By LI Linxu

Following the conclusion of the Two Sessions, work division on key tasks has been laid out for implementing 2022 Government Work Report, according to a circular released by the State Council on March 25.

To achieve this year's economic and social goals, the circular proposed a total of 52 major tasks in 44 aspects.

These tasks have been assigned to relevant ministries and departments in line with their function, with a clear-cut deadline.

The main targets set in the government work report include increasing GDP by around 5.5 percent, creating over 110 million new urban jobs, maintaining a CPI increase of around 3 percent, and achieving personal income rises basically in step with economic growth. Meanwhile, maintaining stability and improving quality in imports and exports, keeping grain output at more than 500 million metric tons, continuously improving ecological and environmental quality, and lowering the discharge of major pollutants are also among the main targets.

To fulfill these expected targets, China will pursue prudent and effective macro policies, micro policies that can continuously energize market entities, and structural policies that facilitate smooth flows in the economy, noted the circular.

Moreover, sci-tech policies should be fully implemented, reform and opening up policies should lend impetus to development, and regional policies should ensure more balanced and coordinated development, stressed the document.

A bullet-proof UD cloth plant in a high-tech company in Hebei province. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

It will further implement the innovation-driven development strategy and strengthen the foundation of the real economy.

To raise the country's capacity for sci-tech innovation, China will press ahead with the 10-year action plan on basic research to ensure stable support over the long term, and increase the share of basic research spending in the country's total R&D expenditures.

In 2021, China's spending on basic research rose 15.6 percent to 169.6 billion RMB. Its proportion to total R&D expenditure stood at 6.09 percent and is expected to increase to a record eight percent by the end of 2025.

The country will implement a three-year action plan for reforming the sci-tech management system, reinforce the country's strategic sci-tech capabilities, and leverage the strengths of universities, colleges, and research institutes.

It will also improve the approval procedures for major sci-tech projects and their management, and further reform the assessment and incentive systems for scientific research.

In the meantime, China will provide stronger incentives to promote innovation among enterprises, reinforce the principal position of enterprises in innovation, and strengthen intellectual property rights protection and application.

Engaging in international sci-tech cooperation, and stepping up efforts to build talent centers and innovation hubs of global importance are also highlighted in the circular.