Proactive, pragmatic actions needed for good start to 15th Five-Year Plan

Premier Li Qiang, on Thursday, called for more proactive and pragmatic actions to effectively respond to the risks and challenges arising from growing uncertainties in the external environment and the arduous reform and development tasks, in order to secure a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while participating in deliberations on the draft government work report with his fellow deputies from Yunnan province at the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

As the global economic and trade landscape and domestic economic structure undergo profound transformation, Li said Yunnan's role in the national development framework has become more prominent.

He underlined the need for Yunnan to make solid efforts to promote economic and social development, with a focus on developing the modern service industry, promoting the deep integration of culture, tourism, sports and commerce, and fostering new growth drivers in fields such as artificial intelligence application and the data industry.

Yunnan's functions of being a major "corridor" and "bridgehead" must be comprehensively enhanced, Li said, urging efforts to promote integrated development of ports, corridors and markets to upgrade the "corridor economy" into "hub and industrial economies".

Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, as well as Vice-President Han Zheng, also participated in deliberations on the government work report with their fellow NPC deputies on Thursday afternoon.

During discussions with the deputies from Sichuan province, Zhao, who is also chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, underlined the need for Sichuan to effectively implement the 15th Five-Year Plan, build a modern industrial system with distinctive Sichuan characteristics and advantages, and serve and integrate into the country's new development paradigm.

It is important to practice the whole-process people's democracy, uphold law-based governance, and promote high-quality development in the work of the people's congress to contribute to achieving a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan, Zhao said.

Speaking with the deputies from Guizhou province, Wang, who is also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, expressed the hope that Guizhou would continue to focus on high-quality development, develop the real economy, and foster new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions.

He called on the province to promote the deep integration of technological and industrial innovations, continuously optimize the business environment, adhere to ecological conservation and green development, and explore new paths for high-quality development in the process of deepening reform and opening-up.

While taking part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from Liaoning province, Ding, who is also a vice-premier, urged Liaoning to fully implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and enhance macroeconomic governance efficiency to promote high-quality, sustainable development.

It is important to comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up to enhance development momentum and vitality, and roll out more measures to improve people's well-being to enhance their sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security, Ding said.

During discussions with NPC deputies from Fujian province, Li Xi, who is also secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, asked the province to actively serve the country's overall development and cross-Strait relations, continuously deepen reform and opening-up and promote high-quality development in all respects to act as a champion in advancing Chinese modernization.

He also called for full and rigorous governance over the Party with higher standards and more practical measures, and strengthening anti-corruption efforts to improve the conduct of the Party.

While deliberating with his fellow deputies from Shandong province, Han emphasized the need for Shandong to actively respond to external challenges, enhance the momentum and vitality for high-quality development, strive to improve people's livelihood and enable development achievements to better benefit all people.