Historic progress made in past 5 years

High-quality development

Under Xi's leadership, China has achieved unprecedented environmental progress. Energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped 13.2 percent between 2015 and 2019, city dwellers now breathe unpolluted air for 82 percent of the days in a year, and water quality has improved to sound levels.

The pollution control goals set out in the 13th Five-Year Plan have been accomplished.

Xi has placed great importance on technological innovation and made visits to research institutions, universities, companies and high-tech industrial development zones.

Progress was made in building Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into global sci-tech innovation centers. There also was progress on the manned space program and moon probe.

When the Party leadership held a study session on the research and application of quantum science and technology in October, Xi again emphasized the importance of technological innovation.

The role of opening-up was repeatedly highlighted. Xi said at the opening of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in 2018 that China's high-quality development can only be achieved through greater openness.

China has signed 200 cooperation deals on the Belt and Road Initiative with 138 countries and 30 international organizations. The country has also established 21 pilot free trade zones. Its global business environment ranking moved up to the 31st in 2020.

In May, the Party leadership made a strategic decision to foster a new development pattern in which domestic and foreign markets boost each other, while the domestic market is the economy's mainstay.

"Making the domestic market the mainstay does not mean we are developing our economy with the door closed," Xi said at a symposium of entrepreneurs in July. By giving full play to the potential of the domestic market, both domestic and foreign markets will be better connected and utilized to realize robust and sustainable development, he said.