China rolls out 19 measures to advance new quality productive forces

China has unveiled 19 key measures to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, with a focus on innovation in science and technology, industrial development, development models, institutional mechanisms and talent management.

The measures were outlined in a document on developing new quality productive forces jointly issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on October 9.

The document sets out the guiding principles, approaches and priorities for developing new quality productive forces, providing a unified framework for policy implementation.

It calls for adherence to four principles: innovation-driven development, reform as a key enabler, adaptation to local conditions, and establishing the new before phasing out the old.

These principles are designed to ensure that efforts to develop new quality productive forces remain focused, balanced and sustainable.

Lin Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Innovation-Driven Development Center under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said innovation provides the driving force, reform offers institutional support, adaptation to local conditions determines the approach, and establishing the new before phasing out the old sets the pace.

The four principles are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, reflecting a systematic and pragmatic approach to fostering new quality productive forces, Lin said.

Five priorities for scientific and technological innovation Scientific and technological innovation is a core driver of new quality productive forces, and the document identifies five major tasks in this area: strengthening original and disruptive innovation, accelerating breakthroughs in key and core technologies, coordinating the development of national strategic scientific and technological capabilities, reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in technological innovation, and speeding up the application of scientific and technological advances in real-world production.

The document places particular emphasis on strengthening enterprises' role as the principal actors in technological innovation.

Lin said efforts would focus on enabling enterprises to play a greater role in setting research priorities and leading innovation projects, while improving mechanisms for their participation in decision-making on scientific and technological innovation, policy formulation and project planning.

Enterprises will also be encouraged to undertake more national research and development (R&D) tasks.