Jilin province will seek new development through innovation in the next five years, Jilin Governor Jiang Chaoliang said when introducing the draft of the provincial government's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

According to the draft plan, Jilin will adhere to five development concepts: innovation, environmentally friendly, balanced, opening-up and fairness. By 2020, Jilin plans to double the average personal income as of its residents and its gross domestic product from the 2010 level, while keeping the consumer price index in a reasonable zone and the environment clean.

Jilin is a less-developed province than most other provinces in the east of China, the governor said. Maintaining a certain level of economic growth and upgrading industries are the No 1 task for the provincial government. Jilin plans to make science and technology innovation its main driving force for future growth, and enlarge consumer demand by innovating supply. Jilin plans to make good use of Internet technology, expand the space of its information economics and improve infrastructures in transportation, resource and energy supplies and water conservancy facilities.

By 2020, Jilin's industries should be more competent and the province plans to have a larger scale service sector as well as more advanced agriculture. The governments at various levels plan to create a more favorable environment for the development of private enterprises and businesses, which are expected to account for 55 percent of the province's economy by that time.

Jilin will also pay more attention to its less developed areas in the west, and help more farmers become urban residents with the development of its cities and industries.

The province plans to reform its State-owned enterprises, further open up to other countries and strengthen its economic and technological cooperation with foreign partners, so as to generate a new vitality in development.

Jilin's provincial government has vowed to eliminate poverty by 2020, provide better pension services to senior citizens and constantly improve people's livelihoods, especially for those living in rural areas.

China Daily

(China Daily 03/08/2016 page10)