II. Major Objectives and Tasks for the13th Five-Year Plan Period

The 13th Five-Year Plan period is the decisive phase in building a moderately prosperous (xiaokang) society in all respects. It's also a crucial phase to accelerate the building of a world-class metropolis that is harmonious and livable and in line with its strategic identity as the capital city. At its 8th Plenary Session, the 11th CPC Beijing Municipal Committee defined the following guidelines for Beijing’s development during the 13th Five-Year Plan period: hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics; fully implement the guiding principles set by the 18th CPC National Congress, and by the 18th CPC Central Committee at its 3rd, 4th and 5th Plenary Sessions; take Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of “Three Represents”, and the Scientific Approach to Development as our guide; seek guidance from the series of important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping; adhere to the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (completing the building of a moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the law-based governance of China, and strengthening Party self-discipline); give priority to development; foster a development philosophy that values innovation, coordination, green development, opening-up and inclusion; hold on to Beijing’s defined strategic identity; thoroughly implement the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Synergetic Development Strategy; prioritize the tasks of easing non-capital functions in an orderly manner and combating “mega-city diseases”; focus on improving the quality and efficiency of development; quicken steps to form mechanisms and development modes that drive growth under the economic new normal and enable sustainable city development; make comprehensive plans for economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress as well as party building; take the lead in building a complete xiaokang society; make substantial progress in building a world-class metropolis that is harmonious and livable; and write Beijing’s chapter in the annals of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as reflected in the Chinese Dream.

Following these guidelines, in connection with the targets and tasks under the Framework Plan for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Synergetic Development, we set the following main targets for the city’s economic and social development in the next five years:

-- Making significant progress in easing non-capital functions. We will adjust and close down regional logistics bases and specialized markets within the Fourth Ring Road, and relocate certain public service enterprises such as medical and educational facilities, as well as certain administrative institutions in an orderly manner. We will control the size of permanent population below 23 million, and reduce the number of permanent residents in the six urban districts by 15% over the 2014 level. We will effectively address acute problems like the “mega-city diseases” and significantly strengthen core functions of the capital.

-- Maintaining a medium-high growth rate. On the basis of improving development quality and efficiency, we will realize an average GRP annual growth rate of 6.5%, and double the GRP and the per capita income of rural and urban residents by 2020 over the 2010 level. We will balance key economic indicators, and substantially raise labor productivity and output per unit of land. We will further optimize the internal structure of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, so that the added value generated by the service sector will exceed 80% of the GRP. We will devote about 6% of the GRP to R&D, form an economic structure based on “high-end, precision and sophisticated” technologies, and develop Beijing into a technological innovation center with global influence.

-- Universally improving living standard and life quality. We will further improve the public service system and promote equal access to basic public facilities and services. We will keep the registered urban unemployment rate under 4%, narrow income gaps, increase the proportion of the middle-income population and ensure better access to housing for all residents. We will modernize education, improve general health and raise life expectancy above 82.4 years. We will further improve the old-age care system, guarantee basic living conditions for those in difficulty and maintain social stability and law and order.

-- Remarkably upgrading the civility level of residents and the moral and ethical standards of the city. We will further popularize the Chinese Dream and the core values of socialism, and promote patriotism, collectivism and the socialist ideology. We will significantly improve citizens' ethical and ideological standards, scientific and cultural attainment as well as health quality and foster a positive social atmosphere that is warm, lively, open, and helpful. We will boost development of cultural programs and culture industries, and take the lead in establishing a public cultural service system, so as to highlight Beijing’s function as the national cultural center.

-- Significantly improving eco-environment. We will continue to promote green, low-carbon production and lifestyles. We will continue to bring down energy and water consumptions per unit of GRP, limit urban and rural construction land to 2,800 square kilometers, and effectively control total carbon emissions. We will constantly cut the discharge of main pollutants, ensure 99.8% of household waste is detoxified, over 95% of the sewage is treated, gradually restore the ecosystem of major rivers and lakes, bring forest coverage to 44%, and further expand the environment capacity and eco-space.

-- Further improving mechanisms and systems. We will preliminarily create essential mechanisms and systems in all aspects of city management. We will further improve people’s democracy, basically complete the building of a law-based government, and be a worthy capital of the ruled-by-law China. We will continue to improve the system and mechanism for integrated urban-rural development, and basically establish systems and mechanisms that enables regional synergetic development and coordinated use of resources in various forms and at all levels. The new system of an open economy will basically take shape.

With reference to the above-mentioned guidelines and objectives, Beijing Municipality has made arrangements for eight major tasks under the Framework Plan for National Economic and Social Development during the 13th Five-Year Plan Period: first, optimizing and uplifting core functions of the capital; second, building green, low-carbon and eco-friendly homes; third, upgrading city management; fourth, accelerating the building of a national center for scientific and technological innovation; fifth, energetically building a national cultural center; sixth, constantly improving people’s wellbeing; seventh, deepening reform and opening-up in an all-round way and strengthening the rule of law; eighth, making full preparation for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.