Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on the development of the service sector, emphasizing that…

Highlight demand-driven reform, tackle tough challenges, and leverage technology to foster open cooperation.

Strive to usher in a new phase of high-quality development in the service sector.

Li Qiang attended the National Service Industry Conference and delivered a speech, while Ding Xuexiang gave the closing address.

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) — Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently issued important instructions on the development of the service sector, noting that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China’s service sector has expanded steadily in scale and continuously improved in quality and efficiency, playing a vital role in supporting industrial upgrading, meeting people’s livelihood needs, and boosting employment.

Xi Jinping emphasized that, on the new journey ahead, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and prioritize demand-driven approaches, tough reforms, technology‑enabled innovation, and open cooperation. We will deepen the implementation of initiatives to expand capacity and enhance quality in the service sector, promote the extension of producer services toward specialization and the high end of the value chain, foster high‑quality, diversified, and convenient development of consumer services, cultivate more “China Service” brands, and strive to usher in a new phase of high‑quality development in the service industry.

The National Conference on the Service Sector was held in Beijing from April 7 to 8. During the conference, important instructions from Xi Jinping were conveyed. Li Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and delivered a speech, while Ding Xuexiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, gave a concluding address.

In his address, Premier Li Qiang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions profoundly elucidate the significant importance, key principles, and priority tasks of developing the service sector, exhibiting strong ideological depth, guiding relevance, and targeted applicability, thereby providing clear direction for advancing related work. We must study and thoroughly grasp these instructions, resolutely implement them, and consciously deepen our understanding of the service sector from a strategic and holistic perspective. We should simultaneously pursue capacity expansion and quality improvement, coordinate development with effective regulation, and further promote the high-quality, efficient growth of the service sector, ensuring that it remains both vibrant and soundly regulated.

Li Qiang pointed out that it is necessary to align with the trends of demographic shifts, upgrading consumption patterns, and industrial restructuring; focus on key areas of production and daily life; promote the development of the service sector in a tiered and categorized manner; continuously cultivate new growth drivers in the service industry; and elevate the level of digitalization, standardization, integration, and internationalization in the sector. With regard to residents’ everyday needs, we should make basic‑requirement services more inclusive and of higher quality. In response to residents’ pursuit of a high‑quality lifestyle, we should expand the supply of upgrade‑oriented services. To meet diverse consumer demands, we must refine and enhance personalized services. By emphasizing the specialization and sophistication of R&D and design, we will accelerate the expansion of science‑and‑technology services. And to boost value along the production chain, we will vigorously develop advanced manufacturing services. Finally, to realize market value, we will concentrate on improving the quality of supporting professional services.

Li Qiang emphasized the need to advance work through reform and innovation, deeply understand the trends in industrial evolution, and strike a balance between granting greater flexibility and ensuring effective regulation. He called for proactively expanding opening-up, further enhancing the precision and effectiveness of policy support, and fostering a favorable environment for the development of the service sector. All departments and localities should uphold and put into practice a correct view of performance, strengthen coordination and collaboration, vigorously pursue innovation, and jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality, efficient development of the service industry.

In his concluding remarks, Ding Xuexiang stated that it is essential to further align thinking and action with the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and to advance key tasks for developing the service sector in a solid and steady manner, focusing on capacity expansion and quality improvement. He emphasized the importance of innovation-driven development, vigorously promoting science and technology services, strengthening digital and intelligent services, and fostering the integrated development of manufacturing and the service sector. Attention should be paid to reducing costs and boosting efficiency by bolstering and optimizing modern logistics, financial services, and business services, thereby ensuring smooth connectivity across all links of the economic cycle. Priority must be given to meeting people’s livelihood needs, making everyday services more convenient, ensuring public services are efficient and well‑aligned, and driving innovative development in cultural, tourism, and sports services to better satisfy personalized, diversified, and high‑quality demands. Finally, he stressed the need to enhance vitality by deepening the construction of a unified national market, strengthening standardization in the service sector, and expanding institutional openness in this field. All regions, departments, and units are called upon to uphold and practice a correct view of performance, ensuring that the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council are effectively implemented and yield tangible results.

Relevant officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Health Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, Shanghai Municipality, and Hunan Province delivered remarks.

Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.

The meeting was held in a video‑teleconference format. Participants included officials from all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities separately listed for planning purposes, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; relevant departments of central and state organs and related people’s organizations; centrally administered financial institutions and selected central enterprises; as well as responsible officials from the relevant departments of the Central Military Commission.

Source: Xinhua News Agency