Premier Li Keqiang addressed the 13th session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which was presided over by Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, in Beijing on Nov 6.

Premier Li reviewed the developments during the 12th Five-Year Plan and said that over the past five years, targets of the 12th Five-Year Plan have been achieved as China’s economy reached $10 trillion and per capita gross domestic product equaled with the level of high- and middle-income countries; urban population surpassed rural population; the service industry became the biggest industry; the world’s biggest network that guarantees people’s livelihood has been set up; and the nation’s economic growth was maintained within a stable and healthy range.

He noted that the success of the 13th Five-Year Plan will be a milestone in building a moderately prosperous society, bring China’s per capital gross domestic product closer to the level of high-income countries by the year of 2020 and avoiding the “middle-income trap”.

But success does not come out of thin air as risks and challenges remain and to build a moderately prosperous society, the first priority is development, the Premier stressed.

The first two years during the 13th Five-Year Plan will be critical and difficult as it involves adjusting and upgrading the economic structure. Only with strengthened reform and qualified development can we keep the economic growth at a medium-to-high level, he said.

He also noted that in accordance with the development philosophy featuring innovation, coordination, environment-friendliness, openness, and sharing, efforts should be made in improving productivity and fully implementing an innovation-driven development strategy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation; developing modern agriculture, expanding public goods and services, and narrowing gaps between urban and rural areas; promoting the service industry, advanced manufacturing industry and energy-saving and environment-friendly industries; advancing the One Belt and One Road Initiative and international capacity cooperation; and allowing all the people to enjoy the benefits of development equally.

Finally, the Premier welcomed suggestions on the planning of the 13th Five-Year Plan from CPPCC and interacted with members of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.