Like Jiangsu, China's major provincial economies are playing an increasingly important role in driving the country's growth. In 2024, 10 of them – Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Henan, Hubei, Fujian, Shanghai and Hunan – contributed more than 60 percent of the country's GDP.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged economic heavyweight provinces to play a major role in the country's overall development, so as to meet the targets set in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from Jiangsu during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Jiangsu should take the lead in promoting the integration of technological and industrial innovation, advancing in-depth reform and high-standard opening up, and implementing major national development strategies, and set an example in bringing prosperity to all, Xi said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, China, March 5, 2025. /Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, China, March 5, 2025. /Xinhua

Tech innovation

The Chinese president on Wednesday said that technological innovation and industrial innovation constitute the fundamental pathways for developing new quality productive forces.

Ever since he introduced the term in September 2023, Xi has stressed the importance of developing new quality productive forces amid the country's accelerated efforts to foster new growth drivers and promote high-quality development.

With innovation leading, new quality productive forces refers to ones that emerge from continuous breakthroughs in science and technology, driving strategic future and emerging industries that may introduce disruptive technological advancements in an era of intelligent information.

New quality productive forces and industrial upgrades have continued to figure prominently in China's local economic landscape. Jiangsu, for instance, led the country in newly approved unicorn and potential unicorn enterprises in 2024.

Support for private sector

Xi on Wednesday also called for efforts to follow through the spirit of a high-level symposium on private enterprises held about two weeks before the annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body.

The symposium, attended by Xi, underscored the Chinese authorities' endeavor to bolster confidence and boost the development of the private sector.

Private firms make up more than 90 percent of the country's total enterprises, with their numbers more than quintupling between 2012 and 2024. Their global presence has also expanded, with the number of Chinese private firms in the Fortune Global 500 list rising to around 30.

Equal treatment must be ensured for enterprises under all forms of ownership, and sustained efforts must be made to improve the business environment, Xi said.

Bigger role in major national strategies

Key provincial economies should also assume greater responsibilities in the implementation of the country's major national development strategies, Xi said.

He urged Jiangsu to make proactive and coordinated efforts in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the implementation of other development strategies.

Jiangsu should strengthen its alignment with strategies such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and have a deep involvement in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.

In its provincial government's annual work report, Jiangsu said its GDP growth target for 2025 is set at above 5 percent, and vowed every effort to maintain stable economic growth and play a better role of growth driver.