Xi calls on nation to improve people's well-being

President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to resolutely stick to the high-quality development path and called on the whole nation to make consistent efforts to improve people's well-being.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark on Sunday when taking part in discussions with lawmakers from Qinghai province at the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

During the discussions, six lawmakers delivered speeches on topics such as poverty relief, environmental protection and social governance. Xi listened to and interacted with them.

He said it is a priority for the whole Party and country to implement the new development philosophy and build the new development paradigm based on the requirements of the new development stage in order to promote high-quality growth.

Pursuing the high-quality development path calls for upholding the people-centered development philosophy and sticking to innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared growth, Xi said.

He said high-quality development remains the theme for China's social and economic growth in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period and beyond, and it matters to the overall situation of the country's socialist modernization drive.

High-quality development is not only related to economics, but covers all aspects of socioeconomic development, he added, urging all regions to pursue a high-quality growth path based on their actual conditions.

Speaking of the development of Qinghai, Xi expressed hope that the province will make new achievements in protecting the ecological system of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and securing sustainable development.

He asked the province to take advantage of its resources, implement an innovation-driven development strategy and develop a green, low-carbon and recycling economy as well as a modern economic system with local characteristics.

As Qinghai is home to Sanjiangyuan－which means the "source of three rivers", in reference to the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers－it is important for the country's ecological security. Xi asked the province to fulfill the mission of safeguarding ecological security and make environmental conservation the first priority for its development.

He urged officials to keep people's fundamental interests in mind and take firm actions to enhance people's well-being. Efforts should be made to synergize high-quality growth with concrete steps to satisfy people's demand for a better life, he added.

Xi underlined the need to advance coordinated development between urban and rural areas. He also called for efforts to fully carry out the rural vitalization strategy, improve people's living conditions and build the new socialist countryside.