Premier Li Keqiang has called on Northeast China to accelerate reform and opening-up, safeguard and improve people’s livelihoods, and make constant progress in revitalizing the region.

Premier Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting of the State Council leading group for revitalizing the northeastern region and old industrial bases on Aug 23. He also heads the leading group.

The meeting made arrangement for revitalization of the region during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

Vice-Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, also attended the meeting.

An implementation plan on revitalizing Northeast China during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) was passed at the meeting, along with the high-quality development plan of the Liaoning coastal economic belt and the management method of special transfer payments of Northeast China revitalization funding.

Northeast China has played an important strategic role in the country’s overall development, Premier Li said, adding that in recent years the region has endeavored to achieve progress in economic and social development.

Noting revitalization has been at a crucial uphill stage, he asked the region to further give play to its enthusiasm and creativity and overcome challenges. More fiscal support from the central government, better financial services, and cross-region, pair-up cooperation should vigorously push for bigger progress in revitalizing the region, Premier Li said.

Revitalization also requires solid work in deepening reform, the Premier said. Steady promotion of reform in major fields should facilitate a better combination of effective market and competent government, he added.

To optimize the business environment, further administrative reform should stimulate the vitality of market entities. Fee reduction and tax cut policies should be implemented to nurture more market entities and help them grow stronger, the Premier said.

He also stressed deepening reform on State-owned capital and enterprises to improve the competitiveness of these enterprises, securing fair competition to promote sustainable and healthy development of privately owned economy, and attract more businesses and talents to develop in the region.

Regional advantages in coastal and border areas should be given full play to serve reform and opening-up, Premier Li said. Development of the coastal economic belt, expansion of economic and trade cooperation in border areas, and a strengthened leading role of port clusters will all lead to active participation in the economic cycle of Northeast Asia. New opportunities brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement also should be grasped to open the door wider and to build up competitiveness in international economic and trade cooperation.

Premier Li urged acceleration of optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure of the region. By increasing support, and making parallel efforts in constructing national grain bases and promoting new type of urbanization, modern agriculture will see rapid development.

Authorities should guide enterprises to increase innovation input by taking good advantage of preferential policies, such as tax deduction of R&D costs, promote equipment manufacturing industries through market-oriented measures to quicken the pace of transformation and upgrading, and foster emerging industries, to form an industrial pattern in which large, medium and small enterprises can support one another and achieve common development.

More efforts should be made to facilitate the commercialization of innovation, creation and scientific and technological achievements locally, he said.

Revitalizing Northeast China, in the final analysis, is to better secure and improve people's livelihood, the Premier said. Efforts should be made to promote employment, increase support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to keep more posts, encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and expand employment space, he urged.

Flexible employment should be promoted, and the basic rights and interests of flexible employees should be protected, Premier Li said.

He called for paying pensions in full and on time, and improving public services in education, healthcare, and elderly and child care, and stressed that the special transfer payments of central government funding should be tilted toward these areas.

Rebuilding of old urban residential areas should be advanced, and the capacity of disaster prevention and emergency response should be strengthened, to expand consumption and effective investment, the Premier noted.

Premier Li also urged continued efforts in disaster prevention and reduction concerning the early flood season and heavy rainfall in Northeast China this year. Epidemic prevention and control and preparation for winter heating also were stressed.

Vice-premiers Sun Chunlan, Hu Chunhua, state councilors Wang Yong and Xiao Jie also attended the meeting.