The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee met on Feb. 29 to discuss the draft government work report, which the State Council will submit at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress for deliberation. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.

It was noted at the meeting that in the past year, in the face of an exceptionally complicated international environment and the arduous tasks of promoting reform, pursuing development, and maintaining stability, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, brought together the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and led them in withstanding external pressure, overcoming internal difficulties and making strenuous efforts. As a result, the country achieved a smooth transition in its COVID-19 response, its economy rebounded for the better, and the people's well-being was effectively ensured. The country successfully delivered the main goals and tasks for its economic and social development during the year, made tangible progress in high-quality development, and took solid strides in building itself into a modern socialist country in all respects.

It was noted at the meeting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is a pivotal year for the country to fulfill the goals and tasks outlined in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). To do a good job in government work, the State Council must follow the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. In line with the plans set forth at the Central Economic Work Conference, it must uphold the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts, and accelerate the fostering of a new development paradigm. It is essential to vigorously promote high-quality development, comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, promote greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, intensify macroeconomic regulation, coordinate efforts to expand domestic demand and deepen supply-side structural reform, and coordinate a new type of urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization. It is imperative to ensure both high-quality development and high-level security, effectively enhance economic vitality, prevent and defuse risks, improve public expectations, and consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery. It is important to continuously upgrade and appropriately expand China's economic output, improve people's well-being, maintain social stability, and make all-around progress in building China into a strong country and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.

It was pointed out at the meeting that for this year, it is imperative to adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress and establishing the new before casting off the old. The proactive fiscal policies should be moderately strengthened and improved in quality and efficiency, while the prudent monetary policies should be flexible, moderate, targeted and effective. The consistency of macroeconomic policy orientation should be reinforced to create a policy environment that is transparent, stable and predictable. It is imperative to boost the endeavors to modernize the industrial system, and accelerate the development of new productive forces. Efforts must be made to implement the strategy of invigorating our country through science and technology, expand domestic demand, deepen reform steadfastly, expand high-level opening up, and effectively prevent and defuse risks in key areas. Unwavering efforts must be made to improve work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, solidly advance comprehensive rural revitalization, and promote integrated urban-rural development and coordinated regional development. It is imperative to strengthen ecological conservation, and promote green and low-carbon development. People's well-being should be effectively safeguarded and improved, and social governance be strengthened and innovated. It is essential to intensify the government's self-improvement efforts, resolutely tackle pointless formalities and bureaucratism, work hard in a down-to-earth way and deliver tangible results, so as to fulfill the economic and social development goals and tasks set for this year.