taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization in a new development stage and on a new journey, and take the building of a new Jiangsu with prosperity, sustainability and civility to a new height.

According to the decisions of the Ninth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the general requirements for economic and social development of our province for the 14th Five-Year Plan period are:

－Follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era;

－Implement fully the guiding principles of the 19th CPC National Congress and the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee;

－Conscientiously implement the important instructions and requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of Jiangsu;

－Follow the overall goal of building a new Jiangsu with prosperity, sustainability and civility;

－Commit to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability;

－Base our efforts on the new development stage;

－Apply the new development philosophy;

－Build a new development paradigm;

－Take high-quality development as the theme;

－Focus on deepening supply-side structural reform;

－Take reform and innovation as the fundamental driver;

－Accomplish the ultimate objective of meeting people’s increasing needs for a better life;

－Adopt a systematic perspective;

－Strike a balance between development and security;

－Speed up the building of a modernized economic system;

－Improve people’s quality of life; and

－Promote efficient governance.

We will make a good start for fully building a modern socialist country with practical actions and substantial results of setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and of taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization.

We have set the following key projected targets for economic and social development for the 14th Five-Year Plan period:

－Per capita GDP will exceed RMB 150,000 in the province, economic performance will be more stable and economic structure will be improved; the innovation capacity will be significantly enhanced, and an industrial sci-tech innovation center with global influence, an advanced manufacturing base with international competitiveness, and a two-way open hub with global appeal will be basically built;

－Income of residents will increase steadily; more sufficient employment of higher standards will be attained; our strength in modern education will be in the forefront in the country; the health system, the social security system and the elderly care services system will improve in quality and standards;  

－Social equity and justice will be further promoted, and development safety will be better guaranteed;

－Important breakthroughs will be made in the modernization of environmental governance system and capacity, the quality of environment will be improved, and notable results will be achieved in building a beautiful Jiangsu;

－Cultural influence will be further increased and our strength in culture will be stepped up;

－A high-standard market system will be basically in shape, market entities will be further energized, a new system of open economy of high standards will take primary shape, and our role as an important strategic hub will be brought into play in fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other.

To fulfill the long-range objectives through 2035, we will achieve the following targets:

－Per capita GDP will double and per capita income will more than double on the basis of 2020;

－Regional innovation capacity will be equivalent to leading innovative countries;

－New type of industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization will be basically achieved;

－A high-standard open economy will take shape;

－The social governance system and capacity will be basically modernized;  

－The achievements in well-rounded development of the people and common prosperity for all will be in the forefront in the country; and

－There is a fundamental improvement in the environment.

By doing so, we will put in place the initial shape of a modern socialist Jiangsu.

To achieve these goals, we need to comprehend the logic, connection and implications between the new development stage, the new development philosophy and the new development paradigm, follow the requirements of setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and of taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization, and underscore the focus and priority of our work.

We must continue to regard innovation as the primary driving force and move faster to become more self-reliant and stronger in science and technology. Focusing on the main line of supply-side structural reform, we will act in accordance with the new changes in development, factors of production, resources and our advantages, take self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology as strategic support for implementing the new development philosophy, promoting high-quality development and fostering the new development paradigm, and implement the core strategy of innovation-driven development, the strategy for invigorating Jiangsu through science and education and the strategy on developing a quality workforce.

We will push forward with the reform of science and technology management systems and mechanisms, strengthen basic research and original innovation, expedite overcoming bottlenecks and difficult issues, pick up pace to build more self-owned brands, and drive and create new demand with innovation and high-quality supply to usher in a higher stage of well-adjusted balance.

We should strengthen the alignment and integration of the innovation chain and the industrial chain, upgrade the industrial foundation and modernize the industrial chain, strive to create more “peaks” on the “plateau” of technological and industrial innovation, and accelerate the building of an independent, controllable, safe and efficient modern industrial system to make our development more innovative, more competitive and stronger across the board.

We must speed up the building of a beautiful Jiangsu by strengthening ecological conservation and green development. We will earnestly act on President Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization, pursue modernization in which human and nature coexist in harmony, and blaze a trail in the green development that prioritizes ecological progress. We will continue to make concerted efforts to protect the ecological environment and guard against over-development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, strengthen protection and rehabilitation of the ecological system, fully implement the 10-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River to serve the greater interests of our posterity, secure the victory in the tough battle against pollution, and keep on improving the quality of the ecological environment.

We will make greater efforts to develop green industries, accelerate energy revolution, promote green and low-carbon transformation of our way of production and lifestyles, and strive to peak carbon dioxide emission ahead of schedule. By doing so, we will build a more beautiful and livable Jiangsu that takes pride in its ecological progress, prosperity of water-nourished culture, and green development.

We must accelerate rural revitalization and advance the coordinated development of urban and rural areas and among regions. We must fully understand and actively respond to the evolving principal challenges facing the society, and address the imbalance and inadequacy in development across rural and urban areas and regions at a faster pace. Agricultural and rural development will be given the top priority. Guided by the rural revitalization strategy, our work related to agriculture, farmers and rural areas should aim to keep the amount of arable land above the designated scale, ensure food security, further develop industry, human resources, culture and improve ecology and organization in rural areas. We will improve agricultural quality and efficiency, create a livable and pro-business environment in rural areas, and make farmers affluent and satisfied. Bearing in mind the broader picture of national and regional integrated development, we will fully implement major national development strategies including the Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta Region and the Yangtze River Economic Belt Development. We will make solid progress in building the “1+3” major functional zones, improve the distribution of land as well as allocation of production factors in the coastal areas, areas along the Yangtze River, and in south, central and north Jiangsu, improve the modern comprehensive transport system, and advance the building of central cities and city clusters. Guidance will be given to different localities to play their designated roles and make good use of their respective resources to cultivate competitive industries with distinctive characteristics and form regional economic integration, in a bid to promote the coordinated yet differentiated development among regions.

We must follow the requirements of building a new development paradigm and advance reform and opening up to new heights. We will take the initiative in line with the national requirements of building a new development paradigm and advance reform and opening up to a higher level. We will better leverage the joint efforts of an efficient market and a competent government to expand domestic needs as the strategic fulcrum. We will accelerate building and improving the system and mechanism for market-based allocation of production factors, intensify efforts to unclog bottlenecks, and connect disrupted links to facilitate unimpeded economic circulations, and remove the administrative barriers that stunt economic circulations. Greater efforts will be made to create a world-class business environment oriented by the market and under the rule of law, and fully incentivize the dynamism and creativity of market players and the whole society. With keen understanding of this fluid and changing economic landscape, we will step up the development of Jiangsu as an intersection of the Belt and the Road, make better use of the strong domestic market and take domestic circulation as the mainstay to forge new competitive edges in our cooperation and competition with foreign countries, so as to participate in the international division of labor at the higher end of the value chain. We will take advantage of international circulation to improve our allocation of production factors and raise our market competitiveness, and accelerate the building of a new, safer and open economic system at a higher level.  

We must adhere to the people-centered development philosophy so that our people will have a stronger sense of gain, happiness and security. Creating a better life for our people and striving for national renewal are what drive our efforts in pursuing modernization under the leadership of the CPC, and in implementing the new development philosophy. We will always put people first and bear in mind that our development is of the people, by the people and for the people. In line with the new development philosophy, our pursuit of high-quality development shall better serve the wellbeing of our people. We will do all within our capacity to increase government input to safeguard and improve people’s living standards, focus on addressing major issues concerning people’s wellbeing, ensure people’s basic needs, enhance prosperity for all, and enrich cultural life of the public. We will see to it that our work in safeguarding people’s wellbeing will meet the requirements of this new development stage and contribute to the formation of the new development paradigm driven by expanding domestic demand. By doing so, our people’s sense of gain, happiness and security will land on more solid ground with greater guarantee and sustainability.           

We must strike a balance between development and security to ensure safe and secure development. Safety and security are the prerequisite for development, while development ensures safety and security in return. As we are facing unprecedented opportunities as well as risks and challenges in this new development stage, we must strike a balance between development and security, get better prepared for the latent risks and the worst-case scenario, and improve all types of risk control systems and security mechanisms. Special campaigns on ensuring workplace safety will be conducted. We will further improve social governance that is of the people, by the people and for the people, and continue with the modernization of our system and capacity for social governance in a bid to ensure the smooth progress in the great cause of pursuing modernization, the safety and stability in our society and sustainability in development.  

Fellow deputies,

We are honored to take on the weighty tasks to satisfy the new aspirations of our people. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core as well as the CPC Provincial Committee, we will forge ahead in a modest, prudent, diligent and responsible manner with greater courage and wisdom in our new journey after we have completed the task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. We will take pragmatic and effective steps to accomplish the great missions bestowed upon us, uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the CPC as a whole as well as the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee, and live up to the expectations and great trust of all people in Jiangsu.

III. Priorities for 2021

The year 2021 is of special significance in the course of China’s pursuit of modernization, as it marks the beginning of the14th Five-Year Plan Period and a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country across the board, as well as the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. Therefore, it is of great relevance that our government delivers a sound performance in the year. Pivoting on the overall objectives and requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan, we will achieve the following goals in terms of economic and social development in 2021 as a good start for the coming five years: GDP will grow by over 6%; general public budgetary revenue will increase by around 4.5%; foreign trade and paid-in foreign investment will be stabilized with greater efficiency; another 1.2 million people will get urban jobs; surveyed urban unemployment rate will be kept under 5%; per capita disposable income will see stable growth; CPI increase will be kept at around 3%; energy consumption per unit of GDP will drop by around 3%; ecological environment will keep improving and emission of major pollutants will meet national requirements; both cultivated areas of grain and grain yield will see increase on the basis of stability; workplace safety will be further strengthened and intrinsic safety will keep improving. To accomplish this year’s work, we will give priorities to the following ten aspects.

1. We will strengthen scientific and technological innovation with emphasis on making breakthroughs in key and core technologies. 

Pivoting on further strengthening China’s sci-tech capacity and its self-reliance, we will improve the allocation of scientific and technological resources, beef up the proprietary innovation capacity, and overcome bottlenecks and difficult issues concerning key links in major areas at a faster pace. Efforts will be made to upgrade a number of small enterprises into high-tech ones, and nurture a number of leading enterprises, unicorn and gazelle companies with strong innovation capacity. Enterprises will be encouraged to increase input in R&D, explore frontier technologies, and take initiative to forge innovation consortiums. Collaborative innovation will be advocated by pooling the strength of small, medium and large enterprises and of the lower, middle and upper parts of industrial chains. We will synergize industrial chains and innovation chains and empower economic development with sci-tech progress by facilitating the commercialization of research results. Building of major platforms for innovation will be accelerated. We will strengthen the leading role of the Sunan National Innovation Park in innovation, promote high-quality development of hi-tech zones, and render great support to Purple Mountain Laboratory, Gusu Laboratory and Taihu Lake Laboratory in their bid to become state-level laboratories. We will actively engage in building the national technological innovation center, the industrial innovation center, the manufacturing innovation center and national key laboratories, and strengthen basic research and increase supply of generic technologies. We will leverage the exemplary role of Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute in boosting innovation, further improve the incentive mechanism and the mechanism for science and technology evaluation, advance IPR protection, and improve the system for nurturing and introducing talent. All these efforts will improve Jiangsu’s ecosystem for technological innovation, making the province a stronger magnet for talent in the field of strategic technologies, leading and young sci-tech professionals, as well as high-caliber innovation teams and an enabling land for them to settle, grow, and thrive.

2. We will continue to advance the supply-side structural reform, and accelerate industrial transformation and upgrading. 

We will accelerate the implementation of the three-year action plan on strengthening industrial chains to enhance the proprietary controllability and modernization of industrial and supply chains and ramp up industrial clusters of advanced manufacturing. Special focus will be given to such clusters as integrated circuit, biomedicine, engineering machinery, high-end equipment, Internet of Things, energy efficiency, and environmental protection, as well as major industrial chains in smart grid, Internet of Vehicles, industrial internet, brand garment, and advanced carbon materials.

We will support the growth of leading enterprises, and produce a batch of world-class leading enterprises, strongly competitive and influential enterprises in certain industrial chains, and champion enterprises in individual industrial areas. Greater efforts will be made to implement quality-improving programs, create and nurture well-known made-in-Jiangsu brands. More efforts will be invested in the implementation of the industrial foundation re-building initiative with special emphasis on making breakthroughs in the weak links in such fields as core basic parts, key basic materials, advanced basic processes, industrial technological foundation, and basic software. We will facilitate the growth of the digital economy, new generation of information technology, and emerging industries with strategic importance, carry forward the “big data + competitive industrial chains” initiative, and make solid progress in the integrated development of “5G + industrial internet”. We will nurture a group of provincial level demonstration bases for data center industry as well as demonstrative programs for the application of industrial big data and build a batch of smart workshops, demonstrative plants for intelligent manufacturing, and model factories of industrial internet, in a bid to push forward deep integration of the internet, big data and artificial intelligence with industrial sectors, and facilitate the industrialization of the digital industry and the digitalization of the industrial sector.

3. We will nurture consumption demands and improve effective investment to meet the fundamental and strategic need of expanding domestic demands.

Committing to the overarching task of supply-side structural reform, we will focus on the management of the demand side so as to better align moves of expanding domestic demands with that of improving living standards. To that end, we will act on the following.

First, we will better leverage the critical and fundamental role of investment and consumption and investment in economic development. As we appropriately bolster public consumption, we will also improve the efficacy of expenditures in public services such as education, public health, elderly care and childcare. Conforming to the trend of consumption upgrading, we will improve traditional consumption, foster new types of consumption, promote the integration between digital and physical consumption, boost new types of cultural tourism consumption, and encourage the development of new business forms of consumption in the rural areas. We will ease market access in the field of services consumption, strengthen inheritance, protection and innovative development of Old Trademarks, and speed up the development of international consumption centers.

Second, as part of the step to expand effective investment via key projects, we will bolster investment in the fields of traditional and new infrastructure, expedite the establishment of projects for industries and technological transformation, implement projects that strengthen the foundation, add new functions, adjust structure, improve living standards and bring benefits in the long run. More investment will go to fields such as agriculture and rural areas, ecological conservation, public health, disaster relief and prevention, and people’s well-being. The Urban Renewal program will be implemented to expedite renovation and redevelopment of old residential communities.

Third, we will speed up the construction of the inter-city railway along the southern bank of the Yangtze River and the Nanjing-Huai’an Railway. We will start the construction of the railway along the northern bank of the Yangtze River, the Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway, the Yancheng-Taizhou-Wuxi-Changzhou-Yixing Railway, the Hefei-Xinyi High-speed Railway and the Zhangjiagang-Rugao cross-river channel. Phase II of the East Line of South-to-North Water Diversion Project, Phrase II of the Water Channel of the Huaihe River Estuary, the building of floodwater detention zone and projects of reservoir safety and danger elimination of Hongze Lake will continue.

Fourth, as part of the move to improve the systems and institutions for investment and financing, efforts will be made to establish a market-led internal growth system for investment by striking a balance between government investment and debt risks, invigorating and expanding space for private investment.

4. We will speed up the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and ensure food security and sufficient supply of agricultural side-line products.  

First, we will deepen supply-side structural reform in agriculture. We will ensure efficient production of fine agricultural products and development of urban agriculture based on specific conditions, foster new business forms and models in agriculture such as rural recreation tourism and online shops for agricultural products, and promote integrated development between the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in rural areas. As part of the move to elevate the development of modern agriculture, we will nurture new types of agricultural businesses such as farmers’ cooperatives and family farms, improve social services system for agricultural specialization, and develop leading enterprises in agricultural industrialization.

Second, we will vigorously carry out activities to develop rural areas. As we aim to unceasingly improve livability in rural areas, efforts will be made to actively promote high-quality development of characteristic towns, accelerate the progress in building beautiful pastoral villages, construct more rural public infrastructure, ensure good construction, management, maintenance and operation of rural roads. We will also promote programs of toilet modernization, garbage sorting and waste water treatment in rural areas, and improve housing conditions for farmers at a faster pace.

Third, we will further stimulate the internal growth momentum in rural development by continuing the reform in rural contracted land, collective property rights and residential land systems. We will improve the system and mechanism for integrated development between urban and rural areas, promote equal exchange and two-way movement of production factors between urban and rural areas, and the proper allocation of public resources.

Fourth, we will ensure that systems are in place by which the governor is accountable for rice supply and mayors, vegetables and meat. The strategy of securing grain production based on farmland management and technology application will continue to be employed, and fundamental researches on seeds and soil and key crop breeding programs will be strongly supported. We will ensure the amount of arable land is kept above the designated scale and contain its use for purposes other than agriculture and crop production.

To guarantee self-sufficiency of food, we will develop high-standard farmland, renovate medium-to-large supporting facilities of irrigated areas, implement projects to increase the yield of arable land, strengthen technological and equipment support for agriculture, and keep the sown area and grain yield stable. We will improve regulation over grain supply and prices through government procurement and stockpiling, restore hog production, strengthen livestock and poultry breeding and aquaculture, and maintain the production and supplies of key agricultural and sideline products, such as pork and vegetables.

5. We will continue the fight against pollution to continuously improve the ecological environment.

First, we will fight to keep our sky blue, water clean, and land pollution-free. As part of the step to contain and reduce the concentration of PM 2.5 and ozone, we will intensify the fight against the pollution of volatile organic compounds and air pollution in autumn and winter, push forward technological transformation for ultra-low emissions in key industries, and strengthen regional joint response and prevention efforts against air pollution and urban dust. In order to constantly improve the quality of water environment, we will carry forward the work on treating black and odorous water bodies, controlling water pollution in industrial parks, and treating agricultural non-point source pollution. We will beef up the capacity for waste water collection in cities, towns and villages and for treating pollution from ships, step up efforts to comprehensively control and manage basins of Taihu Lake, Hongze Lake and those relevant to the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. We will take action to strengthen classification-based soil management and treatment of pollution sources, improve collection and treatment of hazardous and medical waste, strictly control access to the redevelopment of polluted land, and promote the sustainability of soil resources.

Second, efforts will be made to promote the protection and restoration of the Yangtze River ecosystem and environment as well as the “4+1” project for pollution control and the building of characteristic demonstration sections along the Yangtze River. In order to ensure that the 10-year fishing ban is implemented to the letter, moves will be made to carry forward the work on the resettlement of fishermen to be affected during the period and their transfer to other industries, and to intensify law enforcement and monitoring on a regular basis.

Third, we will execute action plans to peak carbon emissions and carbon-related plans in the 14th Five-Year Plan. For this purpose, efforts will be made to accelerate the structural adjustment of industrial, energy, transportation and agricultural input, and advance clean production. Support will be given to the development of green industries and the renovation and management for the purpose of energy conservation. We will improve the dual control system of energy and electricity consumption, beef up the carbon sink capacity of the ecosystem, strictly limit the number of new projects with high energy consumption and emissions, and promote a green way of production and lifestyles to boost green and low-carbon circular development.

6. We will expedite the building of a modern circulation system to ensure the efficient and smooth functioning of economic circulations.

Attempts will be made to coordinate the building of both the hardware and software of the modern circulation system, create synergy between production and consumption, and facilitate appropriate allocation and effective movement of all types of production factors.

First, we will proactively advance the building of modern demonstration areas for transportation, strengthen the building of high-speed railway, inter-city and metropolitan area (and suburban) railway, air transport infrastructure, and cross-river channels, promote the development of inland river transport, and open more near-sea shipping lines and improve ocean shipping lines. We will expedite the establishment of comprehensive and multidimensional transportation channels that cover the land, the sea and the air both internationally and domestically, and the development of multi-modal transport between the river and the sea, railway and waterway, expressway and railway, and aviation and railway to build a modern comprehensive transportation system.  

We will press ahead with the building of national logistics hubs, and expedite the establishment of safe and efficient logistics networks that link areas within and beyond Jiangsu, improve comprehensive transport efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

Second, as part of the action to improve modern commercial circulation systems, moves will be made to expedite the reform and upgrading of commercial circulation systems, build a number of smart logistics platforms, nurture a number of enterprises in modern commercial circulation and logistics, promote specialization in e-commerce logistics, cold-chain logistics and heavy-cargo transportation and develop logistics in rural areas. we will work to improve the social credit system, develop inclusive finance and effectively lower trading costs in circulation.

Third, we will make efforts to strengthen the reserve and supply of coal, electricity, petroleum, and natural gas, as well as epidemic control and prevention, and disaster relief materials and ensure safe, efficient and smooth functioning of emergency logistics.

7. We will foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented and under the rule of law by promoting reform with greater efforts.

We will quicken steps to build and improve the market-based allocation system for production factors, ensure that reforms in state-owned assets and enterprises, finance and tax, agriculture and rural areas and the environment deliver the desired results, and promote the establishment of a unified market that is efficient, well-regulated and ensures fair competition.

First，we will continue reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, and improve regulation and services. Building on our achievements in promoting online administrative approval, we will further the development of “internet + administrative services”. Full efforts will be made to promote the “one matter reform” (to have a matter handled and completed during one visit to the window), the separation of operating permit with business license, the reform of business system, the inter-departmental oversight model of random inspection and public release of inspection results, the “internet +oversight” and credit oversight, and ensure quality and security.  

Second, we will step up efforts of anti-trust and against unfair competition, implement the examination system for fair competition and encourage businesses to engage in market competition in accordance with law and on a level playing field. We will fully implement policies that address businesses’ difficulties and bring benefits, proactively respond to the demands of businesses, ensure that policies and measures supporting business development are well formulated, improved and implemented, and target major issues in the fields of financing and labor.

Third, we will launch a standard and institutionalized communication channel between government and enterprise, build a cordial and clean relationship between them, offer support and services to reform and development of enterprises, and work to stimulate innovation and creativity in the private sector. Entrepreneurs should follow General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and requirements by taking Zhang Qian as an example to foster greater love for the nation, shoulder social responsibilities proactively, and take initiative to innovate and strive for excellence so as to make greater contribution to building a new development paradigm and promoting high-quality development in line with the new development philosophy.   

8. We will work to ensure stable foreign trade and foreign investment and speed up efforts to create new landscape in pursuing opening up.

First, we will support foreign trade enterprises in further cultivating traditional markets and ramp up the growth of emerging markets in the countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative based on various online and offline exhibition and trading platforms. We will make major headway in promoting the coordinated development of trade in goods and services and fostering new forms of foreign trade such as cross-border e-commerce and market procurement trade. Import of high-quality consumer goods, advanced technologies and equipment will be increased and the spillover effect of the CIIE will be amplified. We will attach importance to the introduction of capital, technologies and talent, with focus on introducing a number of major foreign investment projects and innovative enterprises with core technologies that will take the lead in future development.

Second, we will build the pilot free trade zones with high standards, and make greater progress in institutional integration and innovation and in fostering the new economy and new pillar industries. We will deepen institutional reform and innovation and enhance the capacity for opening up and innovation of open platforms of all types, including Nanjing Jiangbei New Area, Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), China-ROK (Yancheng) Industrial Park, and Kunshan Pilot Area for Deepening Cross-strait Industrial Cooperation, so as to spearhead high-level opening up, foster new strengths in opening up and international cooperation, and develop into an economy with a new height of openness and reform.

9. We will work to ensure and improve living standards for people’s wellbeing.  

First, taking securing employment as the top priority, we will do a good job in ensuring that key groups of people, including college graduates, demobilized military personnel, rural migrant workers, and urban jobseekers facing difficulties have better access to employment. We will give more support to enterprises in keeping the payroll stable, carry out vocational training, boost flexible employment via multiple channels, and spare no effort to secure and increase employment.

Second, we will continue to improve people’s living standards and promote steady growth in resident income. We will strive to raise the earnings of the low-income group, expand the middle-income group, and advance common prosperity. The multi-tiered social security system and support in basic pension and basic medical insurance will be strengthened, and more people will be covered by the unemployment insurance system. We will push forward the development of supplementary medical insurance, intensify oversight of medical insurance funds and better our systems for social assistance, social welfare, charity, social work, and the benefits and services of entitled groups and people with disabilities, so that the safety net will be strengthened to better meet people’s basic needs.

Third, we will strive to address issues related to elderly care and childcare, accelerate the establishment of an elderly care service system based on the balanced development of home-based, community-based and institution-based elderly care and combines medical care or rehabilitation with elderly care, accelerate the transformation and development of barrier-free facilities, and promote coordination between traditional services and smart services for the convenience of the elderly. We will move faster to develop infant and child care services and establish a more secure and inclusive childcare service system.

Fourth, giving priority to education, we will build our strength in education modernization, carry out campaigns to foster virtue through education for the new era, and enhance students’ well-rounded development with practices. Reforms in teaching and in the admission and examination system will be deepened. We will improve preschool education to serve public interests, strengthen the standardization of compulsory education schools, ensure supply of high-quality education resources at high schools, make vocational education more adaptable, and step up the development of universities included in the Double First-Class Initiative and high-level universities.

Fifth, we will step up efforts in building a Healthy Jiangsu. We will strengthen the system for disease prevention and control and the treatment of major epidemic diseases, advance the development of national medical centers and regional medical centers at national and provincial levels, improve country-level and community-level health services, and speed up the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. We will deepen the reform of public hospitals, advance the development of the multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment model, and make major headway in developing Internet Plus Healthcare. We will carry out Fitness-for-All programs and extensive health campaigns and promote healthy and positive lifestyles. We will ramp up efforts to build Jiangsu into a province strong on sports and prepare for the Olympic Games and the National Games.

Sixth, we will strive to meet the housing needs of people in large cities, including new citizens and low-income people, and increase the supply of government-subsidized rental housing and shared-ownership housing.

Seventh, we will carry out public-interest cultural programs and increase the supply of high-quality cultural products. We will improve modern systems for cultural industries and make major headway in promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. We will step up the development of the key construction projects in the Grand Canal National Culture Park and the China Grand Canal Museum with high standards, strengthen the protection of cultural relics and heritage, and promote the creative evolution and development of fine traditional culture.

This year, we will deliver 52 results in 15 categories by drawing up a management list and carrying out campaigns to meet people’s needs and address their concerns. With this we should see that our people will have a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security.

10. We will prevent and defuse risks and hidden dangers and be keenly aware of the importance of safety issues while securing development.

We will promote safe development, work hard to defuse existing risks and prevent future ones, and deal with potential risks in a timely manner. We will resolutely guard against incidents of “black swans” and “gray rhinos”, so as to achieve high-quality development while maintaining high-level security. We will further implement the three-year action plan of workplace safety and improve relevant accountability systems. Campaigns will be launched to improve workplace safety in key industries and areas. We will resolutely curb the occurrence of serious and major accidents to enhance overall workplace safety. We will crack down on illegal financial activities in accordance with the law, tighten oversight over food and drugs, and intensify efforts in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief. The management of government debt, as well as the investment and financing of SOEs and platform companies, will be strengthened. We will beef up the development of a safer Jiangsu and a province of rule of law, address major complaints made through letters or visits and improve the dispute settlement mechanism through various means and coordinated efforts. We will improve the long-term mechanism to crack down on organized crimes and local mafias, forestall regional risks, and advance the modernization of Jiangsu’s system and capacity for governance to ensure social harmony and stability.

At present, COVID-19 is still raging across the world, with sporadic cases emerging in many areas of China. We are still faced with a grave and complex situation in fighting the pandemic and a formidable task to guard against imported cases and domestic resurgence. Following the principle of putting people and their lives first, we must not loosen our efforts in containing the virus. We must ensure that all containment measures are in place, fulfill our responsibilities with high vigilance and tight precautions, and take strict containment measures as part of everyday life to curb imported cases and resurgence in indigenous cases, thus building a strong bulwark against the virus for the safety and health of the people.

Fellow deputies,

The new stage, new journey and new mission have raised new and higher requirements for the work of the government. We must uphold and strengthen the overall leadership of the CPC Central Committee over the work of the government, earnestly strengthen political building, improve the ability to judge, understand political issues and follow political requirements, resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in the CPC Central Committee and the CPC as a whole, and uphold the CPC Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership, and implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and the requirements of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee.

We must adhere to law-based administration, strengthen the building of a rule of law government, think and work in terms of the rule of law, exercise power in strict accordance with statutory authority and procedures, willingly accept the oversight of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress and its standing committee, the democratic oversight of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, judicial oversight, public oversight, and oversight through public opinion, strengthen the role of auditing in oversight, make government affairs public, to ensure that power is exercised in broad daylight.

We will make solid progress in building a service-oriented government, see to it that all administrative departments are to serve and be overseen by the people, bear in mind and fulfill our responsibilities with concrete actions, explore new ways of administration in a bid to enhance its efficiency, and make painstaking efforts for the happiness of the people. We must build our ability and continue to strengthen our thinking, political integrity, practices and professional training.

We should cope with complex situations and accomplish difficult tasks with strong skills, continue to improve our ability to solve practical problems, and strive to explore new opportunities and break new ground amid crises and changes.

We will resolutely follow the requirements for exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party, perform official duties with integrity, enforce the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, its rules for implementation, and the implementation measures of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and carry out self-reform. We will wage battles against formalities for formalities’ sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, with particular emphasis on the first two.

 Efforts will be intensified to address corruption and misconduct that occur at people’s doorsteps, strictly control the spending on official overseas visits, official vehicles, and official hospitality and general expenditures, and “tighten our belt” for the benefit of the people. We will never waver in our commitment to maintaining a clean and honest government that works pragmatically for the people.

Fellow deputies,

Our mission is a call to action; our solid work steers the course to the future. Let us rally more closely behind the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at its core, follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, keep firmly in mind the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core and keep in alignment, reaffirm confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the CPC as a whole and uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, we will remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, take on responsibility and deliver a good performance, and follow a people-centered approach in pursuing innovation-driven development with perseverance and hard work. We will earnestly fulfill the important mission of setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and of taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization, break new ground in building a new Jiangsu with prosperity, sustainability and civility in the new era, and celebrate the 100th birthday of the CPC with outstanding achievements.