A good beginning makes a good ending.

On the first working day after the Spring Festival, provinces and cities across the country held their “first meetings of the new year” in rapid succession.

These “first meetings” typically hold special significance, as they signal the direction of local development and key priorities for the coming year, serving as a “call to action” for the new year.

Currently, against the backdrop of all-out efforts to boost the economy, high-quality development, the business environment, entrepreneurs, work style improvement, and innovation are key areas of focus in many regions.

On the first working day of the Year of the Rabbit, regions across the country have rolled out a variety of strategies to drive economic development.

Showcasing Regional Characteristics

Jiangsu: "Daring" Comes First

Nanjing has sounded the starting gun for its “Five Strives and Five Comparisons” initiative, with 10 provincial-level or higher development zones, 15 high-tech parks, municipal state-owned enterprises, and municipal departments all participating simultaneously in the competition to shoulder the collective responsibility of driving economic growth;

Suzhou convened a mobilization meeting to promote “daring to act, daring to pioneer, daring to work hard, and daring to innovate,” combined with a conference on work style improvement;

Yixing, Wuxi, has used tangible financial incentives and sincere support to inspire enterprises’ “Four Dares” spirit, grandly releasing the “First List of the New Year”...

Recurring phrases such as “dare,” “strive,” and “compete” fully reflect the distinctive character of Jiangsu’s officials.

From Suzhou officials who eschew “empty formalities” and focus solely on getting things done;

to the government’s commitment to “give the green light to those who dare to dream, provide a safety net for those who dare to act, allow innovative officials to move forward unburdened, make those who fail to act feel like they’re sitting on pins and needles, and ensure that mediocre officials have no stage to stand on.”

In every era, Jiangsu officials have been at the forefront of development and reform. As a major economic province, even though Jiangsu has already taken the lead in development, it will not sit idly by waiting for spillover effects from Shanghai; it will always break free from conventional thinking and strengthen its competitive advantages.

Guangdong: Leading the Way in Modernization Leading the Way in Modernization

On the first day back to work, social media was flooded with the phrase “rebuilding a new Guangdong.”

This was the powerful statement made by Huang Kunming, Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, at the province-wide conference on high-quality development: “If we work diligently this year, over the next five years, and continue to cultivate our strengths for another 10 or 30 years, we will surely build a new Guangdong and create new miracles that will astonish the world.”

As the “pioneer” of regional development, Guangdong faces more urgent demands for transformation, a more pressing situation, and more arduous tasks. To achieve modernization, the high-quality development of enterprises and cities is an indispensable path.

Party secretaries from across Guangdong also made solemn pledges at the conference, vowing to compete in resolve, drive, and the courage and capability to shoulder major responsibilities.

We look forward to seeing the modernized Guangdong of 30 years from now.

Shandong: Stabilizing the Economy and Shouldering Major Responsibilities

Shandong’s “first meeting of the New Year” proposed that the province “must shoulder its responsibilities as a major economic province, make every effort to stabilize the economy and take on the lead role, and contribute more to the national agenda.”

This reflects Shandong’s character of being “reliable, hardworking, low-key, and reserved.”

On the first working day after the holiday, Shandong’s officials held a collective study session to set the tone for the coming year.

The “transition from old to new growth drivers” has been the core objective of Shandong’s development and investment promotion in recent years. As the economic structure has been optimized, Shandong has gradually transitioned to a model of high-quality development.

Although the foundation for high-quality development is not yet solid, with “leading” cities like Qingdao and Jinan taking the lead, “mid-tier” cities such as Yantai, Weifang, and Zibo providing support, and other cities remaining steadfast in their commitment, this can stimulate greater momentum and vitality for high-quality development.

Different Focuses

While the themes of many regions’ “first meetings of the New Year” highlight local characteristics, there are also notable commonalities as各地 compete to boost the economy and drive development.

01 Enterprises in the Spotlight

At the meeting in Anhui, 279 enterprises and organizations that made outstanding contributions to the province were honored;

At the main venue in Guangdong, 1,000 people attended, including representatives from over 500 enterprises.

Anhui’s “First Meeting of the New Year” invited entrepreneurs to foster a greater sense of pride among them, placing the spotlight squarely on enterprises—a clear indication that local governments hold enterprises and entrepreneurs in high regard and extend them special favor.

Guangdong is home to over 7 million enterprises, accounting for one-seventh of the national total, demonstrating that the prosperity of enterprises drives economic growth. The more than 500 corporate representatives present at the conference joined the government in pooling their wisdom and efforts to advance Guangdong’s high-quality development.

Ultimately, local governments’ emphasis on enterprises is aimed at jointly pursuing a path of high-quality development.

02 Optimizing the Business Environment

At the start of the new year, Shanghai convened a citywide conference on optimizing the business environment;

Jilin held a province-wide conference on optimizing the business environment and accelerating project construction in Changchun;

and Hebei held a province-wide symposium on optimizing the business environment for entrepreneurs in Tangshan.

It must be said that the business environment is a perennial topic in urban development, yet it remains an unavoidable and crucial issue.

Businesses flock to places with a favorable business environment.

Shanghai stated, “We must focus on enhancing the rule of law in the business environment, making the rule of law a key hallmark of Shanghai’s core competitiveness.” At the same time, policies should play a supportive role in optimizing the business environment.

Hebei, however, took a different approach, “striking hard” at the meeting to address core issues head-on, elevating the business environment to a pivotal role in attracting and securing projects. The participation of entrepreneurs also steered the meeting toward a more pragmatic direction.

At a critical juncture—like pushing a boulder uphill or scaling a steep slope—Jilin has embarked on a reform approach characterized by “no fixed formats, no set models, no restricted channels, no distinction between internal and external, and no inquiry into origins, all conducted in accordance with laws, regulations, and discipline,” with the intent of vigorously pursuing projects to drive development.

Multiple cities have elevated the business environment to a high priority. Although their specific focuses vary, during this period of all-out economic development, the business environment is undoubtedly the “opening move” for progress.

03 New Year Field Research at the Grassroots Level

Yin Li, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, conducted research in Haidian District to ensure a strong start to economic and social development;

Hunan Governor Mao Weiming visited enterprises in Changsha to investigate the development of pillar industries.

Only by visiting enterprises and gaining a detailed understanding of their production and operations, R&D investments, development barriers, and market trends can we provide tangible assistance to businesses, consolidate and expand industrial advantages, and enhance industrial resilience.

In Closing

Racing against the clock to secure projects, facilitating the swift entry of outstanding enterprises and initiatives, and accelerating progress with an open mindset to ensure projects are implemented and enter the market as quickly as possible—these were the unifying themes of this year’s “First Meeting of the New Year.”

With this meeting marking the beginning and setting a solid foundation, the high-scoring report cards on regional development for the coming year have only just begun to be written.