Given the ongoing economic slowdown in China's Northeast, Jilin province says it will continue reforming its State-owned enterprises (SOE) through a pilot mixed-ownership program by opening-up the businesses to private investors and encouraging mergers and acquisitions, chinajilin.com.cn has reported recently, noting also that it's aimed at adjusting the economy to the new normal.

The news come from a provincial government meeting, on May 4, where the head of the provincial Leading Group for State-owned Enterprises Reform, Jiang Chaoliang, said they are focusing on eliminating barriers on the supply side of the structural reforms, as well as improving State-owned assets supervision.

Jiang, who is also the Jilin governor, emphasized the importance of establishing mechanisms which will encourage innovation through trials and "carry out reforms on province-owned enterprises first".

Taking part in the meeting were two new vice-governors with economics backgrounds.