China’s provinces push personnel to meet targets as end of year approaches

Local governments in China are urging officials to spare no effort in meeting annual economic targets as 2024 nears its end

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Hainan, China’s southern island province, is one of several regions attempting to fuel economic growth as the year reaches its end. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00am, 6 Nov 2024

Chinese localities are redoubling their efforts to meet annual targets for economic growth in the final quarter of the year, calling on officials to accelerate investment, enhance consumption, and increase foreign trade as the window of opportunity begins to narrow.

The southern island province of Hainan, in a meeting of its standing committee on Sunday, emphasised the importance of doing “everything possible” to achieve this year’s economic and social development goals. The committee, the province’s highest political authority, urged government personnel to take a “no excuses” attitude and “make every second count,” according to a statement released after the session.

The committee also instructed officials to “stay sharply focused” on year-end targets, and “use extraordinary measures to spur economic growth and development.”

Shandong province held a similar high-level meeting on Monday, with similar language intended to induce fulfilment of annual targets. Leaders of the eastern province also mentioned investment, consumption and foreign trade as areas essential for maintaining a steady and positive growth trajectory.

“Key risks must be managed effectively to maintain a strong baseline,” read a statement from the provincial government.

The provincial meetings follow a speech by President Xi Jinping to senior officials at the Central Party School – China’s foremost ideological training centre – last Tuesday, where he instructed cadres at all levels to do their utmost to reach annual economic targets.