Political advisors stress innovation for 5-year plan

Political advisors on Saturday stressed the role of innovation in restructuring and accelerating China's industrial development during a session to pool wisdom for the 2016-2020 development plan.

"Stick to innovation, create new momentum and space for development, push forward the transformation of the economic growth mode," said a statement released after Saturday's discussion, urging the manufacture industry to upgrade to medium- and high-end businesses via innovation.

The discussion was launched by members of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, and attended by top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng.

Political advisors also called for more policy support for small- and medium-sized companies, coordinated and balanced development among different regions, vigorous poverty relief effort, efficient use of resources and environmental protection.

"More efforts should be made to support traditional industries to optimize and upgrade themselves," the statement said.

Also on Saturday, a plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee was told that a favorable environment should be created to encourage innovation and cultivate innovation talents.

Other suggestions such as reasonable distribution of higher education resources, improving grain security policies and accelerated reforms for state-owned enterprises were also raised at the meeting. Endi