Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the leading role of reforms in China's public health system, encouraged exploration and innovation in the process of deepening reform so as to push forward social development in an all-round way and break new ground in key spheres.

President Xi made the remarks while chairing the 14th meeting of Central Committee for Deepening Overall Reform on Tuesday.

Xi highlighted the importance of medical reforms, saying the efficiency and accessibility of the public health services in China has been tested by the coronavirus pandemic.

President Xi said the Chinese government has always put protecting the safety and health of the people first, and he called for more emphasis on raising the country's preparedness for disease prevention and accelerating the application of advanced technologies in the health field.

Reviewing the prominent problems in recent prevention work, Xi urged all levels of government to put all efforts into plugging loopholes and improving the current mechanism for major pandemic prevention so as to avoid a rebound in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese president also instructed the committee to begin planning for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) ahead of time, noting the major task should be the establishment of a mechanism and governance system.

The biggest impetus of reform can often be found at the grassroots level and among the ordinary people, Xi said, adding that the government should encourage innovation and guide the public to break new ground for emerging fields.

Moreover, Xi urged integrated development in the IT and manufacturing industries to improve the competitiveness of products.

When it comes to state-owned enterprises, Xi pointed out that the coming three years will be the key stage for the reforms after confirming their key role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged state-owned enterprises to optimize its economic layout and structure and enhance its economic competitiveness and influence through reforms.

In terms of rural reforms, he urged the committee to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights of farmers and protect the public ownership of land.

While for education, Xi expected reforms would be made on education appraisal so that evaluations can be done in a comprehensive way, while taking different types of education into consideration.