Reform at new juncture, Xi tells meeting

He says measures must meet needs for development, people’s expectations

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted on Monday the need to introduce more strategic, forward- looking and targeted reform measures so as to better meet the requirements for development and the expectations from grassroots levels and the people.

Speaking at the 16 th meeting of the Central Committee for Deepening Overall Reform, Xi said the country is set to enter a new phase of development during the 14 th Five- Year Plan period ( 2021- 25), and its reform has arrived at a new juncture.

Xi, who is head of the committee, called for a profound understanding of the new characteristics and requirements that arise with the changes in the main contradictions in Chinese society, the new challenges from the complex international environment and new tasks in the latest phase of deepening overall reform.

It is important to carry out the new development philosophy, pursue high- quality development, work toward a new development pattern and focus on solving prominent problems, he said.

The meeting came days after the conclusion of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19 th CPC Central Committee, which adopted proposals for a blueprint for economic and social development in the next five years and long- range objectives through 2035.

The meeting reviewed and passed a number of policy documents, including a guideline to optimize the distribution and adjust the structure of the State- owned sector, a plan to develop a high- standard market system and a guideline to promote the healthy development of care for seniors and day care for infants.

It also heard a report on the progress of overall reform in the education sector since the Third

Plenary Session of the 18th CPC

Central Committee.

In optimizing the distribution and adjusting the structure of the State- owned sector, meeting participants stressed the importance of focusing on ensuring strategic security, driving the growth of industries, benefiting national welfare and people’s livelihoods and offering public services.

It is important to make Stateowned enterprises stronger, better and bigger, resolutely guard against the loss of State- owned assets and make the public sector more competitive, innovative, more capable in exerting control and influence and able to resist risks, according to a statement released after the meeting.

In developing a high- standard market system, meeting participants urged steps to promote the efficient allocation of resources, refine the market environment and quality and enforce a high- level opening up of markets.

China will introduce a system of “forest chiefs” as part of broader measures to prioritize the protection of the environment and make clear the responsibility of government officials at various levels to protect forests and grasslands, the statement said.

A policy document was adopted at the meeting to refine the delisting mechanism for listed companies. A guideline that targets wrongdoing in securities was also approved.

It pledged continuous efforts to deepen overall reform in education in the next five years, with steps to refine the structure of education, disciplines and talent and to narrow the divide between urban and rural areas.

Meeting participants urged concrete steps to implement the set of reform tasks and measures proposed during the Fifth Plenary Session, saying that more progress must be made in improving fair competition, integrating the development of innovation and industry chains, spurring the vitality of market players and improving income allocation.