China says that it will quicken its reform on state-owned enterprises, as the country enters the final implementing stage of a five-year guideline to have decisive results by 2020 in the sector. Even the country's top SOE, the major nuclear power producer, China National Nuclear Corporation is making stride. From it, we can see the country's current level of SOE reform, and where will it head for. CGTN's Zheng Yibing has more.

"Quicken state capital and state-owned enterprise reforms. That's what Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in this year's government work report.

LI KEQIANG CHINESE PREMIER "The state-owned enterprises should continuously increase the vitality of development and the core competitiveness through reform and innovation."

The SOE reform has gone through hard efforts since China's reform and opening-up. All SOEs, big or small, experienced marketization and restructuring, and significantly improved their business quality and efficiency.

This is the same with China National Nuclear Corporation, one of China's top SOEs and a major nuclear power producer.

GU JUN PRESIDENT, CNNC "We indeed went through pains and had costs to pay, but in general, we constantly optimize our organizational structure and technology platform, seek breakthroughs, and cultivate leading scientists and technicians."

Now the company has become an international nuclear power giant, already helping build and operate six nuclear power stations for other countries. And such capability is given impetus by a recent merger between it and China's sole nuclear power engineering and construction firm.

GU JUN PRESIDENT, CNNC "This made us compete in the international market with more intensive management and a more competitive industrial chain."

It's part of efforts of Beijing to streamline the SOE sector since 2015, to make businesses more profitable with mergers, reductions and shutting down of zombie companies.

However, in the reform, there are difficulties, like in merging with social capitals in recent years.

GU JUN PRESIDENT, CNNC "We have things like mixed ownership, a diversity of equities, a market orientation, and professional managers. We are pushing hard, but the process hasn't been all that smooth."

He said if an SOE wants to merge with social capital, it will be appraised all around. So, that still takes time and effort. But this year, the word "acceleration" appeared in the government work report for SOEs' reform.

WU CHANGQI PROFESSOR OF STRATEGY, PEKING UNIVERSITY "They are trying things they are experimenting with, but they need to be endorsed, and to be spread in all the SOE sectors. That's why when you think about adding this acceleration, it means the government indeed wants to move forward."

Now, even the most important SOEs like CNNC are making strides in reform and opening up, the determination for an optimized running of state capital and SOEs is evident.

ZHENG YIBING BEIJING "Experts say that this year, China will face both a more complicated and difficult domestic and international business environment. In any event, the nation will accelerate SOE reform and lay a solid foundation for decisive results in the sector by next year. Zheng Yibing, CGTN, Beijing."