Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Tuesday presided over and addressed a symposium convened by the committee to solicit opinions and suggestions on economic work from non-Party personages.
Xi stressed that all non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), and personages without party affiliations should think and act in line with the CPC Central Committee's analysis and judgment of the economic situations as well as its decisions and plans for future economic work.
They should gather consensus and actively fulfill their obligations in leading its members and the people to strengthen the will and determination to address difficulties and challenges, and make new and greater contributions to the sustained and sound economic growth of China, Xi said.
The meeting was also attended by Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Li reviewed China's economic work this year and introduced the CPC Central Committee's considerations for next year's economic work.
Representatives of non-CPC personages gave suggestions on the economy, including advancing technology innovation and creating a better business environment.
Xi said they had raised targeted and constructive suggestions, which the CPC Central Committee would study and consider seriously.
China's achievements in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up could not have been obtained without the strong leadership of the CPC and the active efforts by all non-Communist parties, the ACFIC, personages without party affiliation and the people, he said.
Xi said 2018 is the first year for implementing the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and a remarkable year for China's development, despite a complicated international environment and the formidable tasks of reform, development and stability.
The CPC Central Committee has effectively coped with profound changes of the external environment, sped up reform and opening-up, and taken solid steps to maintain sustained and healthy economic growth as well as overall law and order in society, Xi said.
He expressed gratitude to the non-CPC personages for their suggestions over the past year regarding the country's economic work.
In 2019, the country must follow the guidance of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, ensure coordinated implementation of the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, and remain committed to the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, Xi said.
Next year, China should adhere to the new development philosophy and push forward high-quality development, continue to prioritize supply-side structural reform, and seek progress in the country's "three tough battles," Xi said.
"[China should] continue to improve people's lives and maintain continuous and healthy economic development and overall social stability," Xi said.
China will continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, seek new growth impetus from reform, and enhance the social policies' functions of helping those most in need, he said.
The country should make unswerving efforts to deepen the supply-side structural reform, resort more to measures of reform and opening up, and use more market-oriented and law-based methods to yield more solid results, Xi said.
He also called on the non-CPC personages to guide the people to fully understand the great achievements and valuable experience in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, take an objective view of contradictions and difficulties in the process of reform and development, and unswervingly carry forward the reform.
They should also assist the Party and the government in coordinating relations and dissolving contradictions in order to maintain social harmony and stability and create a sound social environment for deepening reform and promoting continuous and healthy social and economic development, Xi added.
