4. Accelerating transformation of the pattern of development and energetically promoting strategic economic restructuring

This year we will focus on improving industrial restructuring in order to maintain economic growth and promote industrial upgrading.

First, we will conscientiously implement plans for adjusting and invigorating key industries such as the automobile, steel, shipbuilding, petrochemical, textile, nonferrous metals, equipment manufacturing, information technology, modern logistics, and light industries. We will carry out industrial restructuring and upgrading to resolve the prominent problems and conflicts that hinder their development.

Second, we will energetically adjust the structure of enterprises and carry out mergers and reorganizations. We will support superior enterprises in acquiring ones that are backward or have financial difficulties. We will encourage well-established enterprises to work with each other, and upstream and downstream enterprises to integrate their operations in order to raise the level of industry concentration and the efficiency of resource allocation.

Third, we will take more effective measures to support development of small and medium-sized enterprises. We will promptly implement financial support policies, improve the financing guarantee system, streamline loan procedures, and increase the scale of loans. Central government funding for supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises will increase from 3.9 billion yuan to 9.6 billion yuan. We will continue to implement preferential tax policies to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to make scientific and technological innovations, upgrade their technology, and create more jobs. We will improve the system under which various sectors of society provide services for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Fourth, we will actively support enterprises in accelerating technological upgrading and develop innovation-based enterprises. The central government will allocate 20 billion yuan, mainly in interest subsidies, to support technological upgrading in enterprises. We will encourage enterprises to apply new technologies, new production processes, new equipment and new materials so that they can adapt to market changes, develop more readily marketable products, undertake product innovation, and improve their product quality and the level of production and business operations.

Fifth, we will accelerate development of modern service industries. We will promote development of the banking, insurance, modern logistics, consulting, software and creative industries, and develop new types of services. We will upgrade traditional service industries.

We will vigorously promote scientific and technological innovation. We will integrate making technological innovation with boosting domestic demand, maintaining economic growth, making structural adjustments and raising the level of development. This year the central government will allocate 146.1 billion yuan to the science and technology sector, up 25.6% from last year.

First, we need to speed up implementation of the Outline of the National Program for Long- and Medium-Term Scientific and Technological Development, particularly, implementation of major science and technology projects. We will select and launch a number of projects that give strong impetus to scientific and technological development, have a widespread impact, and yield quick results, in order to quickly make breakthroughs in core and key generic technologies that can stimulate the transformation of industries and technological upgrading, and support invigoration of industries and long-term economic development.

Second, we need to deepen reform of the science and technology management system. We will get enterprises to play a key role in technological innovation, and encourage more scientists and engineers to work on the frontlines of economic development spreading technologies, doing product R&D, and starting technology based enterprises. We will get enterprises, universities, and research institutes to work more closely together to accelerate the application of scientific and technological advances in production.

Third, we will make the equipment manufacturing industry stronger and larger. We will implement the project to increase self-sufficiency in doing R&D on manufacturing major equipment and implement a related system of government procurement. We will vigorously develop manufacturing of complete sets of major equipment, high-tech equipment and equipment needed in high-tech industries, raise the level of integrated innovation and make greater use of domestic components in the equipment manufacturing industry.

Fourth, we will support and promote R&D on technologies in new energy sources, biology, medicine, third generation mobile communications, the integration of telecommunications networks, cable TV networks and the Internet, energy conservation and environmental protection, and their industrial application. We will develop clusters of new- and high-tech industries, and create new areas of demand in society.

Fifth, we will continue to implement the strategy of reinvigorating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through human resources development and the intellectual property rights strategy. We will continue to develop the national innovation system, intensify basic research and research in leading-edge technologies, and accelerate development of major infrastructure facilities and public platforms for science and technology. We will work vigorously to bring in high-caliber personnel and intellectual resources from overseas and intensify the training of all types of personnel. We will become better able to create, utilize, protect and manage intellectual property rights.

We will work tirelessly to save energy, reduce emissions, preserve the ecosystems, and protect the environment.

First, we will emphasize energy conservation in the three key areas of industry, transportation and construction; continue work on the ten major energy conservation projects; and implement energy-conserving measures for power generators, boilers, automobiles, air-conditioners and lighting products.

Second, we will energetically develop a circular economy and clean energy. We will steadfastly save energy, water and land. We will vigorously develop clean energy such as nuclear, hydraulic, wind, and solar power. We will promote the adaptation of clean coal technology for industrial application. We will strictly enforce national standards for energy consumption and environmental protection, increase the use of energy-conserving technologies and products, and promote comprehensive utilization of resources.

Third, we will improve our policies for conserving energy and protecting the environment, and strictly enforce the system of standards, assessment system and monitoring system for energy conservation and emissions reduction.

Fourth, we will launch a nationwide campaign on the importance of energy conservation and emissions reduction, in which state organs and government-affiliated enterprises and institutions need to play an exemplary role.

Fifth, we will continue to intensify pollution prevention and control in key river valleys and regions; control the spread of stony deserts and desertification; carry out ecological conservation projects to build key forest shelterbelts, protect virgin forests, and bring the sources of dust storms affecting Beijing and Tianjin under control; and protect water, forests, grasslands, wetlands and other elements of the ecosystems. We will comprehensively improve the rural environment. We will rectify and standardize order in the exploitation of mineral resources and develop and use marine resources wisely.

Sixth, we will implement the national plan for addressing climate change and become better able to respond to it. We will intensify basic research in meteorology, earthquake science, disaster prevention and mitigation, and surveying and mapping and strengthen these areas.

We will comprehensively improve product quality and enhance workplace safety. This year we will launch a campaign to rectify and standardize order in the market and carry out the Quality and Safety Year campaign, which requires all industries and sectors to strengthen quality and safety supervision of all personnel and all processes in all areas. We will further tighten oversight and supervision of workplace safety in key industries and resolutely prevent serious and major accidents. We will make intensive efforts to improve food and drug safety, and improve and strictly enforce standards for product quality and safety. We will implement strict market access rules and product trace ability and recall systems so that the people buy food and drugs with confidence and consume them with satisfaction.

We will continue to implement the overall regional development strategy of promoting the large-scale development of the western region, reinvigorating northeast China and other old industrial bases, energizing development of the central region, and getting the eastern region to take the lead in development, and promote balanced development among regions. We will encourage all regions to work on the basis of local conditions, make full use of their advantages, and find a new path for development in response to the shock of external events. The eastern region needs to vigorously open up international markets, stabilize exports, and develop advanced manufacturing, modern services and new- and high-tech industries. It needs to accelerate industrial upgrading and institutional innovation, foster new areas of economic growth, create new advantages for participating in international cooperation and competition, and raise its capability for sustainable development. Special economic zones, the Pudong New Area in Shanghai and the Binhai New Area in Tianjin need to continue to take the lead in reform and opening up. We will increase support to the central and western regions and northeast China to improve their weak links in development. To remove bottlenecks in these regions, we will increase spending on infrastructure, ecological conservation and environmental protection, launch a number of key transportation and water conservancy projects, and accelerate development of a number of grain, energy, raw materials and equipment manufacturing bases that have distinctive local features and special advantages. We will accelerate development of key areas on a priority basis. We will promote the transformation of the economies of cities once dependent on now-depleted mineral resources in these regions. We will promptly formulate specific policies to encourage industries to relocate to the central and western regions, and formulate and implement a national plan for development priority zones. We will fully support the development of old revolutionary base areas, ethnic minority areas, border areas and poor areas.