Fujian steps up efforts to create new advantages for private sector

East China's Fujian Province is ramping up efforts to support its private economy, aiming to create new advantages and drive high-quality development.

As a major hub for private enterprises in China, Fujian plans to strengthen policy support, improve the business environment, and promote innovation and transformation within the sector.

At a symposium on private enterprises in February, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the importance of promoting the healthy and high-quality development of the private sector.

This call to action has resonated across the country, with provinces and regions -- including Fujian -- actively formulating strategies to support the private economy in line with national goals.

According to Zhou Zuxi, Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Xi's speech offers important guidance for Fujian in advancing the development of its private economy.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed at a symposium on private enterprises that the solid implementation of policies and measures to promote the development of the private economy is a key current priority. This year, for the first time, we have formulated and introduced a plan to improve the business environment. We aim to stimulate business vitality through a market-oriented environment, protect and stabilize businesses through a law-based environment, attract and connect businesses through an internationalized environment, and benefit and support businesses through a more convenient environment -- making it more efficient and accessible for enterprises to conduct their affairs," he said.

Fujian aims to implement policies that promote the development of the private economy, support private enterprises in advancing technological transformation and research and development, and upgrade traditional industries.

This year, Fujian will deepen the implementation of a quality improvement initiative for high-tech enterprises, aiming to increase the number of national high-tech enterprises in the province to over 15,000.

The province will also establish pilot platforms in key fields such as intelligent equipment, new materials, and textiles, and carry out more than 1,500 major technological transformation projects.

"We will inject new impetus through innovation, reinforce the role of enterprises as key drivers of innovation, and support private enterprises in increasing investment in technological transformation and research and development to upgrade industries and optimize industrial structures. We will also promote the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of traditional industries, foster the growth of emerging industries, and actively plan for future-oriented industries. We will unleash vitality through reform and expand opportunities through greater openness, supporting private enterprises in exploring diversified markets and broadening their development space," Zhou said.

Zhou added that Fujian is committed to building a strong private economy through policy implementation, innovation, and closer government-business collaboration.

"We will fully implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech and thoroughly carry out the strategy of building a strong private economy in the new era. We will optimize the business environment, promote innovation and transformation, and strengthen positive interactions between the government and enterprises. These efforts will support the healthy and high-quality development of the private economy and encourage private enterprises to take the lead in advancing Chinese-style modernization," he said.

Fujian steps up efforts to create new advantages for private sector

Fujian steps up efforts to create new advantages for private sector

Multiple Chinese rescue teams have arrived in the disaster-stricken areas in Myanmar, rushing to work with local responders around the clock to search for survivors following the massive and devastating earthquake that occurred on Friday.

In the hard-hit city of Mandalay, many Chinese rescuers have been working nearly 20 hours to search for lives among collapsed buildings and under the rubble.

The operation has faced significant hurdles with repeated aftershocks in the city complicating the rescue efforts. Despite these challenges, Chinese rescuers have made notable progress, as two dedicated rescue corridors have been established to accelerate the search and rescue process.

So far Chinese teams have rescued six survivors in severely-hit Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. The rescuers combed through the ruins of apartments, hotels and hospitals to find signs of life. Continuous aftershocks, power cuts, destroyed roads and communication interruptions made their rescue work even harder.

Meanwhile, more Chinese rescue teams are heading to Myanmar, bringing in earthquake experts, structural engineers, medical personnel and canine units, as well as life detectors, demolition equipment and field hospital systems.

Despite challenges like confined working areas, frequent aftershocks, residual fires and dense smoke, local and international rescuers are racing against time, hoping to save more people as the crucial 72-hour window of earthquake rescue closes.

The death toll from the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 2,056, with approximately 3,900 people injured and nearly 270 reported missing, according to the country's State Administration Council Information Team on Monday.

Chinese rescuers race against time in Myanmar quake relief