On 10 February, members of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and permanent observers attending the Fifth Session of the 13th Municipal CPPCC Committee held group discussions on the speech by the Municipal Party Secretary, the Government Work Report and the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and deliberated on two reports from the Standing Committee of the Municipal CPPCC.

The atmosphere in each discussion group was lively, with members speaking enthusiastically. Drawing on their own practical experiences in fulfilling their duties, they shared their thoughts, discussed development, and offered sound advice. Everyone agreed that the Municipal Party Secretary’s speech had outlined a clear blueprint for the city’s development in the coming year and had also set out a clear direction for the members in carrying out their duties.

Zhao Kai, a member of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of Zhangjiagang Huaxing Power Co., Ltd., was deeply inspired. As the head of an energy enterprise, he keenly recognised the development opportunities outlined in the speech. “We are an energy company specialising in power generation and district heating. By 2025, we achieved annual sales of 4 billion yuan and profits and taxes of 260 million yuan. These are our past achievements, but they also serve as the driving force for our new beginning.” " Zhao Kai stated that the company would remain firmly rooted in Zhangjiagang and, in this inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, actively adapt to trends in new and clean energy. “We will actively promote the inclusion of our company’s Phase III project in the provincial selection process and, through our own efforts, contribute to the high-quality economic and social development of Zhangjiagang.”

The two reports presented by the Standing Committee of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference provided a comprehensive review of the achievements made over the past year and set out a well-thought-out plan for the coming year’s tasks. By focusing on serving the people and adopting more practical measures to enhance public welfare, the reports greatly inspired the members.

Tang Weigang, a member of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, told reporters that the report’s call to “help weave a robust social safety net for the elderly and children” is pragmatic and down-to-earth, aligning closely with his work. “In the coming year, we will remain steadfastly people-centred, focusing on the development of basic, universal and safety-net social welfare services. We will deepen innovation in grassroots governance, enhance the precision of social assistance, promote the expansion and improvement of elderly care services, and address the urgent concerns and difficulties of the public with dedication and compassion,” said Tang Weigang. He expressed his hope that all sectors of society would participate together to jointly build a more compassionate and resilient civil affairs service system, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the people’s well-being in the city.

The series of favourable policies and pragmatic measures outlined in the Government Work Report, which provide a solid foundation for enterprise development, have particularly inspired the members, who now see broader prospects for growth. During the discussion, Li Li, a member of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and General Manager of Suzhou RHZ Textile Technology Co., Ltd., stated that the report capitalises on the city’s strengths in openness and sets out a clear path for stabilising and improving the quality of foreign trade, instilling confidence in enterprises regarding their future development.

“The Government Work Report this year highlighted the goal of building a hub for openness and collaboration, which represents a highly favourable policy boost for textile export enterprises like ours,” explained Li Li. She added that the company achieved a 15% increase in cross-border e-commerce exports in 2025, a result that would not have been possible without the excellent business environment in Zhangjiagang. “In 2026, we will firmly seize development opportunities. Whilst actively expanding into overseas markets, we will continue to enhance product quality, step up efforts in new product research and development, and launch more products closely aligned with market demand. We will continuously strengthen our core competitiveness and contribute our part to Zhangjiagang’s efforts to build a hub for openness and collaboration,” stated Li Li.

Building consensus and embarking on a new journey. During the group discussions, members unanimously expressed their commitment to further strengthening their sense of mission and responsibility, conducting in-depth research and investigations, offering insightful advice and practical proposals, and striving to deliver high-quality performance in the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan.