Premier Li Keqiang called for efforts to deepen reform and opening-up, enhance innovation ability and growth drivers for high-quality development, and improved well-being for the people.

Premier Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made an inspection tour to the cities of Changzhou and Nanjing in East China’s Jiangsu province from March 25 to 26.

While visiting Hengli Hydraulic, a private enterprise in Changzhou, the Premier learned about its products and technological research and development, encouraging the company to continuously boost innovation through opening-up and cooperation.

Local entrepreneurs told the Premier their companies have planned to largely increase R&D inputs after being encouraged by the policy of raising the deductible share of manufacturing firms' R&D expenditure.

Lauding their efforts, Premier Li stressed the massive inclusive tax cuts are aimed at gravitating businesses toward greater innovation in a market-oriented manner, as innovation will enable them to have a future and China to usher in better development.

At the Fuqiang Xincun community in Changzhou, the Premier inspected places providing community-based services, such as elderly care and child care, for its residents.

He praised the local government for launching, with the introduction of social forces, the elderly care effort, which is a boon to the elderly and also a job creator, by purchasing related services and offering free venues, as well as water, electricity and gas services. He also visited nursing homes for elderly care, checking the dining and health monitoring for the elderly.

Community-based elderly and child care services will make their offspring or parents feel at ease when working outside, Premier Li said, adding the young generation can have a secure future when the elderly can spend their remaining years in happiness, and kids so cared for will grow up with greater compassion.

At a store that sells daily necessities and also handles parcels, the Premier applauded the shop owner for bringing convenience to residents while increasing incomes. He required local officials to help create favorable conditions for local flexible employment.

Premier Li also heard a report on the reform and development of the Jiangsu pilot free trade zone, and inspected BASF-YPC, a joint company built by Sinopec and BASF. He called on the local government to boost institutional innovation, attract talent, and fulfill the FTZ’s role in driving reform and opening-up.

At Nanjing University, Premier Li encouraged scientific researchers to strengthen cross-field cooperation and promote integrated innovation while learning about the university’s basic research and transformation and application of the research results. He also talked with academicians, hoping innovation enhancement is inherited by generations to increase development continuity.

He then heard a report on the employment of the university graduates, asked students about their job-search situations, and encouraged them to devote themselves to studies and make down-to-earth efforts to attain their ambitions, benefiting society and the country.

While affirming Jiangsu’s achievements in economic and social development, the Premier expressed the hope that the province could tap more into its strengths and role as a big province in economic advances and push development to a new level to contribute more to the country’s development.

State Councilor Xiao Jie was present for the inspection tour.