Delivered at the Fifth Session

of the 13th Provincial People’s Congress of Jiangsu

on January 20, 2022

Xu Kunlin, Acting Governor of Jiangsu Province

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. A Review of Our Work in 2021

Last year, we faced a grave situation under the combined impacts of major changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and 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 CPC and all Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee and implemented decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee.

To fulfill the glorious mission of striving to be a national pacesetter in pursuing reform, innovation and high-quality development, creating new development dynamics and advancing socialist modernization, we upheld the underlying principle of making progress while maintaining stability, focused on implementing the new development philosophy to create a new development landscape in the new phase, made solid progress on ensuring stability on six fronts (employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and expectations) and maintaining 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), and doubled down on boosting high-quality growth.

Such efforts were rewarding as we have concluded satisfactorily the mission of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, accomplished major tasks laid out in the Fourth Session of the 13th Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, made a good start in the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and advanced solidly on the journey towards building a modern new Jiangsu that is prosperous, beautiful, and culturally advanced.

1. Economic aggregate hit a new mark. We were able to deliver stability while recovering the economy and pursuing progress, thanks to our proactive response to various kinds of risks and challenges.

- The provincial GDP rose to RMB 11.6 trillion, an increase of 8.6%, passing the RMB 11 trillion mark;

- GDP per capita reached RMB 137,000;

- General public budgetary revenue stood at RMB 1,001.5 billion, up by 10.6%, in which tax accounted for 81.6%.

The foundation of the real economy was further strengthened, as manifested by the added value of the manufacturing industry which accounted for nearly 35.8% of the GDP, a No.1 ranking share in China.

The potential of internal demand was further unleashed. Investments in fixed assets grew by 5.8% overall, whereas investments in the manufacturing sector and by the private sector increased by 16.1% and 6.3% respectively. Investments in 220 major provincial projects exceeded RMB 600 billion. Total retail sales of social consumer goods reached RMB 4.27 trillion, surpassing the RMB 4 trillion mark. It was the second largest in China, with a 15.1% year-on-year increase.

The financial industry improved services to the real economy. Balances of Renminbi deposits and loans in financial institutions exceeded RMB 18.9 trillion and RMB 17.8 trillion, up by 9.8% and 15.2% respectively. 13 businesses went public on China Beijing Equity Exchange while 29 were listed on the STAR Market, both figures ranking first in China. 92 businesses went public on the A-shares stock market, hitting a record high.  

2. Technological and industrial innovation picked up pace. As required by the strategic focus on improving self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology, we secured gains in building a self-supporting modern industrial network.

Capability for indigenous innovation improved. R&D investment accounted for 2.95% of the provincial GDP, approaching moderately innovative countries or regions. The number of invention patents was 41.2 per 10,000 persons, twice as large as the national average.

The Sunan National Innovation Park made breakthroughs in development, and the Purple Mountain Laboratory was included in the national strategic science and technology program.  

The proposal of Nanjing in building a leading national innovation city and the attempts of Suzhou to launch a next-generation artificial intelligence innovative development pilot zone, a national innovation center for bio-pharmaceutical technologies, and a national innovation center for third-generation semi-conductors were approved. Jiangsu became the first province where all prefecture-level cities were recognized as national innovation cities.

16 new academicians of either the Chinese Academy of Engineering or the Chinese Academy of Sciences were from Jiangsu, and 39 general projects in Jiangsu received the National Science and Technology Award. Both figures were the largest in China.

With the focus on cementing, strengthening, supplementing, and extending industrial chains, six industrial clusters, including software and the Internet of Things, were included in the national catalog of advanced manufacturing clusters, the largest number in China. The output value of strategic emerging and high-tech industries accounted for 39.8% and 47.5% of industries above a designated scale respectively. The cumulative number of high-tech enterprises was over 37,000. 172 enterprises were recognized as “little giant” enterprises with high growth potential, advanced technology and strong market competitive edge.

Efforts were made to promote integration between advanced manufacturing industry and modern services industry. Revenues of software and information technology services, scientific research and technology services and the internet and related services grew by 19.2%, 26% and 30.9% respectively.

As part of the move to expeditiously digitalize the upgrading of traditional industries, we established a batch of smart workshops, demonstrative plants for intelligent manufacturing, and model factories of industrial internet. The World IoT Expo 2021 and the 2021 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference were held successfully. China’s first pioneering zone for block-chain gained approval for construction in Jiangsu.

Steps were taken to promote the transformation and upgrading of the chemical, steel, iron, and coal-fired power generation industries. Over 280 chemical enterprises were shut down due either to backward production technologies or to their impact on the adjacent eco-sensitive zones. The Shenghong Refinement-Chemical Integration Project was completed as planned.

3. Development between urban and rural areas became more balanced. A new landscape of balanced development between urban and rural areas took shape fast, thanks to efforts to leverage each area’s strengths and coordinate growth dynamics.

The strategy of rural vitalization was carried forward in full swing. As the priorities on the work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers were shifting, we aligned the poverty-relief campaign toward moderate prosperity with rural vitalization and accelerated the modernization of agriculture and the rural areas. The overall productivity of agriculture was bolstered, as reflected by the 260,000 ha of high-standard farmland built in 2021 and the record high 37.46 billion kg of annual grain yield.

Activities to develop the rural areas were undertaken across the board. A new round of campaign for improving living environment in the rural areas was carried out, which saw the renovation of 2,937 km of roads and 979 bridges and the recognition of three cities and 11 counties as models for ensuring good construction, management, maintenance, and operation of rural roads. Jiangsu was among the first to extend the urban water supply network to almost all rural areas.

Reforms to rural residential land system and pilot programs for market-based allocation of collectively-owned rural construction land were carried forward. Concrete results were achieved in the reform of national pilot zones for urban-rural integrated development.

Solid strides were made in regional integrated development. As part of the move to undertake the national initiative of Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta, we hosted the 2021 Symposium of Main Leaders of the Yangtze River Delta and participated in the building of the demonstration zone for green and integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, jointly publicized another 41 outcomes of institutional innovation, and smoothly carried forward 65 major programs, such as the Waterside Living Room. 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, coastal economic belt, and Xuzhou as a key city of the Huaihai Economic Zone) was promoted, the plan for the Nanjing Metropolitan Circle became the first to gain approval from the national authorities, and the plan for developing the coastal areas was approved for implementation by the State Council.

The formation of a modern comprehensive transportation system was accelerated. Among the major transport gains in 2021 were that operation started in the Xuzhou-Lianyungang High-speed Railway, Lianyungang Huaguoshan Airport, the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou South Expressway, and the Jiangsu Section of Yixing-Changxing Expressway.

Major outcomes in transportation also included that the annual throughput of the Taicang Port exceeded 7 million TEUs, and the Lianyungang Port was selected into the first group of national logistics hubs in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The construction of the Zhangjiagang-Rugao Cross-River Channel began, and the development of major water conservancy infrastructure projects continued, such as the course-changing and extension engineering of the new Menghe River and the management of tributaries.

One-on-one assistance and collaborations with other provinces intensified, with more than 2,100 assistance projects carried out, making contributions to securing gains in poverty alleviation among assisted areas.

4. Actions on promoting ecological civilization kept up. Thanks to the incorporation of targets for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality into the overall socio-economic development plan, eco-environment indexes have reached the best outcomes since the start of the 21st century.

Outstanding results were achieved in the fight against pollution. As we continued working to keep our skies blue, our waters clear, and our lands pollution-free, the following were accomplished:

- the concentration of PM2.5 dropped to 33 μg/m3;

- 82.4% of the days in 2021 saw good air quality;

- 87.1% of water sections under national monitoring were at and above Grade III (excellent) standards in water quality, and Grade V water bodies were fully rectified, both outcomes outperforming national evaluation targets;

- black and odorous water bodies in county-or-above-level cities were fully rectified;

- we ensured drinking water safety and non-occurrence of large-scale algae-induced black bloom of Taihu Lake for the 14th consecutive year, and

- a province-wide investigation of soil pollution was completed.

Protection and restoration of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River made solid progress. Steered by the guiding principle of protecting the ecological environment and guarding against over-development along the Yangtze River, we consolidated the gains in the management of river shores, kept the water bodies of the Jiangsu section of the mainstream of the Yangtze River at Grade II, increased the proportion of natural river shores to 73.2%, fully resolved problems revealed in the 2020 Film on the Ecological Environment of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and enacted a 10-year fishing ban. With these in place, Yangtze finless porpoises were spotted in the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River after years of disappearance.

Urban and rural ecology further improved. Jiangsu saw the number of demonstration areas for eco-conservation rise to 27 and beautiful pastoral villages at provincial level to 446. Jiangsu had the largest number of cities that won the national eco-garden city titles and national habitat environment awards. Forest coverage in Jiangsu reached 24%. These all vividly spoke volumes of tremendous gains in building a beautiful Jiangsu.

5. Reform and opening-up endeavor was further advanced. We expedited the elevation of reform and opening-up to new heights, in close alignment with requirements to serve and integrate into the new development paradigm, thus new strengths were built up in international cooperation and competition.

Efforts to turn Jiangsu into a hub of the Belt and Road routes achieved quality results. The China-Kazakhstan Logistics Base in Lianyungang, China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone and Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone kept sound growth momentum. Development accelerated in the China-ROK (Yancheng) Industrial Park and the China-Israel Changzhou Innovation Park, and new progress was made in building Lianyungang new Eurasian land-sea multi-modal transport channels. China-EU freight trains made 1,800 trips, an increase of 29%. Jiangsu’s imports and exports with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative rose by 22% in 2021, accounting for 25.4% of China’s total.

Foreign trade and investment delivered stable performance while improved quality. New business models, such as cross-border e-commerce and market procurement, thrived, which boosted foreign trade to a record RMB 5.2 trillion, an increase of 17.1%. Paid-in FDI hit USD 28.85 billion, up by 22.7 %, remaining the largest in China.

The building of open carriers intensified. We took measures to build China (Jiangsu) Pilot Free Trade Zone to high standards, promoted the reform of integrated and innovative development among neighboring areas, and stimulated the opening and innovation of the whole bio-pharmaceutical industrial chain. 81 institutional innovation outcomes were achieved by China (Jiangsu) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) ranked first in the comprehensive evaluation of all national economic development zones for the fifth consecutive year.

Reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, and improve regulation and services were pressed on. Online administrative approval and the “one matter reform” (to have a matter handled and completed during one visit to the window) were actively promoted. The separation of operating permit with business license was implemented throughout the province. Jiangsu was among the top in China in terms of e-government services capability, social credit system development, and business environment. Quicker steps were taken to fulfill reform tasks in the fields of finance, taxation, state-owned assets and enterprises, agriculture, rural areas, education, healthcare, natural resources, and the environment. Pilot programs on the reform of public institutions in Jiangsu were completed. Construction began for the Suqian Demonstration Zone for New Industrialization, IT application, Urbanization, and Agricultural Modernization. Preferential policies for enterprises were improved and implemented, which resulted in around RMB 100 billion tax reduction and fee cuts. The number of newly registered businesses reached 2.585 million, with the total number of businesses reaching 13.589 million in Jiangsu, and the businesses showed greater dynamism.

6. People’s living standards were raised. A greater share of the public finance was earmarked to improve people’s well-being and develop communities, with 78.4% of the general public budgetary expenditure spent on sectors related to people’s well-being. People enjoyed a happier life with tangible benefits, as 52 day-to-day issues of major concern in 15 categories had been addressed. Urban and rural residents were given more opportunities to increase income, whose per capita disposable income grew respectively by about 8.7% and 10.7%. Urban-rural income ratio was reduced to 2.16:1. Policy measures for stabilizing and expanding employment by lifting burdens for businesses continued to be effective, as another 1.402 million urban jobs were created, accounting for nearly 1/9 of the national total, and the surveyed urban unemployment rate was contained below the expected target.

Elderly and child care services were improved. A services network for the elderly was developed at a faster pace, with the number of certified nursing facility beds exceeding 40 beds per 1,000 people. Policy measures were rolled out to motive couples to have three children, and another 8,000-plus pre-school children were able to enjoy the inclusive childcare services.

Improvements on social security system were made faster. Per capita basic pensions for enterprise retirees went up by 4.5%, unemployment insurance with better policies was extended to cover more people, and a unified basic medical insurance system at the prefecture-city level was effective across our province, therefore the basic needs of people in difficulties were better satisfied.   

Efforts to modernize education were intensified. Basic education was filled with more quality resources, and we took gradual steps to alleviate excessive in-class and extracurricular burdens in compulsory education and regulate the development of privately funded elementary and junior high schools. The modern vocational education system was improved. The new plan for the college entrance examination in Jiangsu was adopted. A new round of first-rate university development scheme took the solid first step. 310,900 households in urban run-down areas started to redevelop and 1,402 old residential areas were redeveloped, which would benefit over 1.6 million residents in total. Living conditions for over 300,000 rural households in north Jiangsu had been improved over a course of three years. Institutional reforms in the health and medical sector were furthered, with better public health service and disease control and prevention facilities. Jiangsu housed the greatest number of health model cities in China, and ranked first in terms of delivery of required medical services by county-level hospitals. An inclusive commercial scheme of medical insurance was introduced to supplement the basic medical insurance, another big step cutting the out-of-the-pocket medical payments of individuals.

Cultural programs were further advanced. Jiangsu’s art and literary circles increased strength and influence. The Yangzhou Grand Canal Museum was completed and opened to the public. Jiangsu ranked among the top across the country in terms of the number of national-level outcomes in developing the cultural and tourism sector. Jiangsu athletes scored excellent results at both the Tokyo Olympic Games and the 14th National Games of China, thanks to the development of sports in the province.

Workplace safety was improved. The three-year special action plan on improving workplace safety was implemented to high standards, resulting in a 35% drop in the number of accidents and a 30% drop in death toll, on the basis of the good results achieved in the previous year. As part of the move to make Jiangsu safer and ensure law and order, the crime prevention and control system was improved, efforts to crack down on organized crimes and local mafias were made on an on-going basis, and high incidence of telecommunications and internet-based fraud was curbed. Oversight of food and drug safety was strengthened, public complaints were properly responded to, and our fight against floods and typhoons registered a full victory. All in all, we secured social security and stability as a whole.

We earnestly acted on the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on containing COVID-19 and the decisions and plans by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adopted a holistic approach to striking a balance between epidemic control and economic and social development. Aside from targeted COVID-19 response measures on a regular basis, we introduced a contingency plan to cope with the small-scale disease spread in certain regions, further improved the command system for COVID-19 prevention and control, and built greater capacity to properly address the epidemic. The most rigid measures were taken across the province to defeat the epidemic resurgence in Nanjing Lukou International Airport and Yangzhou, resulting in zero COVID-19 related deaths and the cure of all persons infected with the virus. Thanks to our targeted and swift approaches to the inbound confirmed cases from other provinces or provincial-level cities, further spread was prevented and a stronger defense was built.

In the past year, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. We launched an in-depth education program to study the history of the CPC, the important speech by General Secretary Xi Jinping on July 1, and the general principles of the Six Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. A better understanding of the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC’s century-long endeavor greatly boosted the morale of our party members and officials to forge ahead with greater entrepreneurship to build a service-oriented government. We exercised the administrative power under the rule of law, and welcomed the oversight by the Provincial People’s Congress, the democratic oversight by the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the general public and the public opinion. Altogether we handled 624 suggestions by deputies of the Provincial People’s Congress and 782 proposals by the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, submitted 15 drafts of local regulations to the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress for deliberation, and completed legality review on 247 major documents.

Over the past year, we have registered new progress in work related to the elderly, women and children, the youth, people with disabilities, labor 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, study of literature and history, the CPC history, archives and local chronicles. New achievements were made 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.

Fellow deputies,

We fully understand the arduous journey in the past year that made these achievements possible. The key to our success lies in the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to steer the whole Party, the science-based guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the direct leadership of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and the concerted efforts and hard work 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. 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, police officers, firefighters, the militia reserve, and to compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese and international friends who have shown understanding and support for us in Jiangsu as we pursue modernization.

Meanwhile, we should remain conscious of the notable increase of challenges hampering the economic and social development in Jiangsu, including rampant COVID-19 and market sluggishness. Certain sectors, especially those with large numbers of micro, small and medium-sized businesses, are struggling to find a way out. Greater efforts are called for to stabilize the industrial and supply chains. Technological bottlenecks in quite many key areas remain stern. Fundamentals for a self-supporting  modern industrial system are yet to grow stronger. There is much room for improvement in sectors related to people’s well-being such as education, medical care, elderly and child care. We cannot be too careful of the latent risks in certain areas. We shall continue to transform the functions of government, and fix the malpractice of pointless formalities and bureaucratism. Acknowledgment of the weakness is the first step to make a change for good. We must take these issues seriously, meet the challenges head on, and adopt a pragmatic and effective approach to turning the blueprint of a prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced new Jiangsu into reality.

II. Overall Requirements, Targets and Tasks for 2022

It is highly relevant for the government to deliver in 2022, a year of significance that will witness the convening of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and the initiation of implementing the spirit of the 14th Jiangsu Provincial Congress of the CPC. COVID-19 has been raging worldwide for almost two years, spurring the evolution of the global landscape in multiple dimensions unseen in a century; thus the external situation is getting more intricate and uncertain. Yet at the same time, the economic development in China is stunned by unprecedented difficulties and challenges as three major threats are holding back growth simultaneously, namely, shrinking demand, supply shocks, and diminished expectations.

It is imperative for Jiangsu, an economic powerhouse in China’s eastern coastal region and an anchor for economic development in China,  to fulfill its weighty political obligations to stabilize the macro economy. We shall bear in mind the national rejuvenation strategy within the wider context of the once-in-a-century changes taking place in the world, and be mindful of the greater national interests, and leverage the synergy brought by several national strategic programs on top of Jiangsu’s solid foundation in its real economy and rich research, education and human resources. We are confident in the sound fundamentals of China’s economy which will continue to recover and grow stronger. We will seize the strategic opportunity to face the challenges head on. With diligence, determination and a strong sense of mission, we will summon the intellectual and enterprising minds to take targeted and effective measures to get our work done in line with development approaches and standards for the modernization drive, living up to the expectations of the General Secretary, the CPC Central Committee and our people.      

To meet the general requirements for this year’s government work, we shall do the following:

－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 all the plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee;

－Conscientiously implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of Jiangsu, as well as the decisions and deployments by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council;

－Pivot on the objectives set at the 14th Jiangsu Provincial Congress of the CPC;

－Carry on the legacy of the founding spirit of the CPC;

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

－Have an accurate understanding of this new stage of development;

－Apply the new development philosophy up to the hilt;

－Serve the building of a new development paradigm;

－Promote reform and innovation;

－Focus on deepening supply-side structural reform;

－Prioritize high-quality development;

－Strike a balance between development and security, and between COVID-19 response and economic and social development;

－Continue to ensure stability on six key fronts and maintain security in six key areas;

－Keep improving people’s well-being;

－Pursue steady and healthy economic development in a safe and stable society;

－Strive to be a national pacesetter in pursuing reform, innovation and high-quality development, creating new development dynamics and advancing socialist modernization;

－Open up a new chapter in Jiangsu’s pursuit of modernization and build a prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced new Jiangsu;

－Celebrate the opening of the 20th National Congress of the CPC with a sound government performance.

It is expected that we will fulfill the following tasks in economic and social development in 2022:

－GDP will grow by over 5.5%;

－General public budgetary revenue will increase by around 4.5%;

－Total retail sales of social consumer goods will go up by approximately 6.5%;

－Per capita disposable income will increase in tandem with the economic growth;

－CPI will rise by around 3%;

－Another 1.2 million urban jobs will be created;

－The surveyed urban unemployment rate will be contained below 5%;

－The added value of core industries in the digital economy will make up about 10.5% of GDP;

－We will stabilize and raise the efficiency of foreign trade and actual utilization of foreign capital;

－We will maintain the share of the manufacturing sector in the overall industrial structure;

－We will continue to improve the ecological environment;

－Energy consumption per unit of GDP will decrease by around 3%;

－CO2 emissions per unit of GDP will drop by around 4.4%;

We will make all-out efforts to achieve even better results in our work in 2022.

To fulfill the above-mentioned tasks, we shall bear in mind the lofty mission bestowed by General Secretary. On one hand, we shall be result-oriented and strive to make sure that all the annual targets are met in accordance with high standards; on the other hand, we shall focus on Remarkable Improvement in Six Areas (the composite development strength, the quality of people’s life, the ecological environment, the social civility, common prosperity, and the social governance) proposed at the 14th Provincial People’s Congress of the CPC, as an integral part of our long-term plan which will be implemented in a systemic and holistic fashion with science-based approaches, so as to secure Jiangsu’s leading role in the pursuit of modernization.

First, we will uphold and strengthen the overall leadership of the CPC. We shall fully fathom the significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and of defining the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and its requirements in practice. We shall implement the strategic decisions made by the CPC Central Committee unconditionally, truthfully and completely, and bring all the government work under the umbrella of the overall leadership of the Party.

Second, we will follow through the people-centered development philosophy. We shall always bear in mind that the state is the people, and the people are the state, and hold the correct view of political achievements. We will make all-out efforts within our purview to fix the deficiencies hampering people’s well-being, provide assistance to the needy, and promote common prosperity for the long run, making sure that our people are indeed better off with each passing year.  

Third, we will pursue progress while maintaining stability. Pivoting on the principal challenges in society and our core tasks, we shall precisely comprehend the current situation, and give full consideration to the timing, intensity and effectiveness of the efforts made to fine tune our policy measures and advance reforms. Our concerted efforts, mildly progressive at times, shall seek to maintain stability in the first place, and make progress in multiple dimensions, thus further contributing to the overall development of China.

Fourth, we will advance high-quality development. We shall act on the new development philosophy to steer high-quality development. We will work to deepen the supply-side structural reform, promote an innovative, coordinated, green, open and sharing development in a balanced manner, pool resources to address the conundrums stemming high-quality development, and achieve better economic quality with reasonable, steady growth and a sustainable high-quality development.

Fifth, we will adopt a balanced and coordinated approach. We shall equip ourselves with a systemic mindset with strategic thinking, and pursue advancement in a holistic fashion while focusing on breakthroughs in certain key areas. We shall strike a balance between epidemic control and economic and social development, between development and security, and between current gains and long-term benefits, and speed up improving high-quality development commensurate with its structure, scale, speed, efficiency and security.

We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and steered by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, 85 million smart and diligent Jiangsu people will endeavor in unity to renew the splendor in the next leg of the journey towards socialist modernization in all respects.

III. Priorities for 2022

To promote high-quality development at a higher starting point as we embark on a new journey in 2022, we must think ahead, inspire creativity, and carry out our work in a targeted and meticulous manner. To accomplish this year’s work, we will give priorities to the following ten aspects.

1. We will steadfastly pursue the strategy of expanding domestic demand and ensure stable and healthy economic development.

Taking expanding domestic demand as a major driving force for Jiangsu’s development, we will facilitate the smooth functioning of the economic circulation and keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range.

First, effective investment will be increased. The development of 220 major provincial-level projects, especially landmark projects with an investment of more than RMB 10 billion each, will be given priority. We will adopt future-oriented plans for infrastructure construction based on science-based assessment and increase investment in transportation, energy, water conservancy, pipelines, especially urban gas pipelines, as well as public administration, ecological environment, disaster prevention and mitigation, among other areas. We will step up the construction of information networks and other new types of infrastructure and promote the intelligent upgrading in fields such as transportation, logistics, energy, and public administration. We will improve investment promotion platforms at all levels to attract more central state-owned enterprises, leading private enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises, provide essential factors and full-cycle services for major projects, encourage private capital to participate in projects to shore up weak links, and invigorate private investment. 

Second, sustained recovery of consumption will be promoted. We will create new consumption scenarios, establish more first stores of international and domestic brands, attract more leading brands to debut products, boost the nighttime economy, promote consumption of energy-saving home appliances and new-energy vehicles, foster healthcare, elderly and child care, domestic services, and other growth areas of consumption, and improve cultural tourism consumption. The Suxin Consumption Festival will be held throughout the year. The integration between digital and physical consumption will be promoted, so that our products will be available to consumers across China and beyond. We will support Nanjing, Suzhou and Xuzhou in developing international consumption centers and regional consumption centers, improve commercial systems covering cities and counties, and connect e-commerce systems with express delivery services in counties, townships, and villages, so as to make Jiangsu a “paradise for consumption”.

Third, greater support will be weighted towards businesses. New policies will be rolled out to benefit businesses through tax and fee cuts. More targeted policies and measures will be launched to address businesses’ difficulties and bring benefits. We will guide financial institutions in increasing support for manufacturing industry, small and micro businesses, scientific and technological innovation, and green development. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises will have easier access to loans and more credits as first-time loaners, while paying less for borrowing. We will support the upgrading of equipment and technology in enterprises, encourage high-quality enterprises to go public on the stock market, improve their capacity to raise capital, so that more market entities can settle, grow, and thrive in Jiangsu. By carrying forward the spirit of entrepreneurship, we will stimulate the vitality of market entities and encourage them to make more contributions to Jiangsu’s high-quality development. 

Fourth, supply of energy and electricity will be ensured. We will strengthen regulation of coal, electricity, oil, gas, and transportation networks, and ensure adequate supply of electricity. We will improve the capacity to achieve higher reserves for coal, oil, natural gas, and other energy resources, strengthen energy supply capabilities and resilience, so as to ensure people’s wellbeing and economic growth.

2. We will continue to regard innovation as the primary driving force and move faster to become more self-reliant and stronger in science and technology.

New strengths in innovation will be fostered as we implement the innovation-driven development strategy. 

First, we will strive to make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. We will make full use of earmarked special funds, focus on making breakthroughs in advanced materials, high-end chips, industrial software, biomedicine, bio-breeding and other areas, and improve the mechanism of selecting persons-in-charge among competing candidates for tackling difficulties of key projects. We will coordinate the development of 180 core technologies in key fields and the application of advances in science and technology, organize and implement major basic research projects on cutting-edge frontier technologies, press ahead with 100 key basic research projects, synergize basic research, applied research and commercialization, and overcome bottlenecks. 

Second, the leading role of enterprises in innovation will be strengthened. We will launch the campaign to upgrade small enterprises into high-tech ones, support small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises in increasing R&D spending and improving innovation capacity, grow a well-structured array of high-tech enterprises, small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises, and unicorn and gazelle enterprises, and nurture more leading enterprises with strong innovation capacity. We will encourage leading enterprises to establish innovation consortia, cooperate with universities and enterprises throughout the industrial chain in making major breakthroughs in science and technology, and build innovation bases featuring interdisciplinary collaboration and intense innovation activities. 

Third, high-quality development of innovation platforms will be accelerated. We will strive for the establishment of national platforms such as national laboratories and key laboratories and strengthen the development of national scientific infrastructure in Jiangsu. We will ramp up the development of the Purple Mountain Laboratory, Gusu Laboratory and Taihu Lake Laboratory, launch the policy of “special area for sci-tech professionals” by granting more autonomy to provincial laboratories, so as to honor our commitment to act as a responsible province in strengthening China’s capabilities in strategic science and technology. We will leverage the leading role of the Sunan National Innovation Park, promote high-quality development of high-tech zones, facilitate Nanjing in building a national comprehensive scientific center, and support Suzhou in building a regional center for innovation in science and technology at national level.

We will deepen the reform and development of Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute and accelerate the construction of a number of provincial industrial technology innovation centers and manufacturing innovation centers. The Yangtze River Delta Center for Application of Scientific and Technological Advances will be built to gather more innovation factors that spur activities across Jiangsu. 

Fourth, Jiangsu’s ecosystem for technological innovation will be improved. We will set out priorities of R&D programs and match research results with industrial demands. We will strengthen international cooperation in R&D of industrial technologies, leverage the role of Jiangsu Proprietary Technology Exchange Center (JTEC), strengthen the creation, protection, and application of intellectual property, and promote positive interplay between science and technology, industry, and finance. Taking talented personnel as the most essential resource, we will pursue a more proactive, open, and effective personnel policy with focus on top-notch and urgently-needed talent, and introduce and groom strategic scientists, leaders in science and technology, innovation teams, young scientists, outstanding engineers and top craftsmen. We will deepen the reform to improve a full spectrum of talent management practices, establish national talent platforms, and grant greater autonomy to employers, so as to incentivize the dynamism and creativity of talent and set an example for talent development.

3. We will continue with our reform and opening up endeavors and create a world-class business environment oriented by the market and under the rule of law.

As reform and innovation hold the key to development, we will deepen reform and opening up with stronger resolve and stronger measures. 

First, a coordinated approach will be adopted deepening reform and achieving breakthroughs. We will fully implement the Opinions of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council on Accelerating the Improvement of the Socialist Market Economy System in the New Era, expedite building a high-standard market system, and strive for national pilot reforms to allocate production factors in the market. We will expedite improving the social credit system, step up efforts of anti-trust and against unfair competition, support and guide the regulated and sound development of capital, and create a better development environment for private businesses. We will protect the property rights and lawful rights and interests of various market entities in accordance with the law and promote fair competition and common development of enterprises under diverse forms of ownership.

We will continue to push ahead with mixed-ownership reform in SOEs, accomplish the three-year action plan for SOE reform, and improve the strategic distribution of state capital. We will prompt SOEs to focus on their main responsibilities and businesses and build up their capacity to support and boost the industrial and supply chains. We will deepen reforms of the fiscal and taxation systems and speed up efforts to improve budget management and supporting systems. As part of the move to deepen financial reform, we will facilitate the development of fintech, financial services for the industrial chain, inclusive finance, and green finance, implement the pilot Digital Renminbi project, improve the multilevel capital market system, so as to promote high-quality development of Jiangsu with industrial capital, financial capital, and other types of capital.

We will work to ensure better alignment between an efficient market and a well-functioning government, make integrated efforts to deepen reforms to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services, advance the “one matter reform”, and make high-demand government services available on an inter-provincial basis and more government services accessible via a single website. We will continue to streamline the process of business license application, tighten oversight across all areas, and strive to make Jiangsu the region with the fewest items requiring approval, the highest efficiency, and the strongest vitality for innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Second, a pro-business environment will be provided with supporting policies in place. We will carry out the campaign to improve the business environment, formulate a “1+5+13” policy system, tackle areas of weaknesses and make bold, integrated efforts to better align with the best practices, strive to provide full-cycle services for the development of enterprises and professionals, and move faster to foster a pro-business environment with preferential policies, fair and orderly market rules, efficient and convenient administrative services, as well as fair and transparent laws and regulations. We will launch an institutionalized communication channel between government and enterprises, focus on improving government services to address businesses’ difficulties and demands, so that enterprises can feel the greatest benefit from quality services. 

Third, the quality and efficiency will be improved in promoting openness. We will carry forward five major programs by leveraging Jiangsu’s position as a hub of the Belt and Road routes, make solid progress in establishing Sino-foreign joint industrial parks at home and abroad, advance the development of national demonstration zones for regional cooperation in eastern, central, and western China, prepare for the China-Europe Railway Cooperation Forum, the ASEAN Plus Three Forum on Industrial and Supply Chain Cooperation, and the China (Lianyungang) Silk Road International Logistics Expo, so as to build new platforms for Jiangsu’s opening up and international cooperation.

Various trade promotion activities will be launched. We will support enterprises in improving their global network and fostering new forms and models of foreign trade. The spillover effect of the CIIE will be amplified and the imports of advanced technology and equipment, key parts and components, scarce resources, and quality consumer goods will be increased. Stable and improved performance in foreign investment will be promoted, and more foreign investment will be weighted towards weak links of the industrial chains and key technologies.

We will support foreign-invested enterprises in setting up regional headquarters and R&D centers and encourage them to increase investment and plough back in Jiangsu. We will develop the China (Jiangsu) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Nanjing Jiangbei New Area and SIP to high standards, and promote the transformation, upgrading, and innovation of development zones by improving their management systems. We will advance the construction of the Kunshan Pilot Area for Deepening Cross-strait Industrial Cooperation, Sino-Japanese (Suzhou) Development Cooperation Demonstration Zone, China-ROK (Yancheng) Industrial Park, and China-Israel Changzhou Innovation Park (CICP), improve the mechanism for the coordinated development of Taiwan-invested businesses in Huai’an and Kunshan, and promote the development of Huai’an Demonstration Zone for Taiwan-invested Businesses.

We will implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) according to internationally advanced rules and best practices, expand the institution-based opening-up, facilitate investment and trade, and make Jiangsu a magnet for global production factors and resources.

4. We will facilitate the growth of the digital economy and continue to modernize industries.

Since the 18th National Congress, the Party has given weight to the development of digital economy and made it a key ingredient of national strategy. We must continue to improve the strength, quality, and scale of the digital economy and harness it as the key source of momentum in our endeavor to achieve transformation and development, strive to improve the industrial foundation and modernize industrial chains, and improve the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. 

First, the industrialization of the digital industry and the digitalization of the industrial sector will be facilitated. We will introduce new policies and measures to promote the development of the digital economy, strengthen the opening and protection of data, and coordinate the development of digital ecosystem comprising digital economy, digital government, and digital society. We will develop internet services and related products and advance the innovation-driven development of the digital economy to new heights.

By upgrading industries with digital and intelligent technologies, we will move faster to migrate industrial equipment and business systems onto cloud platforms, foster a number of demonstrative plants for intelligent manufacturing, industrial internet platforms, and characteristic “internet + advanced manufacturing” bases, create a national pilot zone for the integrated application of 5G and industrial internet, and launch national cross-industry and interdisciplinary industrial internet platforms. We will support the intelligent and digital upgrading of over 5,000 industrial enterprises above a designated scale, encourage excellent foreign-invested enterprises, private enterprises, and large platforms to contribute their intelligence, by offering subsidized loans, investment subsidies and free consultative services, to drive digital transformation of SMEs, so that more enterprises will be able and willing to advance digital transformation and lead by setting examples in the endeavor.    

Second, industrial clusters of advanced manufacturing will be developed. With focus on 16 advanced manufacturing industry clusters, we will continue with the action plans of cementing, strengthening and supplementing industrial chains, upgrading industrial enterprises by cultivating leading enterprises, and carry out projects to rebuild industrial foundation and modernize industrial chains. We will cultivate a number of leading enterprises with strong innovation capacity and sound industrial foundation, and strive to build world-class advanced manufacturing clusters for new electricity and new energy equipment, Internet of Things, engineering machinery, high-end new materials, among other things. We will foster champion enterprises and enterprises with high growth potential, advanced technology, and strong market competitive edges, and support them in gaining competitive edges with unique know-how. 

Third, industrial transformation and upgrading and improvement of industrial layout will be carried forward. Taking the new opportunities presented by the development of strategic emerging industries, we will expedite nurturing national strategic emerging industry clusters and innovative industry clusters of biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and integrated circuit, and promote the scenario-based application of new technologies including Internet of Vehicles, information technology application innovation and blockchain. We will support the building of demonstration zones for the aggregation of the big health industry in Taizhou and other cities. We will move faster to make traditional industries such as chemicals, steel, textiles and building materials smarter and greener, develop modern service industry clusters, and push the producer service sector to a new height of specialization and the high end of the value chain. We will further improve the industrial layout and resource allocation, compile and publish industrial investment guides to attract businesses, and promote the development of industry clusters.

5. We will implement the rural vitalization strategy on all fronts and focus on promoting integrated urban-rural development. We will step up efforts in aligning gains in poverty reduction with the endeavors of rural vitalization and improve agricultural production capacity and overall competitiveness to build a province of abundance in a new era with strong agriculture, beautiful countryside, and well-off farmers.

First, grain security will be taken as a political responsibility. We will resolutely implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and requirements that “farmland should only be used as farmland and be kept fertile” and implement the strictest possible system for the protection of farmland. We will ensure 266,667 ha high-standard farmland be built with increased input and higher standards.  

We will ramp up efforts to make breakthroughs on core technologies in key fields, take steps to revitalize the seed industry, move faster to improve agricultural machinery and equipment, and improve the grain purchasing and storage capacity so as to ensure stable grain production and completion of the tasks assigned by the central government, thus contributing to national food security.

We will ensure the system is in place by which mayors are accountable for uninterrupted supply of vegetables and meat through approaches to better regulating and balancing hog production capacities across regions, and emphasizing the production and supply of vegetables and oil-bearing crops.    

Tentative steps will be taken to carry out pilot projects of strict fishing ban, fishery enhancement and reasonable recapturing, establish a modern circulation system for agricultural products, and ensure stable production and supply of important agricultural sideline products.

Second, the development of modern agriculture will expedite. We will continue to deepen the supply-side structural reform of agricultural industry, and strengthen competitive and characteristic agricultural industries, build up the value chain across the whole agricultural sector, and develop ecological circular agriculture, efficient and fine agriculture and urban agriculture based on specific conditions.   

We will quicken steps to develop the Nanjing National Demonstration Zone for Agricultural High-tech Industries and the Nanjing National Technological Innovation Center for Modern Agricultural Industries and build national demonstration zones for agricultural modernization and provincial-level pioneering zones for agricultural modernization. We will redouble efforts to develop leisure and tourism agriculture and agricultural producer services, upgrade farm product processing clusters, and promote integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas.

As part of the move to accelerate the modernization of farmers, we will improve the system that bolsters farmers’ caliber.

Third, action will be taken to develop rural areas. We will expedite the compilation of a pragmatic all-in-one village plan, strengthen township functions, and advance the development of characteristic towns, pastoral villages, and a new type of rural communities with high standards. We will make improvements to rural living environments, comprehensive land planning, rural infrastructure, and basic public services.

We will continue with the initiative of good construction, management, maintenance and operation of rural roads as well as the Toilet Revolution in rural areas, improve farmer’s housing conditions with robust measures and in an orderly manner, and build inviting beautiful pastoral countryside.

Fourth, integrated urban-rural development will be promoted. Attempts will be made to build national demonstration zones for high-quality development of new-type urbanization, cultivate city clusters and modern metropolitan areas, expedite the integrated development of Nanjing, Zhenjiang and Yangzhou, and bolster key cities’ core competitiveness while strengthening their capacities in stimulating growth of neighboring areas. We will support Nanjing in building a national key city and Xuzhou in building a key city of the Huaihai Economic Zone and promote rational division of labor and coordinated development between small, medium, and large cities and small towns.

As part of the move to build cities into places where our people enjoy better natural environment and more comfortable urban life, we will launch concerted campaigns to redevelop old urban residential areas, improve public services, eliminate hidden safety hazards, share parking spaces, and preserve historic and cultural heritages, so as to renew the outlook of cities at a quicker pace.

We will remain active and prudent in pushing forward with the pilot reforms of marketing rural contracted land, collective property rights, rural residential land, and rural collective land for development purposes, as part of the move to improve the efficiency of land allocation.

We will establish and improve the system and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, advance the construction of the national pilot area for integrated urban-rural development in areas contiguous with Nanjing, Wuxi, and Changzhou, and promote equal exchange and two-way movement of production factors between urban and rural areas.

6. We will deepen the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region and promote balanced development between different regions. Bearing in mind the broader picture of national and regional integrated development, we will encourage leading areas to spur activities and neighboring areas to play their strengths so as to better integrate into and contribute to the overall national development, as part of the move to achieve more balanced and coordinated development across the province.  

First, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region will be promoted to higher standards. We will accelerate the development of the Yangtze River Delta Sci-tech Innovation Community, jointly build the Industrial Innovation Belt along Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, the G60 Innovation Corridor, and the Taihu Lake Innovation Circle, work together to carry out the Satisfactory Consumption in the Yangtze River Delta Region initiative, and implement the Waterside Living Room in the Yangtze River Delta Demonstration Area for Integrated Development and other key projects.

We will push forward with the establishment of the mechanism for coordinated development in inter-provincial border areas, and support Suzhou in participating in the development of the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub, Nantong in building the Cross-Yangtze River Pilot Zone for Integrated Development of Shanghai and Jiangsu, and Yancheng in building the Yangtze River Delta Base for Integrated Industrial Development.

Second, interconnected development between north and south Jiangsu will be pushed forward from a higher starting point. We will advance the “1+3” functional zone development, start a new round of one-on-one cooperation between cities in north and south Jiangsu, improve the north-south assistance and cooperation mechanism for development, and encourage all localities to strengthen the division of labor and collaboration in the entire industrial chain to better realize the leading role of south Jiangsu, the emergence of central Jiangsu and the catching-up of north Jiangsu.

To create new engines driving regional growth, we will carry out the plan to develop coastal areas, bolster the maritime economy and speed up the building of the coastal economic belt for green, ecological, and high-quality development. Efforts will be made to accelerate the building of the Suqian Demonstration Zone for New Industrialization, IT application, Urbanization, and Agricultural Modernization. 

Third, the modern comprehensive transport system will be markedly improved. We will make headway in building demonstration areas for modern transportation.

We will start to build the high-speed railway along the northern bank of the Yangtze River, the Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway, the Yancheng-Taizhou-Wuxi-Changzhou-Yixing Railway, and the Phase I of the Lianyungang Intelligent Container Terminal Project on the pilot section of the Nanjing-Yancheng Expressway.

We will accelerate the building of the inter-city railways along the southern bank of the Yangtze River, the Nanjing-Huai’an Inter-city Railway and the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou Railway.

We will advance the construction of the Phase III of Huai’an Airport, do preliminary work for the Nanjing North Station, Suzhou North Station, Phase III of the Nanjing Lukou International Airport and the revamping and extension project of the Sunan Shuofang International Airport, and work faster to build more cross-Yangtze River channels.

We will build multimodal transportation demonstration lines consisting of highways, railways, and waterways as well as the Yellow Sea, the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal and establish a safe and efficient transportation network and logistics network that links areas within and beyond Jiangsu.

The work of Jiangsu on collaborations with and one-on-one assistance to provinces in western China will continue.  

7. We will promote both pollution reduction and decarbonization to build a beautiful Jiangsu with quicker steps. Aiming at obtaining the goal for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, we will promote green transition in all respects of economic and social development.

First, efforts will be made to achieve both carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. We will formulate an action plan for carbon peaking, implement fiscal policies based on the performance in pollution reduction and decarbonization, fulfill the goal for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in a stable and orderly manner, and guard against launching high-emission projects to make the peak higher or taking radical measures to bring down carbon emissions.

We will adjust and improve the energy and industrial mix, the transportation network and spatial planning by introducing new policies before abandoning the old, and develop renewable energy, such as wind power and photovoltaic power, and clean energy, such as hydrogen energy and nuclear energy. We will focus on the clean and efficient utilization of coal and the consumption and emissions reduction of coal power, improve the utilization of idle capacity in new energy, improve the combination of coal and new energy, and create conditions to realize the transition from controlling both the total amount and intensity of energy consumption to those of carbon emission at an early date.

We will vigorously develop green and low-carbon industries, make greater efforts to spur breakthroughs in green and low-carbon technologies and application, work faster to build national demonstration bases for green industries, and make industrial development greener and more technology-intensive. We will implement an across-the-board conservation initiative, which entails the economical and intensive use of resources and their recycling in production, and simpler, greener, and low-carbon lifestyles, and encourage the construction of high-quality eco-friendly buildings in a large scale so that all people work together to build and share the benefits of a green and ecological home.

Second, the protection of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River will continue. We will address the problems both newly revealed in the film on the ecological environment of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and found during central government environmental inspections, deepen the “4+1” project for pollution control, and resolve problems such as heavy chemical industries along both banks of the Yangtze River.

We will continue to build the Beautiful Shoreline by consolidating and expanding the outcomes scored in shoreline improvement and ecological protection and restoration. We will take solid steps to implement the 10-year fishing ban and guard against resurgence of illegal fishing in the Yangtze River to restore its aquatic biodiversity and maintain its vitality.

Third, the fight against pollution will intensify. We will beef up efforts to control multiple pollutants and the treatment among regions while containing and reducing the concentration of both PM2.5 and ozone. We will make greater efforts to build Happiness Lakes and Rivers as well as Beautiful Bays, start a new round of treatment for Taihu Lake and Hongze Lake, accelerate the development of the Taihu Ecological Island, and step up efforts to protect the offshore environment.

We will take solid steps to improve the quality and efficiency of urban sewage treatment and intensify efforts to treat domestic wastewater in rural areas and black and odorous water bodies. We will accelerate the establishment of a recycling system for waste, promote urban household waste sorting and treatment, guard against soil pollution risks, focus on building waste-free cities across the province, and treat new pollutants, so that mountains will remain green, waters clean and air clear in Jiangsu.

Fourth, efforts will redouble to protect and restore ecosystems. As part of the holistic approach to conserving mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland, and desert ecosystems, we will systematically move forward with afforestation, implement a negative list of behaviors against the protection and restoration of ecosystems, and move faster to build buffer zones for ecological safety and for rivers and lakes.

Fifth, the modernization of environmental governance system and capacity will be earnestly promoted. Taking the opportunity of our province in this pilot modernization project jointly launched by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and provinces concerned, we will deepen the reform of systems and mechanisms for ecological and environmental protection, improve mechanisms for ecological compensation and the realization of the value of ecological products, and build an innovation system, a policy system, and a market system for green and low-carbon technologies.

8. We will increase our strength in culture and continue to meet the intellectual and cultural needs of the people. We will further raise our cultural awareness, enhance confidence in our culture, and focus on building our province into a pioneering area for China’s initiative to build a country with a strong socialist culture.

First, the core socialist values will be encouraged. We will step up efforts to raise awareness of patriotism and foster civic virtues, carry out initiatives to raise the public’s cultural-ethical standards, consolidate and magnify the effects obtained from the efforts to develop cities with high civility, work hard to build cities into national models of high civility, and work to see the back of outdated social mores in urban and rural areas and to promote good and up-to-date practices and trends.

Second, the supply of high-quality cultural products will increase. We will groom the digital cultural industry and develop new forms of business in culture such as digital creativity, digital publishing, and online audio-visual programs. We will take solid steps to carry out public-interest cultural programs, advance the development of a Jiangsu of Avid Readers, and promote the transformation and upgrading of libraries in villages and cinemas in towns.

We will carry out a program to improve the quality of literary and art works, organize cultural events such as Zijin Culture and Arts Festival, Jiangsu Book Fair, the Best Works Award, and the Five Stars Project Award, and create more excellent works that meet people’s cultural needs and stimulate their inspirations to enrich their intellectual and cultural life.

Third, cultural landmarks with Jiangsu characteristics will be built. We will sustain the revolutionary legacy, work hard to protect, and make good use of the revolution-related resources in Jiangsu attentively and with affections, and disseminate the revolution-related culture with vivid examples. We will advance the development of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt and the Grand Canal National Culture Park with high standards, hold the Fourth Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Expo, and accelerate the construction of the Ten Canal Scenes in Suzhou, the 50 km Gallery in Huai’an, and other key projects.

We will press ahead with the source tracing project for Jiangsu’s local cultures, make greater efforts to protect, inherit and utilize the Yangtze River culture and various historical and cultural resources in urban and rural areas, and carry out work on the preservation, renovation and utilization of ancient cities to enhance the unique charm of Jiangsu.

Fourth, the integrated development between culture and tourism will be boosted. We will build world-class tourist attractions and resorts with rich cultural heritage and launch high-quality cultural tourism products in larger numbers to improve the brand reach of Charm of Jiangsu.

9. We will work to promote common prosperity and constantly improve the wellbeing of the people.

We will strive to make a bigger and better “cake” through joint efforts, and then divide and distribute the “cake” properly through rational institutional arrangements, so as to bring the benefits of high-quality development to the people of Jiangsu.

First, we will spare no effort to increase employment and income. Efforts will be made to formulate policies and measures for common prosperity, expand channels for urban and rural residents to increase their income, foster a larger middle-income group, start actions to boost rural development and the ability to increase income of low-income earners in rural areas. Efforts will be made to strengthen the job-first policy and vocational skills training. We will do a good job in ensuring that key groups of people, including college graduates, demobilized military personnel, and rural migrant workers, have better access to employment, constantly promote employment via different channels and entrepreneurship, create more market-based job opportunities, and build Jiangsu into a forerunner in high-quality employment.

Second, efforts will be made to ensure equal access to high-quality basic public services. We will improve basic public service system in the locality where people are living and provide basic public services in a targeted manner in fields that concern people the most, such as education and healthcare. We will carry out campaigns to foster virtue through education for the new era, deepen comprehensive educational reform, ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, and ensure balanced and high-quality compulsory education development and diverse senior high school education development with characteristics. We will proactively implement the Pilot Program for secondary vocational schools and the Excellence Program for higher vocational schools, support integrated high-quality development of special education, accelerate a new round of development of high-level universities and colleges, and promote the high-quality development of universities included in the Double First-Class Initiative. We will comprehensively promote the Healthy Jiangsu Initiative, consistently improve the public health system, accelerate the development of a universal health information platform, national medical centers, national-level and provincial-level regional healthcare centers, and improve the supply and balanced distribution of high-quality medical resources. We will start the building of provincial psychiatric hospitals, improve healthcare service capacity at the primary level, accelerate efforts in building Jiangsu into a TCM powerhouse, and improve the safety and quality of food, medicine and other products and services that involve people’s health. Efforts will be made to carry out Fitness-for-All programs and hold the 20th Games of Jiangsu Province.

Third, we will improve service systems of elderly and child care. We will strengthen the list-based system for basic elderly care services, start the transformation and development of barrier-free facilities for elders facing difficulties, improve the elderly care service capabilities and health support system in communities, and establish an elderly care system featuring a balanced integration of home-based, community-based, institution-based services and medical care and health care. We will develop an inclusive infant and child care service system, accelerate the development of public and inclusive kindergartens, promote the proper implementation of the new family planning policy and reduce the burden on young couples in child-raising, so as to promote balanced development of the population over the long term.

Fourth, efforts will be made to improve the guarantee for people’s essential needs. We will ensure proper identification and dynamic monitoring of low-income earners, formulate regular assistance measures which help people to avoid difficulties of living when illness, natural disaster or other accidents occur. We will ensure the implementation of policies aimed at meeting people’s essential needs, such as social assistance, compensation and preferential treatment measures, financial assistance for people with disabilities, and serious illness insurance. Efforts will be made to further ensure that everyone has access to social security, improve the level of basic old-age insurance for urban and rural residents, implement provincial-level unified collection, payout and management of enterprise workers’ old-age insurance funds, promote provincial-level unified management of unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance, and conduct effective medical insurance payment reform and medical insurance fund supervision. We will encourage both house renting and buying, accelerate the development of long-term rental housing market, and firmly promote the construction of government-subsidized housing. We will ensure proper price-control and supply guarantee of daily necessities, ensuring that the basic living needs and wellbeing of people facing difficulties can be guaranteed and improved.

This year, we have listed 50 tasks in 12 categories to improve people’s wellbeing. We will carry out list-based management for these tasks and deliver them via programs, so as to solve the most pressing difficulties of great concern to the people, ensure that good policies are well executed and practical measures are fully realized, and better meet people’s needs for a better life.

10. We will make holistic efforts to ensure development and security and uphold social stability and harmony.

Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instruction that “safety and security are the prerequisite for development, while development ensures safety and security in return”, we will get better prepared for the latent risks and the worst-case scenario, get a head start on guarding against and defusing risks and challenges, and spare no effort to achieve high-quality development while maintaining high-level security.

First, efforts will be made to ensure science-based and accurate COVID-19 prevention and control on a regular basis. We will uphold the overall strategy of maintaining constant vigilance against inbound cases and domestic resurgences and the dynamic zero-case policy, ensure the four parties (the locality, the related authority, the employer, and the individual) will act responsibly, implement the requirements of early detection, early reporting, early isolation, and early treatment, guard against the virus by managing personnel, objects and the environment at the same time, and strengthen prevention and control at important links such as airport, port, customs, and cold-chain logistics. Efforts will be made to improve COVID-19 prevention and control capacity and emergency drills, constantly promote and encourage vaccination, and further promote effective and targeted COVID-19 prevention and control. 

Second, consistent efforts will be made to ensure workplace safety. We will launch a special campaign on workplace safety, ensure high-quality implementation of the three-year action plan for workplace safety, and resolutely curb the occurrence of serious and major accidents. We will improve the tracing, research and analysis, monitoring and early warning of major security risks, and further see workplace safety responsibilities are fulfilled by all the stakeholders. We will build up our emergency response and rescue capacity, step up cultivation of emergency management personnel, improve the system for developing emergency rescue technologies, so as to improve intrinsic safety and strengthen disaster prevention, mitigation, response, and relief capabilities.

Third, efforts will be made to control and defuse risks and hidden dangers in key areas. We will ensure overall development stability, make holistic and coordinated efforts, implement category-specific policies and measures, solve problems via targeted response, further utilize the “four mechanisms (risk research and analysis mechanism, risk evaluation and decision-making mechanism, coordinated risk management mechanism and accountability mechanism)” of risk prevention and control, and ensure that no systemic risks arise. We will increase efforts to find out and resolve risks caused by large-scale enterprises’ debts, real estate market and illegal fund-raising, improve the mechanism for the handling and long-term control of financial risks, take effective actions to combat crimes such as financial fraud, and crack down on malicious wage arrears and debt evasion. Efforts will be made to improve debt management of local government, SOEs and platform companies, and resolutely curb the growth of local government’s implicit debts. We will act on the principle that houses are for living in, not for speculation, support property market to better cater to the reasonable demand of home buyers and adopt city-specific policies to boost the virtuous cycle and healthy development of the sector.

Fourth, efforts will be made to consistently improve and explore new ways of social governance. We will stay committed to building a safe Jiangsu under the rule of law, advance trials on modernizing municipal social governance, improve crime prevention and control system, and deepen gridded social governance innovation. We will strengthen primary-level governance and standardized law enforcement, make efforts to combat organized crime and root out local criminal gangs on an ongoing basis, prevent and punish crimes of all types, and resolve disputes through multiple channels. We will take proper actions to overcome difficulties in addressing major complaints made through letters or visits, properly handle ethnic and religious affairs, and sustain social stability and harmony.

In the coming year, we will continue to strengthen support for building national defense and the armed forces, improve national defense mobilization, national defense education for all, veteran service and management, and civil air defense, improve the overall level of promoting mutual support between the military and civilians in the new era, and develop a new type of military-government and military-civilian relationship with greater unity.

Fellow deputies,

The new journey and new era have raised new and higher requirements for the governance system and capacity of the government.

We must strengthen overall political building. We will constantly improve the ability to judge, understand political issues and follow political requirements, practice the Party’s will which has established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; adhere to the basic theory, line, and policy of the Party, strengthen our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership; and fully implement decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and meet the requirements of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee.

We must adhere to law-based administration. We will thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, uphold the principle under which administrative bodies must take action according to the law and their duties and must not take any action that is not mandated by law. We will continuously improve major administrative decision-making processes, think and work in terms of the rule of law, improve governance efficiency through law-based and standardized institutional procedures and arrangements, making the rule of law an important part of Jiangsu’s core competitiveness. We will willingly accept the oversight of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress and its standing committee, the oversight of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, disciplinary inspection and supervision, judicial oversight, public oversight, and oversight through public opinion, strengthen the role of auditing in oversight, to ensure that power is exercised in broad daylight.

We must improve our capacity. Consistent efforts will be made to start campaigns on studying the Party’s history, better understand and use the historical experience of the Party over the past century, maintain confidence in history, carry forward the fighting spirit, and squarely face all kinds of risks and challenges. We will always maintain a sense of crisis, continue to improve our capacity and knowledge, acquire knowledge from various fields such as economy, science and technology and fine traditional culture, constantly improve our professional and overall competence in fulfilling our responsibilities, and accomplish arduous tasks of promoting reform and development and ensuring stability with strong skills.

We must assume our responsibilities and take concrete actions. We will give full rein to our drive, make the most of every second, and come up with more new, effective and pragmatic measures. We will do our tasks in a timely and responsible manner, and spare no effort to solve difficult problems. The devil is in the details, so we will make efforts to work in detail, so as to avoid the worsening of small problems and issues. We will improve investigation and research, take prudent steps in decision-making processes, abide by objective laws, meet the actual needs of the people, and prevent dereliction of duty, the one-size-fits-all approach and abuse of power.

We must resolutely improve Party conduct and clean governance. We will carry forward the spirit of self-reform, continue to follow the requirements for exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party, and make integrated efforts to see that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, and desire to engage in corruption. We will firmly correct misconducts and corruption that harm the public’s interests, foster a sound political ecosystem featuring honesty and integrity within the Party, and ensure government officials always abide by strict rules and discipline. We will always nourish integrity, promote truthfulness, keep wholeheartedly devoted to public service, improve ourselves by following frugality, and forever preserve the political character of impartiality and integrity. We will strictly implement the eight-point decision on improving work conduct, the detailed rules for its implementation and the implementation measures of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee. We will constantly wage battles against formalities for formalities’ sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, and reduce burdens at the primary level. We will “tighten our belt”, strictly control the spending on official overseas visits, official vehicles, and official hospitality and general expenditures, and channel the resources and funds available into promoting development and people’s living standards. We will develop Jiangsu into a province with clean governance, so as to live up to the expectations of our people.

Fellow deputies,

Determined to fulfill our duties, we must remain true to our original aspiration. Let us rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, we will work diligently and forge ahead with fortitude, and usher in the 20th National Congress of the CPC by fulfilling responsibilities for the new mission and opening up a new chapter with solid steps.