Ning Jizhe:

Seventh, consumer prices grew moderately and the growth of producer prices for industrial products decreased from high levels.

The consumer price index (CPI) in 2021 went up by 0.9% over the previous year. Specifically, the CPI went up by 1% in urban areas and 0.7% in rural areas. Grouped by commodity categories, prices for food, tobacco and alcohol went down by 0.3%; clothing up by 0.3%; housing up by 0.8%; articles and services for daily use up by 0.4%; transportation and communication up by 4.1%; education, culture and recreation up by 1.9%; medical services and health care up by 0.4%; and other articles and services down by 1.3%. In terms of food, tobacco and alcohol, prices for grain went up by 1.1%, fresh vegetables up by 5.6%; and pork down by 30.3%. Core CPI excluding the prices of food and energy went up by 0.8%. The CPI in December went up by 1.5% year on year, 0.8 percentage points lower compared with the previous month, and down by 0.3% month on month. In 2021, the producer prices for industrial products went up by 8.1% over the previous year. The figure in December went up by 10.3% year on year, 2.6 percentage points lower than the previous month, and down 1.2% month on month. In 2021, the purchasing prices for industrial producers went up by 11% over the previous year. The figure in December went up by 14.2% year on year and down 1.3% month on month.

Eighth, employment was generally stable and surveyed unemployment rates in urban areas declined.

In 2021, the number of new jobs created in urban areas totaled 12.69 million, 0.83 million more than the previous year. The surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas in 2021 averaged 5.1%, 0.5 percentage points lower than the average of the previous year. In December, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.1%, 0.1 percentage points lower than the same period of the previous year. Specifically, the surveyed unemployment rate of population with local household registration was 5.1% and that of population with non-local household registration was 4.9%. The surveyed unemployment rate of population aged 16 to 24 was 14.3%, and that of population aged 25 to 59 was 4.4%. In December, the surveyed unemployment rate in 31 major cities was 5.1%. The employees of enterprises worked 47.8 hours per week on average. In 2021, the number of rural migrant workers reached 292.51 million, 6.91 million more than that of the previous year, or up by 2.4%. Specifically, local migrant workers totaled 120.79 million, up by 4.1%; migrant workers working away from their hometown totaled 171.72 million, up by 1.3%. The average monthly income of migrant workers was 4,432 yuan, up by 8.8% over the previous year.

Ninth, resident income grew basically in step with economic growth while the urban-rural per capita income ratio narrowed.

In 2021, the nationwide per capita disposable income of residents was 35,128 yuan, a nominal increase of 9.1% over that of the previous year and an average two-year nominal growth of 6.9%; the real growth after deducting price factors was 8.1%, and an average two-year growth of 5.1%, which was basically in step with the growth of the economy. In terms of permanent residence, the per capita disposable income of urban residents was 47,412 yuan, a nominal increase of 8.2% compared with the previous year and real growth of 7.1% after deducting price factors. That of rural households was 18,931 yuan, a nominal growth of 10.5% compared with the previous year and real growth of 9.7% after deducting price factors. The per capita disposable income of urban residents was 2.5 times that of rural households, 0.06 less than the ratio of the previous year. The median nationwide per capita disposable income was 29,975 yuan, a nominal growth of 8.8% over that of the previous year. Taking the per capita disposable income of nationwide residents by income quintile, that of the low-income group reached 8,333 yuan, the lower-middle-income group 18,446 yuan, the middle-income group 29,053 yuan, the upper-middle-income group 44,949 yuan, and the high-income group 85,836 yuan. In 2021, the nationwide per capita consumption expenditure was 24,100 yuan, a nominal increase of 13.6% over the previous year, and an average two-year nominal growth of 5.7%; the real growth was 12.6%, and an average two-year growth of 4% after deducting price factors.

Tenth, the total population increased and urbanization rates continued to grow.

By the end of 2021, China's population on the mainland was 1.4126 billion (not excluding residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreigners living in the mainland's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities), an increase of 0.48 million over that at the end of the previous year. In 2021, the number of births was 10.62 million and the birth rate was 7.52 per thousand; the number of deaths was 10.14 million and the death rate 7.18 per thousand; the natural growth rate was 0.34 per thousand. In terms of gender, the male population was 723.11 million and the female population was 689.49 million; the sex ratio was 104.88 (the female is 100). In terms of age structures, the working-age population from 16 to 59 was 882.22 million, accounting for 62.5% of the total population; the population aged 60 and over was 267.36 million, accounting for 18.9% of the total population; the population aged 65 and over was 200.56 million, accounting for 14.2% of the total population. In terms of urban-rural structure, the permanent residents in urban areas were 914.25 million, an increase of 12.05 million over the end of the previous year; and the permanent residents in rural areas were 498.35 million, a decrease of 11.57 million. The urban population share in the total population (urbanization rate) was 64.72%, 0.83 percentage points higher than that at the end of the previous year. The population residing in areas other than their household registration places (refers to the population whose residence and household registration place are not in the same towns or streets and who have been away from their household registration place for over six months) reached 504.29 million, which was 11.53 million more than the previous year. Among them, the floating population stood at 384.67 million, or 8.85 million more than the previous year.

Generally speaking, in 2021, China sustained a continuous and steady recovery of the national economy and maintained a leading position in economic growth and epidemic prevention and control in the world, with major indicators reaching expected targets. However, we must be aware that the external environment is more complicated, severe and uncertain, and the domestic economy is under the pressure of demand contraction, supply shock and weakening expectations. At the next stage, we must continue to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guideline, and implement the guiding principles of the 19th CPC National Congress, the plenary sessions of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC and the Central Economic Work Conference. We must adhere to the general working guidelines of making progress while maintaining stability, fully and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerate the pace to foster a new development paradigm and promote high-quality development. We must coordinate the efforts of epidemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development, continue to ensure stability on six fronts and security in six areas, work hard to stabilize the macro-economy, keep the economy performing within a reasonable range, and ensure social stability so as to greet the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress with practical actions.

That concludes my introduction. Thank you.