Xi stresses developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions

Shan Zenghai, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and an engineer with a national award, has come well-prepared for this year's Two Sessions, the annual gathering of China's top legislature and top political advisory body.

He has brought a photo showing the world's largest tonnage all-terrain crane developed by Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group, where Shan, a member of east China's Jiangsu Province delegation, is employed as the chief engineer.

Shan's passion for innovation has driven him to make even more breakthroughs over the past year, with 46 independently developed key components and over 10 landmark products.

According to Shan, his passion is inspired by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who stressed the role of technological innovation in leading the country's high-quality development during the delegation's deliberations at last year's Two Sessions.

Developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions

Reiterating the primary task of high-quality development during discussions with fellow lawmakers from Jiangsu on Tuesday, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for more efforts to develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions and provide stronger incentives to promote innovation.

As one of the engines driving China's economic growth, Jiangsu has become a front-runner in the country's modernization efforts. In 2023, Jiangsu's GDP reached 12.82 trillion yuan ($1.78 trillion), a 5.8-percent increase over the previous year. 

Xi urged the province to speed up efforts to forge clusters of strategic emerging industries with international competitiveness and become an important front for developing new quality productive forces led by scientific innovation.

He also urged the province to contribute more to the integrated development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Yangtze River Delta.

Deepening reforms to inject impetus for high-quality development

During the group discussion, Xi noted that it is necessary to plan significant measures to further deepen reforms and continue injecting strong impetus into advancing high-quality development and Chinese modernization.

China seeks to achieve a GDP growth rate of around 5 percent in 2024, a target set after the Chinese economy showed solidity and resilience in 2023 by recording year-on-year growth of 5.2 percent, according to the country's government work report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation earlier on Tuesday.

The report also noted multiple difficulties and challenges in achieving this year's targets and said efforts should be made to maintain policy focus, work harder and mobilize the concerted efforts of all sides.

Xi urged the reform of the science and technology, education and talent systems to clear the blockages to develop new quality productive forces and called for support to be given to the private economy and private enterprises and a reduction of the burden at the grassroots level to stimulate the innovative energies of the Party and the whole society.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping in deliberation with deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, China, March 5, 2024. /Xinhua )