Chinese President Xi Jinping called on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) directly administered by the central government to better serve the overall work of the Party and the state and contribute more significantly to China's modernisation. He made his recommendations during a briefing at a meeting of central SOE leaders held on Monday and Tuesday.
President Xi praised the key role of SOEs in the economy and stressed that they should promote high-quality economic and social development and improve people's living standards. Enterprises should deepen reforms, effectively prevent and eliminate risks, enhance their core competitiveness, and strive to become world-class enterprises. The President also emphasised the need to stick to the real economy and achieve breakthroughs in key and fundamental technologies.
The role of the party is also important – Xi supported strengthening the overall leadership of the Communist Party of China over central SOEs, improving institutional frameworks, tightening supervision, and resolutely fighting corruption.
Prime Minister Li Qiang also spoke at the meeting and emphasised that during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), central SOEs must provide strong support for the implementation of key infrastructure projects, accelerate the modernisation of traditional infrastructure using digital and intelligent technologies, and develop new industries in line with their core functions and business activities. Enterprises should also ensure a stable supply of energy and resources, strengthen applied basic research, and actively support the implementation of national strategies.
The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. Zhang Guoqing, with the participation of the State Council Wu Zhenglong.