Xi Jinping Issues Important Instructions on the Development of the Service Sector

April 8, 2026 Source: “Study in China” Learning Platform

Xi Jinping Issues Important Instructions on the Development of the Service Sector, Emphasizing

Highlight demand-driven reform, tackle tough challenges with technological empowerment, and promote open cooperation.

Strive to Usher in a New Era of High-Quality Development in the Service Sector

Li Qiang Attends and Addresses the National Service Industry Conference; Ding Xuexiang Delivers a Closing Address

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) — Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, President of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently issued important instructions on the development of the service sector, noting that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the scale of China’s service sector has expanded steadily, with continuous improvements in quality and efficiency, playing a vital role in supporting industrial upgrading, meeting the people’s needs, and expanding employment.

Xi Jinping emphasized that, on the new journey ahead, we must be guided by Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and place particular emphasis on demand-driven approaches, tackling tough reform challenges, leveraging science and technology, and fostering open cooperation. We should deepen the initiative to expand capacity and enhance quality in the service sector, promote the extension of producer services toward greater specialization and higher value-chain positions, facilitate the high-quality, diversified, and convenient development of consumer services, cultivate more “China Services” brands, and strive to usher in a new phase of high-quality development in the service sector.

The National Conference on the Service Sector was held in Beijing from April 7 to 8. During the conference, important instructions from Xi Jinping were conveyed. Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, attended the conference and delivered a speech, while Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, gave a concluding address.

In his address, Li Qiang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions profoundly elucidate the significant importance, key principles, and priority tasks for developing the service sector, exhibiting strong ideological depth, guiding significance, and targeted relevance, thereby providing clear direction for advancing related work. We must study and thoroughly grasp these instructions, resolutely implement them, and consciously deepen our understanding of the service sector from a strategic and holistic perspective. We should simultaneously focus on expanding capacity and enhancing quality, coordinate development with regulation, and better promote the high-quality and efficient development of the service sector, ensuring that it is both vibrant and healthy and well-ordered.

Li Qiang pointed out that we must align with trends in demographic shifts, upgrading consumption patterns, and industrial restructuring; focus on key areas of production and daily life; promote the development of the service sector in a tiered and categorized manner; continuously cultivate new growth drivers for the service sector; and elevate the level of digitalization, intelligence, standardization, integration, and internationalization in the service industry. With a focus on residents’ everyday needs, we should make basic-demand services more inclusive and of higher quality. In response to residents’ pursuit of a high-quality lifestyle, we should expand the supply of upgrade-oriented services. To meet diverse consumer demands, we should refine and enhance personalized services. By emphasizing the professionalization and high-end positioning of R&D and design, we will accelerate the growth of science-and-technology services. To enhance value at the production stage, we will vigorously develop advanced manufacturing services. And to ensure the realization of market value, we will concentrate on improving the level of supporting professional services.

Li Qiang emphasized the need to advance work through innovative thinking and approaches, gain a deep understanding of industry evolution trends, strike a balance between granting greater autonomy and ensuring effective regulation, proactively expand opening-up, further enhance the targetedness and effectiveness of policy support, and create a favorable environment for the development of the service sector. All departments and local authorities should foster and practice a sound view of performance, strengthen coordination and collaboration, vigorously pursue innovation, and jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality and efficient development of the service sector.

In his concluding remarks, Ding Xuexiang stated that it is essential to further align thinking and action with the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee, and to focus on expanding capacity and improving quality in order to steadily advance key tasks for the development of the service sector. Emphasis should be placed on innovation-driven development, with vigorous efforts to expand science-and-technology services, strengthen digital and intelligent services, and promote the integrated development of manufacturing and services. Attention must be given to reducing costs and increasing efficiency, by strengthening and optimizing modern logistics, financial services, and business services, so as to ensure smooth connectivity across all links of the economic cycle. Priority should be accorded to meeting people’s livelihood needs, by making everyday life services more convenient, ensuring that public services are efficient and well-suited to demand, and fostering innovative development in cultural, tourism, and sports services, thereby better satisfying personalized, diversified, and high-quality needs. Finally, emphasis should be placed on enhancing vitality by deepening the construction of a unified national market, strengthening standardization in the service sector, and expanding institution-based opening-up in the service industry. All regions, departments, and units must foster and practice a correct view of performance, and ensure that the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council are effectively implemented and yield tangible results.

Relevant officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Health Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Municipality of Shanghai, and Hunan Province delivered exchange remarks.

Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.

The meeting was held via videoconference. Attendees included officials from all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and cities separately listed in the national plan; the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; relevant departments of central and state organs and related people’s organizations; centrally managed financial institutions and selected central enterprises; and relevant departments of the organs of the Central Military Commission.

Editor-in-charge: Hu Jia