Delivered at the 2nd Session

of the 14th Provincial People’s Congress of Jiangsu

on January 23, 2024

Xu Kunlin, 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 2023

The past year marks the first year to faithfully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on all fronts, a year for economic recovery following three years of COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as a year of significance for the development of Jiangsu. People in Jiangsu were greatly inspired by the fact that General Secretary Xi Jinping was elected by a unanimous vote as a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) by the Jiangsu delegation at the beginning of the year, took part in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation during the two sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC, paid two visits to Jiangsu in July and December, and made important speeches and instructions on the work of Jiangsu on three occasions. He himself has charted the course and blueprinted the future for Jiangsu’s development at every critical stage, which has forged extraordinary synergy among people in Jiangsu as we move forward on the new journey and in the new era. Bearing in mind his expectations, we will forge ahead with gratitude and strive to be a national pacesetter in advancing socialist modernization with greater morale.

Over the past year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee 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 20th National Congress of the CPC and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and important speeches by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of Jiangsu and implemented major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee. Based on the major requirement of becoming the pacesetter in advancing Chinese modernization, we concentrated our efforts on expanding domestic demand, improving structure, boosting confidence, and defusing risks. The main expected goals of the province were fully accomplished. Economic and social development was underpinned by enhanced endogenous engines for growth and greater vitality. Jiangsu played a bigger part in the national overall development as we continued to spearhead high-quality development and fulfill our due responsibility in building a modern new Jiangsu that is prosperous, beautiful, and culturally advanced.

New achievements were made in economic development. The provincial GDP reached RMB 12.82 trillion, an increase of 5.8%. The number of cities with GDP exceeding RMB one trillion rose to five. General public budgetary revenue stood at RMB 993 billion, up by 7.3%. Total grain output reached a record high of 37.975 billion kg. Imports and exports reached RMB 5.25 trillion and paid-in FDI remained the largest in China.

Progress was made in building a modern industrial system. The added value of the manufacturing industry reached RMB 4.66 trillion, accounting for 36.3% of the regional GDP, and the high-quality development index of the manufacturing industry hit 91.9, ranking first in the country. The output value of strategic emerging and high-tech industries accounted for 41.3% and 49.9% of industries above the designated scale respectively. All 13 prefecture-level cities were included in the top 100 cities for advanced manufacturing. The operating income of the service industry above the designated scale increased by 9.2%.

New headway was made in technological innovation. R&D investment accounted for about 3.2% of the provincial GDP. The number of invention patents was 62.1 per 10,000 people, ranking first among all provinces and regions for eight consecutive years. The deep-sea manned submersible “Fendouzhe”, which means “striver” in Chinese, developed under the initiation of the Taihu Laboratory, reached the deepest ocean trench. The high-efficiency all-perovskite tandem solar cells were included in the top 10 scientific advances in China. The number of small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises and newly recognized “little giant” companies that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products reached 94,000 and 795 respectively, both ranking first in China. The number of high-tech enterprises and their employees exceeded 51,000 and 15.6 million respectively.

Improvements were made in ecological and environmental conservation. Up to 92.4% of water sections under national monitoring were at and above Grade III (excellent) in water quality. The water bodies of the Jiangsu section of the mainstream of the Yangtze River have been kept at Grade II for six consecutive years, and 100% of water sections of major tributaries of the Yangtze River were at and above Grade III (excellent). Taihu Lake has seen no algal bloom in summer for 16 years in a row, with water quality and algae control hitting the best level in 16 years. The concentration of PM2.5 dropped to 33 μg/m3; 79.6% of the days in 2023 saw good air quality.

People’s well-being was further improved. Another 1.383 million urban jobs were created. Per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents reached RMB 63,200 and RMB 30,500 respectively, up 5% and 7%. Urban-rural income ratio was reduced to 2.07:1. The number of winners of National Teaching Achievement Award ranked first in the country, and the number of high school enrollments reached the highest in the past decade. The comprehensive development of community-level healthcare was at the forefront in China. The index for social civility remained above 90. The 55 tasks in 13 categories to improve people’s well-being we set out at the beginning of the year were all fulfilled following high standards.

New improvement was made in development and security. COVID-19 response achieved a smooth transition in a relatively short period of time. The number of accidents and death toll in production dropped by 13.2% and 11.2%, respectively, following the sharp declines in previous years. High-risk financial institutions were clamped down. Up to 98% of complaints made through visits or letters were resolved on first call. More than 99% of our people lived with a sense of security.

The past year was the first year for the current government to fulfill its duties. We fully and faithfully acted upon the new development philosophy and implemented the major tasks of “striving to be a national pacesetter in four respects”, namely, playing an exemplary role in building self-reliance and strength in science and technology, promoting agricultural modernization, improving community-level governance and people’s well-being, and contributing to the country’s efforts to foster a new development paradigm. We also doubled down on our efforts in “scoring new progress on four fronts”, namely, making new breakthroughs in technological innovation, undertaking new endeavors in strengthening, supplementing, and extending industrial chains, exploring new experience in building a modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and making new advancement in modernizing social governance. We rolled out eight action plans and two batches of measures to advance Chinese modernization in Jiangsu with real results. We focused on the following areas of work:

1. Promoting overall recovery of the economy. We set forth plans for economic operation on a monthly and quarterly basis. Jiangsu took the lead in launching 42 measures to spur economic development at the beginning of the year and 28 supplementary measures in August. A series of special policies were also put in place to strengthen their implementation. Multiple preferential policies for enterprises were implemented, resulting in over RMB 200 billion of tax reduction, fee cuts, tax refund and deferred payment.

We hosted a raft of activities, Suxin Consumption Festival included, to bolster consumption. The cultural and tourism market showed strong momentum of recovery, and total retail sales of social consumer goods grew by 6.5%.

We greatly bolstered effective investment, with investment in fixed assets registering a 5.2% growth and investment in major provincial projects exceeding RMB 700 billion. Eighteen financial policies and measures to support the development of the manufacturing industry were rolled out. The balance of domestic and foreign currency loans increased by 14.1%, of which manufacturing loans maintained double-digit growth for 39 consecutive months. Peak electricity demands in summer and winter seasons were met.

This year, Jiangsu delivered encouraging economic performance as we made sound progress while maintaining stability, further strengthening the momentum of recovery.

2. Deepening the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. We rolled out an action plan to build Jiangsu into an industrial technology innovation center with global influence. Efforts were made to strengthen basic research. Progress in 89 R&D projects for cutting-edge industrial technologies and 85 projects for commercializing major scientific and technological results were made under coordinated efforts.

We intensified the development of technological innovation platforms. The construction of the headquarter base of Suzhou Lab kicked off, and the Purple Mountain Laboratories established the first 6G integrated laboratory in the industry. The Taihu Laboratory set up its Lianyungang Center. A total of 31 national key laboratories have been established across the province, of which 21 were newly approved.

We strengthened the principal role of businesses in innovation. Eight national enterprise technology centers and six national technological innovation demonstration enterprises were newly added, and the national innovation center for high-performance membrane was approved for construction. There were 58 new domestic listed companies, with initial financing totaling RMB 58.74 billion, both ranking first in the country. The numbers of businesses that went public on the STAR Market and Beijing Stock Exchange reached 110 and 43 respectively, remaining first in China.

We implemented the action plan to speed up the building of a strong manufacturing province with targeted facilitation mechanism for each industrial cluster and chain. Guidelines on accelerating the cultivation and development of future industries were rolled out. The Jiangsu Strategic Emerging Industry Fund Cluster was founded to build an advanced manufacturing base with global competitiveness. 

We carried out the action plan that spurs activities in core sectors of the digital economy and held the World Intelligence Manufacturing Conference. The added value of core industries in the digital economy made up about 11.4% of the GDP. Digital and intelligent transformation was sped up, and network-based connectivity was improved. Twenty national and 112 provincial demonstrative factories as well as 501 demonstrative workshops for intelligent manufacturing were newly added.

As home to 97 out of the first batch of 300 5G factories in China, Jiangsu has topped the national list in terms of the integration between industrialization and IT application for nine consecutive years. It is already on the fast track of digital and intelligent transformation of manufacturing.

3. Ensuring balanced development between urban and rural areas. The first provincial-level territorial space planning in China was launched. We advanced the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. Jiangsu took the lead in the implementation of eight joint research projects of the Yangtze River Delta Technological Innovation Community and added 24 new institutional innovations to the demonstration zone for green and integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

We strengthened the “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). Policies and measures to support the development of marine industries were launched. Paired assistance between South Jiangsu and North Jiangsu was strengthened with eight provincial-level cooperation parks built, further improving the coordinated regional development in Jiangsu.

We promoted the interconnectivity and upgrading of infrastructure. The Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed railway along the Yangtze River was put into operation and construction of Jiangsu section of Weifang-Suqian Railway and the Shangyuanmen Yangtze River railway tunnel kicked off. The high-speed railway mileage in Jiangsu exceeded 2,500 km, ranking among the national top. The Xinyi-Jiangdu section of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway was open for traffic after the expansion from four lanes to eight lanes, and the construction of 10 cross-Yangtze River passageways was underway.

Water transport was further developed. Expansion and renovation project of Jianbi No.1 ship lock in the southern Jiangsu section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal began. Key projects including the Suqian-Lianyungang waterway witnessed smooth progress, and the Lianyungang 400,000-ton ore wharf was completed and put into operation.

We launched the action plan to advance agricultural development. Based on the experience of Zhejiang Province in promoting the Green Rural Revival Program, Jiangsu sped up the formulation of policies and measures to develop ourselves into a land of fish and rice in the new era. Integrated variety-specific plans based on high-quality land, seeds, techniques, machinery, and production methods were promoted. Another 80,000 ha of high-standard farmlands were added, and 138,000 ha of farmlands were upgraded. A total of 34 large and medium-sized irrigation areas were renovated. The area, yield per unit area, and total yield of grain production all increased.

We further improved people’s living environment in rural areas. A total of 3,064 km of rural roads were upgraded or newly built following high standard. Toilets of 678,000 households were rebuilt, and 51% of household wastewater in rural areas was properly treated. Another 159 beautiful pastoral villages at provincial level and 6,000 km of eco-friendly waterways in rural areas were added. One-on-one assistance to and collaborations with other provinces in western China were intensified, with 1,548 programs carried out. 

4. Achieving eco-environmental progress. We remained committed to protecting the ecological environment of the Yangtze River, and intensified implementation of the “4+1” project to address urban sewage and garbage pollution, chemical pollution, agricultural non-point source pollution, vessel pollution and tailings pond pollution, and of major ecological restoration projects. We completed more than 16,000 key projects of air pollution prevention and control, made solid progress in investigating and overhauling sewage outlets, and intensified regulation over sources of soil pollution.

We made solid steps to regulate the sources of pollution in the Taihu Lake Basin to abate discharge of phosphor and nitrogen, and put in place an intelligent dredging device platform. The total phosphor and nitrogen concentration of the Taihu Lake reduced by 14.5% and 14.3%, respectively.

A special plan on carbon peaking was rolled out. Efforts were also made for the clean and efficient use of coal. Up to 36.4% of the installed capacity was from renewable energy. Three regions and industrial parks in Jiangsu were included in the first batch of national pilot programs to achieve carbon neutrality.

Major headway was made to improve the environmental infrastructure. To date, Jiangsu houses four national demonstrative sponge cities and nine national eco-garden cities, ranking first in both categories across the country. The number of national demonstrative areas for eco-conservation in Jiangsu increased to 37, and that of practice and innovation bases for a sound environment to 10. Jiangsu was graded “excellent” in the national assessment of pollution prevention and control result for four years in a row. A beautiful Jiangsu with a sound environment brings about greater benefit to all.

5. Advancing reform and opening up. We worked out an action plan to build Jiangsu into a two-way open hub with global appeal, and advanced the building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) hub upon a new starting point. The foreign trade volume between Jiangsu and BRI partner countries made up 42.9% of total imports and exports in the province. The first China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum and the annual meeting celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Summit for Cross-Straits Entrepreneurs were held in Jiangsu, to both of which President Xi Jinping sent his personal messages of congratulation.

We worked to stabilize the scale and improve the structure of foreign trade. A total of 49.7% of Jiangsu’s exports were made by private companies. Cross-border e-commerce witnessed an increase of 12.3% in its exports. Both the export volume of new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products and the export value of goods with exporter-issued RCEP certificate of origin ranked first in China. We made fact-finding trips to the headquarters of multinationals in Jiangsu. Foreign capital utilization in the manufacturing sector and in hi-tech industries as well as its plough-back all ranked amongst the top in China. Suzhou Industrial Park bagged championship eight times in a row in the comprehensive assessment of national economic and development zones.

We advanced the building of a high-standard market system, and deepened reforms in public finance, taxation, investment and financing. Jiangsu was among the first in China to facilitate the registration and certification of real estate with state-and-collective mixed ownership, and it also took the lead in carrying out the pilot program of integrated approval of land and forest use. We adopted a systemic approach to the new round of reform advancement on state-owned enterprises, and worked to facilitate the reorganization and integration of five province-owned trading companies.  

We rolled out two lists consisting of 79 reform measures to implement the national pilot program of business environment improvement and the reforms to which we have greater autonomy. By doing so, Jiangsu was granted “province with best reputation in business environment” for five straight years, and the number of business entities exceeded 14.52 million. We took forceful measures to promote high-quality development of the private economy, resulting in greater confidence and dynamism in business entities of all sorts.

6. Improving community-level governance and people’s well-being. Twenty new measures were taken to stabilize employment, thus bringing down the urban surveyed unemployment rate to 4.6%. We worked to ensure sufficient supply of essential commodities for people’s life at stable prices, while the CPI went up by 0.4%. Elderly and child care services were improved, with over 40,000 households having been renovated to be senior-friendly and day-care services newly added to accommodate more than 30,000 children. The social security system was further strengthened at a faster pace as we worked to incorporate the unemployment insurance fund into the unified collection and allocation system of the province and the work injury insurance in the overall scheme at the provincial level, and the coverage of basic medical insurance remained at above 98.5%.

We worked to increase quality medical resources and ensure that lower-level medical facilities had access to them. Sixteen hospitals were singled out for upgrading, and 16 large first-class hospitals paired with five municipal hospitals and 15 county-level hospitals in North Jiangsu to provide aid.

Supply of quality educational resources was increased. A hundred and sixty-seven schools providing compulsory education and 40 senior middle schools were newly built, redeveloped or expanded. Sixteen universities participated in the “double first-class” initiative were included in the ministry-province collaboration program.

Housing voucher policy was rolled out to facilitate relocation. In the past year, a total of 188,500 housing units in run-down urban areas were rebuilt, redevelopment of old residential areas benefited 502,000 households and living conditions of more than 100,000 rural houses were improved. Another 137,000 public parking spaces were added. We outperformed the annual target of ensuring delivery of new houses.

We worked out an action plan to build Jiangsu into a leading province of socialist culture and compiled a series of plans to build and protect the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River National Cultural Park. A batch of fine literary and artistic works were awarded national prizes, and a series of cultural programs were carried out in an engaging way. Cultural and civility advancement witnessed new progress, and Jiangsu once again gave a good performance in building national model cities of civility. We accelerated the building of a leading province of sports in the new era, as manifested by 30 gold medals won by Jiangsu athletes at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022.

Greater efforts were made to improve the community governance system in the urban areas. We tried out a new mechanism bringing together communities, social organizations, social workers, community volunteers and social philanthropic resources. We worked hard to address major public complaints, and sternly cracked down upon and prevented crimes and violations of law of all kinds. The building of a safe Jiangsu and a province under the rule of law registered major progress.  

In the past year, we hosted the 5th China-US Sister Cities Conference, to which President Xi Jinping personally sent a message. 2023 World Coastal Forum, the 2nd China-Pacific Island Countries Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers Meeting and some other state-level foreign-related activities were held in Jiangsu. We hosted 48 batches of important foreign guests, and dispatched delegations to major countries and regions overseas to promote exchanges and cooperation. Jiangsu housed the largest number of international sister cities in China, continuously making its due contributions to serving the national diplomatic interests and facilitating the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.    

In the past year, we 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, Taiwan affairs, Hong Kong and Macao affairs, overseas Chinese affairs, advisory work, study of literature and history, philosophy and social sciences, 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.

We earnestly carried out the thematic education campaign of learning and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, and fully comprehended the important statements made by General Secretary Xi in his investigation trips to Jiangsu, urging us to perform better through continuous learning. Jiangsu has made every effort to empower itself through the education campaign to venerate loyalty and mission and build greater capacity to fulfill responsibility. We exercised the administrative power under the rule of law and consciously accepted the oversight of the Provincial People’s Congress, the democratic oversight of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, public oversight and oversight through public opinion. Altogether we handled 608 suggestions by deputies of the Provincial People’s Congress and 775 proposals by deputies of 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 193 major documents.

Fellow deputies,

The exciting achievements we made in the past year were the results of our hard work to address the external pressures and internal difficulties. We are deeply indebted to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to steer the whole Party and his personal concern over Jiangsu, the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the direct leadership of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee with its well-thought-out decisions and effective coordination, 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, senior officials and people from all quarters across the province. My thanks also go to the 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 fellow compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas, and international friends who have long shown understanding and support for Jiangsu as we advance the reform and development.

Fellow deputies,

Though last year was rewarding, we need to be keenly aware of the multiple difficulties and challenges daunting the economic and social development of Jiangsu. Those include a lack of effective demand, weak social expectations, unbalanced recovery of consumption, and the great pressure hindering the steady growth of foreign trade. Moreover, some industries and business entities are still having a hard time; some businesses are becoming less willing to invest; greater efforts are needed to achieve major breakthroughs in some core technologies; industrial restructuring is facing certain pressure; and some disruptive factors are lingering to impede the smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains. In addition, basic public services need to be improved; hidden risks in some areas are yet to be further defused; and there is room for improvement in government services and work style. Facing these daunting problems, we must take them seriously and act decisively to tackle them, in a bid to scale a new height and open up new vistas in our pursuit of high-quality development.

II. Overall Work Requirements, Objectives and Tasks for 2024  

General Secretary Xi Jinping, who is at the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party, requested that Jiangsu should strive to become a national pacesetter in advancing Chinese modernization, which reflected his high expectations on Jiangsu. As a national pacesetter, Jiangsu needs to set a good example in pursuing Chinese modernization by working to first-class standard, to tread on untraveled paths for realizing Chinese modernization by thinking and moving in new ways, and to showcase the bright prospects of Chinese modernization to the world through Jiangsu’s high-quality development.

The current international and domestic situations indicate that our world, our times and our history are changing in ways never seen before. Yet generally speaking, we face both strategic opportunities and challenges, with favorable conditions outstripping unfavorable ones.

Globally, the economy remains sluggish, coupled with multiple factors of instability and uncertainty and those hard to predict. Yet meanwhile, some positive elements are accumulating; international market demands are steadily recovering, for instance.  

China is forging ahead amid twists and turns. The general trend of economic recovery in the long run remains unchanged, as the Central Government is rolling out more effective policies to stabilize and stimulate the economy, and more factors and conditions sustaining high-quality development are available.  

Jiangsu, a province with a solid industrial foundation, abundant scientific and educational resources, a desirable business environment and a huge market, is capable of remaining at the forefront of national development, as it is favored by some major and new opportunities brought by a convergence of multiple national strategies within the province, the new round of technological revolution for industrial upgrading, and serving the building of a new development paradigm for opening up and innovation. We shall learn to adapt ourselves to the changing macro-environment by leveraging the favorable conditions and avoiding the poor ones and focus on addressing the difficulties to fulfill the target. Jiangsu will shoulder its due responsibility as a national pacesetter to forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude toward the direction guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and it is a crucial year for accomplishing the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan. To meet the general requirements for government work in this year, we shall: 

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

-Fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the 2nd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee as well as the important speeches and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of Jiangsu; 

-Implement the decisions and plans of the Central Economic Work Conference;

-Follow the requirements of the 5th Plenary Session of the 14th CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee;

-Focus on the central task of economic development and the top priority of high-quality development;

-Uphold the underlying principle of making progress while maintaining stability;

-Fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts；

-Engage in the national effort to create a new development paradigm at a faster pace;

-Fully implement the major tasks of “striving to be a national pacesetter in four respects” and “scoring new progress on four fronts”;

-Expand domestic demand and deepen supply-side structural reform in a well-coordinated way;

-Advance new urbanization and promote all-around rural revitalization in a well-coordinated way;

-Achieve high-quality development and maintain high-level security in a well-coordinated way;

-Consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery;

-Strive to be a national pacesetter in pursuing high-quality development and advancing Chinese modernization;

-Open a new page in building a modernized new Jiangsu that is prosperous, beautiful, and culturally advanced.

We set the following economic and social development goals for 2024:

-GDP will grow by more than 5%;

-General public budgetary revenue will increase by around 4%;

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

-More than 1.2 million urban jobs will be created;

-The surveyed urban unemployment rate will be kept at around 5%;

-Total retail sales of social consumer goods will go up by approximately 5.5%;

-A positive growth will be registered in foreign trade, and the actual utilization of foreign capital will be stabilized with higher efficiency;

-Energy consumption per unit of GDP will decrease by around 2%;

-Total grain production will be kept at a stable level;

-CPI will rise by around 3%.

The above objectives reflect the major requirement of the CPC Central Committee that “economically developed provinces should play a leading role”, factor in the current circumstances for development and the imperative of fully implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan, and manifest the orientation towards effectively upgrading and appropriately expanding the economy. We will make all-out efforts to achieve even better results in our work in 2024.

To fulfill the above-mentioned tasks, we must uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, which is the most fundamental, and take Chinese modernization as our greatest political commitment to ensure that the important instructions and requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee deliver the desired results.

First, we will focus on the major requirement of striving to be a national pacesetter in pursuing high-quality development and advancing Chinese modernization, which is our guideline for advancing modernization. We shall fully implement the major tasks of “striving to be a national pacesetter in four respects” and “scoring new progress on four fronts” with detailed and effective measures. We shall truly shoulder the major responsibility in promoting economic development, act as a front-runner in national scientific and technological innovation, and become a hub, a pillar and a leader in creating the new development paradigm.

Second, we will focus on the top priority of high-quality development, which is a fundamental principle for planning and carrying out work in the new era. We must always uphold the new philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development, and evaluate and pursue development accordingly. We will work hard for better quality through higher efficiency and more robust growth drivers with the view to becoming the first to form sustainable institutions and mechanisms for high-quality development.  

Third, we must always put people above all else in our work, which is a fundamental principle that must be advocated to respond to people’s aspiration for a better life. We must always keep in mind and improve people’s well-being by making the pie bigger, and win their trust by solving the pressing difficulties and problems that concern them most so as to ensure a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for our people.

Fourth, we will focus on pursuing progress while ensuring stability, which is an important principle we must always follow to promote economic and social development. We shall continue to act on the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. We shall take stability as the foundation in big-picture thinking, and progress as orientation and motivation. We shall actively establish those that should be established, and decisively abolish those that should be abolished when the new and better are in place. We shall forge ahead in shifting the growth model, improving the economic structure, and enhancing the quality and effect of development to consolidate the foundation for steady and robust growth.

Fifth, we will consistently take coordination as an important approach to appropriately handling the major relationships in development. We shall apply systemic thinking in handling relations between the speed and quality of growth, statistics and individual perceptions, economic development and the improvement of people’s wellbeing, and development and security. We shall also coordinate in-depth reform and high-quality development, short-term response and medium and long-term development, and economic policies and other policies to drive the overall economic and social development.

Fellow deputies,

Jiangsu bears the expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the people. We are confident that, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will accomplish goals and tasks for this year with the concerted efforts of the 85 million hardworking and intelligent people of Jiangsu, living up to the expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee as well as our people in the new era.

III. Priorities for 2024

To fulfill the above-mentioned tasks, we shall keep to our goals, specify priorities and focus on the crucial as we achieve steady and sustained progress on our new journey towards modernization with concrete actions and a down-to-earth attitude.

1. We will make our best efforts to sustain the momentum of economic recovery. We will expand domestic demand and stabilize international demand, injecting new impetus into economic recovery with a combination of measures.

First, we will improve policies and measures. We will strengthen policy coordination, expand policy options, and improve policy evaluation. We will continue to implement tax and fee cuts to support the development of advanced manufacturing industry and small and micro businesses, and introduce special policies on new industrialization, foreign investment and private investment. We will intensify financial support to scientific and technological innovation, green transition, micro and small businesses with inclusive loans, the digital economy, and technological transformation. We will ensure that the overall cost of social financing will drop steadily, increase funds for strategic emerging industries, and deepen the province-wide pilot project of digital yuan. We will ensure stable supply of energy and electricity. We will start the drafting of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Second, we will work to unlock the potential of consumption. We will nurture large leading enterprises in commercial circulation and competitive vertical e-commerce platform enterprises, enabling the platform economy to boost consumer spending and energize the market. We will promote digital, green, health, sports, and leisure consumption, step up efforts to foster and promote new forms of consumption in culture and tourism, and create more Chinese chic goods and brand-new consumption scenarios. We will host more activities under the Suxin Consumption Festival to boost spending on big-ticket items, including the replacement of old automobiles and home appliances. We will adjust and improve real estate policies according to specific circumstances of each city, ensure that people’s demands are met should they wish to buy their first home or to improve their current living conditions, and support the planning and construction of high-standard residences to foster new models of development of the real estate sector.

Third, we will expand investment that generates good returns. We will ensure the coordination and implementation of key projects and the provision of factors of production, giving priority to the 102 major investment projects laid out in the national 14th Five-Year Plan and 450 major projects of our province. We will increase inputs in new infrastructure construction, advancing the planning of large-scale 5G and gigabit fiber optic internet in a systematic manner, supporting Suzhou in applying for direct connection to the national internet backbone, and accelerating the planning of intelligent computing power, edge computing and other computing facilities.

We will take proper and orderly steps to push forward the Three Major Projects (the construction of affordable housing, the construction of public infrastructure for both regular and emergency use, and the renovation of run-down areas and villages in cities), and take solid steps to build public service facilities, including underground pipelines in cities, government-subsidized housing for new urban residents and rural migrant workers, and those for education, health care and elderly care. We will promote the transformation and upgrading of the construction sector for its high-quality development.

Fourth, we will consolidate the fundamentals of foreign trade. To bring more quality products to the global market, we will promote trade with the United States, Europe, Japan and the Republic of Korea, expand our market shares in BRI partner countries, and tap new space for global economic cooperation and trade. We will implement a three-year action plan for high-quality development of cross-border e-commerce, focus on developing “cross-border e-commerce + industrial belts”, and make plans for establishing overseas warehouses. We will leverage export credit insurance, Sumao Loan (a loan targeted at foreign trade SMEs) and other policy tools, and give great support to the export of high value-added, green and low-carbon products such as new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaic products, and LNG-powered ships. We will build a demonstration zone for creative promotion of import trade, develop imports trading centers and distribution centers at a faster pace, and increase the imports of advanced technology and equipment, key parts and components, and quality consumer goods in line with our goal of developing Jiangsu into a prosperous international market shared by all.     

2. We will continue to build self-reliance and strength in high-level science and technology. Technological innovation will be promoted to support the development of a modern industrial system. Strategic support for science and technology, education and talent will be further strengthened with a view to building Jiangsu into an industrial technology innovation center with global influence.

First, we will further develop Jiangsu into a leading province in education to high standards. The role of colleges, universities and research institutes as a source of innovation activities will be fully leveraged, alongside the efforts to promote the Double First-Class Initiative and bolster high-quality development of universities in Jiangsu. We will make greater efforts to encourage university-local government partnership in the development of universities, work to see more vocational colleges to be included in the second round of National Higher Vocational Schools and Disciplines Project, and at the same time launch initiatives centered respectively on inclusive preschool education, quality improvement and school strength building in compulsory education, and enrichment of regular senior secondary education, in a move to enable Jiangsu students to realize their dreams.

Second, we will build a high-standard innovation platform matrix. We will work to ensure comprehensive services for the construction of the Suzhou Lab and support the Purple Mountain Laboratories in undertaking more national key science and technology tasks like the mobile information network. Support will also be given to the Taihu Laboratory and Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory in consolidating the national strategic scientific and technological strength, with steps accelerated in the construction of the Yunlonghu Laboratory. Greater efforts will be made to attract more national key laboratories to settle in Jiangsu. The provincial laboratory alliance will be built and put into operation at high standards. High-quality development of the Sunan National Innovation Park and its leading role will be propelled, with moves fast-tracked to deliver the “Three Technological Innovation Circles”, namely, the Taihu Lake Innovation Circle, Nanjing Innovation Circle, and Xuzhou Innovation Circle.

Third, we will strive for more breakthroughs in key and core technologies and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. The open competition mechanism and the “horse race” management system to select the best leaders to undertake key research projects will see improvement. With respect to the new areas and new arenas, 40 major technological breakthrough programs and 80 cutting-edge technological R&D programs will be launched. We will improve the technology transfer system, promote the reform experience of Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, plan to set up a host of Proof of Concept centers, and double down on the commercialization of scientific and technological results. We are committed to building an open social innovation model, actively engaging in international science and technology collaboration, and integrating scientific and technological strength and resources across regions and departments, in a bid to yield more technological outcomes and industrial fruits.

Fourth, we will continue to implement the action on strengthening basic research. Pressing ahead with the construction of basic science centers and basic research centers on physics, applied mathematics and synthetic biology, we will speed up the establishment of special zones for applied basic research, select top-notch scientists to shepherd key research programs, and work together with the National Natural Science Foundation of China to launch the joint fund for regional innovation-driven development.

Fifth, we will help in enhancing the independent innovation capability of enterprises. The mechanism of enterprises releasing technological demands will be improved, and bellwether innovative enterprises or major technological innovation platforms will be encouraged to play a leading role and join forces for making breakthroughs in key tasks. Working on plans to establish a host of high-level innovation consortia, we will strive to bring the number of high-tech enterprises to over 55,000 and build benchmark incubators that focus on “hardcore technology”.

Sixth, we will fully unleash the vitality of innovation and creativity in talent. Further reforming the institutions and mechanisms for science and technology and talent development, we will refine the science and technology reward system, expand the pilot reform in the ownership of job-related scientific and technological achievements, better financial products and financial services represented by the “Suke Loan (targeted at technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises) Scheme” and “Talent Loan Scheme”, and strengthen the legal protection of intellectual property rights, as part of the efforts to create a first-class talent ecosystem that is inclusive and satisfying and draws people from far and wide. The high-caliber innovator introduction and cultivation initiative will be put into practice, with the industrial talent map formulated and fully utilized. In addition, we will move faster to nurture a host of top-notch innovators, and intensify efforts to cultivate and gather a number of scientists and engineers in fields of strategic importance, scientific and technological leaders, highly skilled talent and innovation teams, so that more first-tier talent will have their potential fully tapped in Jiangsu.

3. We will redouble efforts to advance new industrialization. With a focus on the establishment of the “1650 industrial system” (16 advanced manufacturing clusters and 50 key industrial chains), we will implement the high-quality development action for key industrial chains and the project to strengthen, supplement and extend the industrial chains of advanced manufacturing clusters, in an effort to build Jiangsu into an advanced manufacturing base with global competitiveness.

First, we will continue to foster more clusters in advanced manufacturing. We will build 10 national-level and 16 provincial-level advanced manufacturing clusters to high standards, and work harder toward delivering a cluster matrix featuring world-class clusters such as new electric power equipment, internationally advanced clusters such as high-end equipment and nationally leading clusters such as aerospace and aviation. Digital intelligence and green technologies will see extensive application, and the rejuvenation program for traditional industries will be implemented.

Second, we will accelerate steps to develop new quality productivity. We will put in continuous effort in developing the “51010” strategic emerging industrial clusters (five globally competitive strategic emerging industrial clusters, five nationally leading strategic emerging industrial clusters and 10 ground-breaking future industrial clusters), and carry out the provincial pilot program for integrated and clustered development of industries. Greater energy will be devoted to developing emerging industries such as bio-manufacturing, smart grid, new energy and low-altitude economy. We will invest in future industries to embrace a better future for industries by setting eyes on cutting-edge technologies, demonstration enterprises, science and innovation parks, application scenarios, and standards and rules, and opening up new paths for industries represented by future networks, quantum, life sciences, hydrogen energy, new-type energy storage, and deep sea, deep earth, aerospace and aviation explorations.

Third, we will work to enhance the resilience and security level of industrial and supply chains. We will launch a group of projects to re-engineer industrial foundation and make breakthroughs in key technologies and equipment based on the 50 key industrial chains. It is important to improve the application policies for the first set of equipment, the first batch of materials and the first edition of software, strive for new breakthroughs in such areas as cutting-edge new materials, high-end chips, heavy-duty robots and key equipment, and boost high-quality development of “industrial mother machines” (machines used to manufacture machines) and industrial software. We will implement the enterprise cultivation and support initiative to strengthen industrial chains, and work to see a group of enterprises to be recognized as national leading manufacturing enterprises. Our aim is to have an additional 500 national “little giant” companies and another 30 champion manufacturing enterprises with specific know-how. A host of national-level SME industrial clusters with local features will gain recognition. We will speed up establishment of the standards system for key industrial chains and support our enterprises in being recognized as front-runners in the initiative of boosting China’s strength in product quality.

Fourth, we will provide stronger support for the digital economy. Our plans include empowering new industrialization with artificial intelligence in an all-round way, building a big model for industries with distinctive features, and delivering a pilot area for innovative application of artificial intelligence. We will place a premium on service supply for digital transformation, foster intelligent manufacturing exemplars and models and promote innovative application of the industrial Internet, as we advance digital and intelligent transformation and network connectivity. Almost all the industrial enterprises above a designated size in the province are intended to kick off implementation of the initiative.

Fifth, we will facilitate deep integration of the modern service industry and the advanced manufacturing industry. We will press ahead with the 331 Program (cultivate 300 provincial-level demonstration zones for high-quality development of modern service industry, 300 leading enterprises for high-quality development of modern service industry and 100 typical enterprises that integrate the modern service industry and the advanced manufacturing industry), enhance the competitiveness of the producer service sector across the board, foster exemplars for integrated development of the modern service industry and the advanced manufacturing industry, and develop cluster demonstration areas for high-quality development of the modern service industry.

4. We will build up Jiangsu’s strength in agriculture in line with high standards. Regarding advancing rural revitalization in all respects as the pivot in our work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, we will learn from and apply the development philosophy embodied in the Green Rural Revival Program and quicken steps to open up new vistas in modernized agriculture and rural areas.

First, we must never slacken our efforts in ensuring stable production and supply of important agricultural products like grain. It is necessary to implement the strictest accountability system for farmland protection and grain security, beef up investment in the cultivation, management and protection of high-standard cropland, and carry out comprehensive utilization of saline-alkali land. We will sustain the grain acreage above 5.4 million ha with an output of around 37.5 billion kg, and work to ensure uninterrupted vegetable production and supply. The simultaneous development of agriculture, forestry, livestock and fisheries will be promoted, along with the establishment of a diversified food supply system. 

Second, we will promote the development of rural industries in all respects. Expediting the development of the whole agricultural industrial chain, we will concentrate our efforts on building a host of provincial key industrial chains as well as municipal and county-level industrial chains with distinctive features, and 1,000 leading enterprises at or above the provincial level in agricultural industrialization. We will implement the initiative of nurturing fine agricultural brands of Jiangsu, foster new business forms of leisure agriculture and rural tourism, and vigorously develop rural e-commerce and the agricultural producer service sector. A batch of modern agricultural industrial parks will be up and running. Our steps will be accelerated in developing agriculture into a major modern industry.

Third, we will raise the level of agricultural science, technology and equipment in an all-round way. With an emphasis laid on joint efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key and core technologies in agriculture, we will continue to invigorate the seed industry and fast-track moves in developing a number of major agricultural science and innovation platforms such as Nanjing National Agricultural High-Tech Industry Demonstration Zone and the National Innovation Center for Modern Agri-technology (Nanjing). We will carry out the pilot program integrating R&D, manufacturing, promotion and application of agricultural machinery equipment, and vigorously promote project-based agriculture, protected agriculture, smart agriculture and green agriculture. More educated young people will be attracted to join the “new farmers” team and receive training.

Fourth, we will promote the development of rural areas and enhance rural governance on all fronts. To that end, we will apply high standards in the compilation and implementation of the village plan, improve the living environment and housing conditions in rural areas, coordinate the construction of rural infrastructure and public service systems, and optimize the long-term management and protection mechanism. We aim to build 1,000 beautiful and harmonious villages that are desirable to live and work in. In terms of rural governance, we will strengthen the community-level governance system and teams, advance community-level law-based governance, promote community-level consultation and further pilot demonstration projects of rural governance system.

Fifth, we will continuously deepen rural reform. To faithfully act on the implementation plan of the central government on deepening rural reform, we will boost growth of the new rural collective economy, advance the campaign to develop the economically weak villages, carry out the province-wide pilot program for standardized rural property rights transfer and trading, promote appropriately scaled agricultural operations of various types, and deepen the reform on rural collective construction land for commercial use entering the market. In addition, the management of rural land designated for housing will be strengthened. Pilot trials for comprehensive rural reform will see implementation.

5. We will further promote coordinated urban-rural and regional development. We will enhance complementarity among regions and integrated development of South and North Jiangsu across the Yangtze River in line with major regional strategies and new urbanization and rural revitalization initiatives of the nation.

First, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt will see further progress under joint efforts. We will better leverage the role of Yangtze Delta Region Transformation Center for Advanced Technological Achievements, continue with the development of the Industrial Innovation Belt along the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, Nanjing-Hangzhou Ecological Economic Belt, the G60 Innovation Corridor, and the Yangtze River Delta Integrated Industrial Development Base, and improve synergy of industrial innovation among regions at the Yangtze River estuary and integrated development of Jiangsu coastal ports and Shanghai international shipping hub as we seek to build a high-standard demonstration zone for green and integrated development. We will develop pilot zones and sections for industrial transformation and innovation as well as modern and eco-friendly shipping in accordance with policies and measures on the development of Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Second, greater efforts will be invested in the development of the “1+3” function zone with specific plans for the development of Nanjing metropolitan area, Huaihai Economic Zone, and Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area and the integrated development of Nanjing, Zhenjiang, and Yangzhou. Paired assistance and industrial chain cooperation between South and North Jiangsu will be strengthened with greater focus on the quality of their collaborative industrial park development. Marine economy will be further developed based on the coordinated use of land, river and sea resources for building and strengthening 10 marine economy-related industrial chains. Ongoing efforts will be put in our paired assistance to and collaboration with regions in western China under the national plan.

Third, top priority will be placed on people’s well-being as we advance new urbanization. We will work to ensure that eligible rural migrants are granted with permanent urban residency. Ten national demonstration zones for new urbanization at the county level will be built and the national pilot zones for integrated urban-rural development in the contiguous areas of Nanjing, Wuxi, and Changzhou will be further developed to facilitate the two-way flow of various production factors. Projects to improve community facilities and services, renovate old residential communities and strengthen urban lifeline system will be carried forward, so that our cities will take on a new look. Well-planned sponge-city initiatives will be implemented across the province to address urban waterlogging and digital transformation will be accelerated to make cities more livable, resilient and smarter. Counties will receive greater support in their high-quality economic development.

Fourth, comprehensive transportation network will be further improved. To complement land transportation system, Nanjing North Railway Station will begin construction, and so will the railway connecting Yancheng, Taizhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and Yixing if conditions permit. We will speed up the ongoing construction of Beiyanjiang High-speed Railway, Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo High-speed Railway, Nanjing-Huai’an Inter-city Railway, Haimen-Taicang Yangtze River Tunnel, and Changzhou-Taizhou Yangtze River Bridge, and complete the construction of Jiangsu section of Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou Railway and Longtan Yangtze River Bridge. To strengthen air transportation capacity, preparations for phase III construction of Nanjing Lukou International Airport and the revamping and expansion of Huai’an Lianshui Airport will be expedited. And the role of Wuxi Shuofang Airport and others as transportation hubs will be strengthened. To build up a modern water transportation system with improved connectivity among the Grand Canal, the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, and the Yellow Sea, we will implement a number of projects to advance the development of Level II water channels (2,000-tonnage capacity) and modern waterways, including phase II of the waterway project connecting Huaihe River with the sea, treatment of Wusong River, upgrading the waterway capacity of South Jiangsu section of the Grand Canal from Level III (1,000-tonnage capacity) to Level II, and opening special branch waterways connecting to ports and industrial parks.

6. We will further develop cultural programs and cultural industry to strengthen Jiangsu’s cultural sector in line with Xi Jinping thought on cultural development.

First, core socialist values will be promoted and practiced. We must take on the mission to protect and pass on our revolutionary legacies and advocate patriotism through education based on the preservation and good use of valuable revolutionary heritage. Cultural development in both urban and rural areas will be advanced to enrich people’s cultural life and enhance social civility. Education on the rule of law for the public shall be promoted to the benefit of our people. Cultural activities will be launched to encourage reading among the public.

Second, continuous efforts will be made to improve the modern public cultural service system. Public cultural services will be standardized and made equally available in urban and rural areas. In line with this, we will carry on cultural initiatives with improved quality, including building cultural brands and troupes, nurturing cultural talent, creating public cultural spaces, and organizing cultural performances for rural residents. Construction will speed up for the new campus of Nanjing Museum and for the provincial museums of science and technology, social sciences, and culture to add to Jiangsu’s cultural infrastructures and platforms.

Third, cultural creativity will be further boosted. We will organize well cultural events such as Kunshan Opera and Zijin Culture and Arts Festivals with the delivery of more quality literary and art works and masterpieces.

Fourth, the preservation of cultural heritage will be strengthened. We will continue our cultural origin-tracing projects, keep local chronicles, protect and make proper use of cultural relics, ancient books, intangible cultural heritage, and preserve well cultural blocks, villages, counties, and cities of historical significance. To better present our fine traditional cultures in modern ways, we will contribute to the development of the Yangtze River and Grand Canal national cultural parks and accelerate the construction of the museum of water conservancy in Huai’an.

Fifth, efforts will be made to build more competitive cultural industry. We will align the development of culture with that of science and technology, tourism, sports, and agriculture through major cultural industry programs to ultimately build Jiangsu into a world-renowned tourism destination. Greater efforts will be made to better present Jiangsu’s cultural and tourism resources to tourists at home and abroad through quality products under our brand Charm of Jiangsu and engaging stories.

7. We will deepen reform and expand high-standard opening up. Jiangsu will strive to be a pioneer and trailblazer in such endeavor to continuously liberate and develop social productivity, and stimulate and enhance social vitality.

First, we will play a bigger role in BRI cooperation. Echoing the national eight major steps supporting BRI development and the plan of promoting both major signature projects and “small yet smart” livelihood programs, Jiangsu will expand the coverage and improve the efficiency of China-Europe Railway Express and intercontinental lines for freight and passenger transport and enhance the capacity of platforms such as China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone, Cambodian Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, and China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) Logistics Cooperation Base.

Second, we will ensure foreign trade and investment deliver stable performance with improved quality. Carbon footprint and green power verification will be carried out as our forward-looking measures in alignment with international green trade rules and in response to EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as we encourage and promote green trade. We are committed to building a national demonstration zone for the development of trade in services facilitated by new mechanisms. We will build platforms and nurture players for digital trade and create new drivers for its growth. We will facilitate healthy development of new business forms such as market procurement and bonded repairs. A number of globally competitive companies strong in both domestic and foreign trade will be nurtured as we lay equal emphasis on the domestic and international market. We will invite multinational companies for trips to Jiangsu as means to attract quality foreign investment with great potential to empower the manufacturing sector. In line with the Regulations on the Promotion and Protection of Foreign Investment in Jiangsu, we will encourage foreign-funded companies to plough back and set up headquarters and R&D centers in Jiangsu.

Third, we will further improve high-level platforms. Greater support will be given to platforms seeking transformation and upgrading, including Suzhou Industrial Park, who will be celebrating its 30th anniversary and furthering openness and innovation on its way of becoming a world-class high-tech industrial park, and Nanjing Jiangbei New Area, who seeks to improve its capacity for development. A three-year action plan on upgrading Jiangsu Pilot Free Trade Zone will be implemented and a task list for a new round of institutional openness will be rolled out in alignment with high-standard international trade rules such as Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). We will step up effort in developing the pilot zone for cross-Straits industrial cooperation in Kunshan and support the development of international collaboration parks.

Fourth, we will continue our efforts to foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and up to international standards through targeted and specific measures. Service efficiency will be further improved as more administrative services will be made available online and a comprehensive service system for enterprises will be developed. The power of land-using initial approval and site-choosing approval at provincial level will be delegated to lower levels. Regular dialogue mechanisms between governments and businesses will be refined to ensure smooth communication between the two so that problems and difficulties of enterprises can be properly addressed. We will provide better foreign-related services, including legal assistance through foreign-related legal service centers, to facilitate cross-border business exchanges.

Fifth, reform in key areas will deepen. We will promote market-based allocation of production factors and adopt policies to create a level playing field for competition for the development of a unified national market. A new round of reform of the fiscal and tax systems shall be well planned and carried out. Reform and upgrading of the state-owned sector will be pushed forward to enable state-owned enterprises to better play their crucial role in advancing sci-tech development, building independent and reliable industrial system, and safeguarding national security. Construction of the demonstration zone in Suqian for synchronized new industrialization, IT application, urbanization, and agricultural modernization will be further advanced. We will implement policies and measures supportive of the development of private economy to boost the confidence of entrepreneurs and nurture a number of leading private enterprises. We will carry out pilot programs providing targeted and differentiated assistance to self-employed businesses and upgrading quality self-employed businesses into enterprises. These efforts are to make Jiangsu a desirable place where private enterprises can grow and thrive.

8. We will intensify environmental protection efforts. Following Xi Jinping thought on eco-civilization, we will promote green and low-carbon development in our modernization drive to ensure harmony between man and nature.

First, greater efforts will be invested in the protection of the Yangtze River. Eco-rehabilitation of the Yangtze River will be advanced with faster establishment of an eco-environment assessment system. The 10-year ban on fishing will continue and special campaigns targeting at water quality of trunk streams and branch waterways will be launched to improve the biodiversity of the Yangtze River and ensure that the water quality of Jiangsu section remains at Grade II or above.

Second, a new round of treatment for Taihu Lake will be accelerated. This new round of treatment will be targeting at Changdang Lake and Gehu Lake in the upper stream, streams connecting to west Taihu Lake, and companies with phosphorus emissions, with ongoing efforts in wastewater collection and sludge dredging. We are committed to ensuring drinking water safety, preventing the occurrence of odorous water in large area, and improving eco-protection, flood control in Taihu Lake Basin, and water resource allocation.

Third, we will work hard to keep our skies blue, waters clear, and lands pollution-free. Efforts to cut NOx and VOC emissions will continue to further improve air quality. Protection of major lakes such as Hongze Lake and Luoma Lake and treatment of domestic sewage will be strengthened. A whole-process system guarding against soil pollution risks will be established. Treatment of new pollutants will be intensified as we are committed to making our cities waste-free. Campaigns to address noise pollution will be carried out.

Fourth, we will accelerate the transition to green and low-carbon development. In line with the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goal and the “1+1+N” policy, we will gradually shift our focus of control from the total amount and intensity of energy consumption to the total amount and intensity of carbon emissions. We will promote market-based trading of carbon emission rights and energy use rights as we seek new breakthroughs in the development of carbon markets and green power markets. We will establish and improve the green industrial system, promote energy conservation, carbon emission reduction and energy efficiency improvement in key areas and industries with exploratory efforts in developing zero-carbon factories and zero-carbon industrial parks. We will accelerate the development of a new energy mix with support to the steady development of offshore wind power and photovoltaic power and the development of demonstration zones for renewable energy and green and low-carbon development in coastal areas.

Fifth, we will increase our efforts in ecological protection and restoration. We will adopt a more region-specific approach to environmental management, improve mechanisms to realize the market value of ecosystem goods and services, increase the capacity and consolidate the foundation in ecological environment security and emergency management with reinforced environmental infrastructure construction. Echoing China’s Shan-Shui Initiative on ecosystem restoration, we will promote integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and sands for better preservation of our beautiful homeland where all beings coexist in harmony.

9. We will step up efforts to improve people’s quality of life. We will promote prosperity for all and do everything within our capacity to ensure that public services are inclusive and meet essential and basic living needs.

First, we will focus on stabilizing employment and increasing income. Efficient mechanism will be in place to provide quality employment services, with special focus on key groups such as college graduates, ex-servicemen and migrant workers. We will roll out policies and measures to enlarge middle-income groups, increase farmers’ income, and ensure that migrant workers get paid as we step towards the goal of common prosperity. 

Second, we will scale up efforts to ensure social security. We will adopt a proper mechanism for the adjustment of basic pension schemes for urban and rural residents and further improve the multi-pillar old-age insurance system where elder people can get supports from various channels. We will expand the coverage of basic medical insurance and long-term care insurance, and implement the unified collection and expenditure of work-related injury insurance funds at the provincial level. We will improve the multi-level and multi-category social assistance system, promote charitable initiatives and provide assistance to low-income earners. We will ensure the supply of major daily necessities with proper prices for people’s well-being.

Third, we will carry forward the Healthy Jiangsu Initiative. In line with it, we will strengthen the development of high-level hospitals, regional medical centers and maternal and child care centers, establish an effective mechanism to ensure the functioning of public hospitals, strive to build national-level medical centers, and improve the services of primary medical institutions as well as our prevention and control of major diseases. We will see to it that major projects for the revitalization and development of traditional Chinese medicine are well implemented. We will promote the high-quality development of the big health industry, encourage more people to do sports and exercise for their fitness, and prepare for the Paris Olympic Games.

Fourth, we will improve elderly and child care services. We will refine the elderly-care system, step up renovation of public facilities for the convenience of senior citizens, improve the coverage and services of canteens for the elderly as well as the quality of home-based and community-based elderly care services, and support the development of health and wellness industry and the silver economy. We will strengthen policy support to childbirth and develop an inclusive nursery service system.

This year, we have listed 55 tasks in 12 categories to substantially improve people’s well-being. These project-based tasks will be under list-based management to ensure that all works are properly done to the benefit of our people.

10. We will better coordinate efforts in pursing development and ensuring safety and security. To ensure both high-quality development and high-level safety and security, we will improve the level of intrinsic safety so that the two are properly balanced and reinforcing each other.

First, risks in key areas will be fully vetted and defused. We will improve the efficiency of financial supervision and crack down on illegal financial activities. We will actively and steadily resolve risks in the real estate market, ensure fair access to reasonable financing needs for real estate enterprises regardless of their ownership types, support the revitalization of existing land assets and reduce the stock of commercial housing in an orderly manner, and ensure timely deliveries of presold homes. We will curb the increase of debts and properly handle existing debts to guard against local debt risks.

Second, we are committed to ensuring workplace safety. A three-year special action plan on addressing the root cause for risks in workplace safety will be launched together with special campaigns on workplace safety to forestall major and severe accidents. Efforts will be made to promote the modernization of emergency management system and capacity and further improve our ability in disaster prevention and emergency response.

Third, we will work to build a safer Jiangsu under the rule of law. We will shift the focus of social governance to the primary level to boost public participation in crime prevention and control based on efforts in improving grid-based management. We will apply and further develop the “Fengqiao model” for promoting community-level governance in the new era, improve the mechanisms for preventing and addressing disputes, and improve the rule of law in handling public complaints. Efforts will be made to strengthen the overall public security and crack down on organized crimes and mafia-like gangs, particularly targeting at most prominent ones such as telemarketing scams. We will strengthen oversight of food and drug safety and improve our governance over ethnic and religious affairs and protection of the rights and interests of women and children.

In the coming year, we will, as we do all the time, support the development of national defense and military modernization, with focuses on national defense mobilization and the development of our reserve forces, public awareness of the importance of national defense, better services for the demobilized, civil air defense, and the protection of military facilities. We will give stronger support to the army and preferential treatment of the families of servicemen to cement and enhance the unity between military, government, and the people.

Fellow deputies,

In the face of the new situation, new tasks and new requirements, only by keeping pace with the times, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and accelerating the modernization of the governance system and capacity will we be able to live up to our mission in the new era and expectations of our people.

We will always put political commitment in the first place. We will take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide and unswervingly practice the Party’s will which has established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC 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, uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We will consolidate and build on the achievements of the CPC education campaign and align ourselves with the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in thinking, stance, and action. We must uphold political integrity through all our work, unswervingly acting on decisions and plans by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

We will act on the people-centered philosophy of development. We must always bear in mind that this country is its people; the people are the country. As people’s government, we must always keep people in mind and do the best we can to serve the public, help enterprises and pursue development to their benefits. We are committed to improving people’s well-being through diligent work of civil servants. We will improve the efficiency of administrative services by accelerating the development of a digital government so that data sharing among government departments will be more efficient to enable one-stop services for our people. These will be the best advertisement for Jiangsu’s people-centered and pro-business services.

We will make sure that all administrative powers are exercised under the rule of law and decisions are made on a science-based manner. We will study Xi Jinping thought on the rule of law, and ensure that power comes with responsibility and shall be subject to oversight. We welcome the oversight of the Provincial People’s Congress and its Standing Committee as required by law, the democratic oversight of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and the oversight of the CPC discipline inspection and supervision committees, the judicial authorities, the general public, and public opinion. Auditing, accounting, statistical supervision and supervision over administrative law enforcement will be strengthened to improve the quality of administrative law enforcement and ensure that all government affairs are conducted within the framework of law.

We will take on our due responsibility in a down-to-earth manner. No matter how the situation may evolve, we will make sure that all our work is done in an earnest, resolute, and pragmatic manner. We encourage government officials to regularly visit the primary level to introduce the Party’s theories, principles and policies, carry out investigation and research, handle public complaints, and open on-site offices to engage with the people, so that government officials can get a clearer picture and will be more targeted and effective in work to bring real benefits to the people. An enabling mechanism will be in place to incentivize and protect government officials who are willing to serve as responsible doers and curb unhealthy tendencies such as being choosy about jobs, slacking off and passing the buck, going through the motions and doing work half-heartedly. In this way, officials will adopt the right attitude toward their work and responsibility and be truly motivated.

We will work to build a clean government. We will earnestly act on the requirement of conducting an education campaign on discipline in the entire Party, strictly implement the guidelines of the eight-point decision on improving work conduct and its implementation rules as well as the implementation measures of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and promote a culture of integrity in the new era. Ongoing efforts will be made to defeat pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, with focus on the first two. Advocating frugality as our fundamental principle, we will continue to “tighten the belt” of government, carry on with zero-based budgeting, and strictly limit general expenditures. We will stay committed to serving the people with an honest heart and strive to build a clean government.

Fellow deputies,

The grand vision beckons us on. 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 leadership of CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, we will bear our mission in mind as we forge ahead to be a national pacesetter in high-quality development and Chinese modernization, and make greater contribution to building China into a great modern socialist country and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.