Strong emphasis

The Aug 17 meeting marked the first time that Xi had convened a special meeting to deliberate on common prosperity, an issue he has given strong emphasis to for a long time.

Since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012, Xi has made strong appeals for common prosperity on numerous occasions, underlining the importance of sharing the benefits of growth with all people and pledging to lift the living standards of poor people.

The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November 2013 pledged to "reform the income distribution system and promote common prosperity".

In a speech delivered at a study session attended by provincial and ministerial-level officials in January, Xi expounded on his vision to achieve common prosperity, saying that it is not only an economic issue but also an issue that matters to the foundation of the Party's governance.

"We can never allow a growing disparity between the rich and the poor, or the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer. Nor shall we allow the existence of an impassable divide between the rich and the poor," he said.

He stressed that work on this front cannot afford to be delayed, and the nation must take the initiative to solve problems such as the income gap and disparities between regions and between urban and rural areas.

" (We need to) give the people a concrete feeling that common prosperity is more than a slogan, but a fact that they can see, feel and experience," he said.

As the nation completes its goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and secures a complete victory in its fight against absolute poverty, enabling shared prosperity among all people has taken a more prominent position.

The nation is ready to adopt an action plan to promote common prosperity, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in April.

Zhejiang, one of China's most affluent provinces, has been designated a demonstration zone to explore new paths for common prosperity, accumulate experiences and serve as an example of the way the nation can tackle the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development.