The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a symposium with non-CPC personages on Dec. 3 in Beijing to solicit their opinions and suggestions on this year's economic situation and the economic work for 2026.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the symposium and delivered an important speech.

Xi stressed remaining confident, leveraging China's strengths and tackling challenges, and working to sustain and build on the positive momentum in the economy, so as to make a good start in implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

Li Qiang, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium. Li briefed the symposium on this year's economic work and introduced considerations for next year's economic work.

At the symposium, representatives of non-CPC personages gave their opinions and suggestions on a number of issues, including optimizing industrial layout, expanding domestic demand and high-standard opening up, enhancing people's health and well-being, and boosting high-quality employment.

After listening to their remarks, Xi noted that the CPC Central Committee had implemented more proactive and effective macro policies this year, and the main goals for economic and social development are expected to be accomplished.

As the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) is set to approach a successful conclusion, China's strengths in economy, science and technology, and comprehensive national strengths have been significantly enhanced, Xi said.

Noting that non-CPC personages had carried out in-depth research on key issues arising in economic and social development and provided important references for the CPC Central Committee's scientific decision-making, Xi expressed thanks to them on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi stressed that to do a good job in economic work next year, it is necessary to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, move faster to create a new pattern of development, promote high-quality development, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and better coordinate domestic economic work and endeavors in the international economic and trade arena.

It is imperative to better coordinate development and security, implement more proactive and effective macro policies, make policies more forward-looking, targeted and synergistic, continue to expand domestic demand and improve supply, and optimize incremental resources while making good use of existing resources, Xi said.

Efforts will be made to develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, develop a unified national market, prevent and defuse risks in key areas, and stabilize employment, enterprise operations, markets and expectations, so as to both improve the quality of growth and appropriately increase output, he noted.

Xi expressed the hope that non-CPC personages will actively contribute ideas and efforts to the formulation and implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and pool wisdom and strength to promote sustained and sound economic growth.