Convey and study Xi Jinping's speech at the first meeting of the 20th Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission - Supporting Chinese-style modernization with high-quality population development.

　　Promoting high-quality population development is a new concept and requirement I proposed, and the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission's research on this topic is timely and important.

　　(1) China's modernization construction faces a new population situation.

　　China has long been the most populous country in the world, and population development is a major issue related to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Currently, as we embark on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, China's population development has also entered a new period. A comprehensive assessment shows that, with economic and social development and changes in the age structure of the population, China has generally shifted from a stage of population growth to a stage of population reduction, with obvious trends such as declining birth rates, aging population, and regional population differentiation. Promoting Chinese-style modernization faces new population environments and conditions.

　　We must comprehensively understand and correctly view the new situation of population development in our country.

　　First, we must fully affirm the correctness and effectiveness of the family planning policy. The large population size is a basic national condition of our country. The implementation of family planning is a major decision made based on the realities of specific historical stages, effectively controlling rapid population growth and the pressures it brings, and strongly supporting the reform and opening up and the cause of socialist modernization. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, in response to new changes in population growth and structure, the Party Central Committee has scientifically assessed the situation and timely adjusted and optimized the fertility policy, with overall positive effects that must be fully recognized.

　　Second, we must dialectically view the impacts brought by negative population growth. Our country has completed in a few decades what developed countries took over a century to achieve in industrialization, with a rapid population transition and early population decline, which generally aligns with the general laws of modern development worldwide. Population decline may bring some adverse effects on development, such as a decrease in labor force and weakened consumption and investment momentum. At the same time, population decline also has some positive effects, such as reducing pressure on resources and the environment, and forcing economic development to shift from extensive expansion to intensive development. Overall, the impact of population decline on economic and social development has both advantages and disadvantages; we cannot only look at one side. Some issues need to be viewed in the long term, and we should not rush to conclusions. We must oppose both 'population determinism' and 'population irrelevance theory' and work to maximize benefits while minimizing harm.

　　Third, we must correctly understand the issue of demographic dividends. We should recognize that demographic dividends are not only related to population quantity and structure but also to population quality, economic policies, and supporting measures. The current population and labor force in our country are sufficiently large, and the current population decline is limited. The overall education level of the population continues to improve, and the comprehensive demographic dividend still has significant advantages. At the same time, we must recognize that the decline in birth rates and the aging population in our country are occurring before the completion of modernization, which will bring some new difficulties and challenges that need to be actively addressed.

　　(2) The basic ideas and major principles for population work in the new era.

　　To effectively carry out population work in the new era, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party, comprehensively and accurately implement the new development concept, focus on the strategic arrangements for building a strong country and national rejuvenation, improve the population development strategy for the new era, recognize, adapt to, and lead the new normal of population development, strive to improve the overall quality of the population, maintain an appropriate level of fertility and population size, and accelerate the formation of a modern human resource structure that is high-quality, abundant in quantity, optimized in structure, and reasonably distributed, supporting Chinese-style modernization through high-quality population development. We must grasp the following principles.

　　First, we must promote high-quality economic and social development through high-quality population development. Our country has entered a critical period for promoting high-quality development, and we must shift population work from primarily adjusting quantity to enhancing quality, stabilizing total numbers, optimizing structure, and facilitating mobility, creating high-quality human resources through high-quality population development, and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern to promote high-quality development.

　　Second, we must adopt a systematic approach to plan population issues. We should establish a 'big population view,' starting from the overall situation of Chinese-style modernization, deeply assess the complex impacts of population changes on economic and social development, and fully consider population change factors when formulating economic and social policies, promoting the formation of a systematic integration effect among population policies and policies related to finance, currency, employment, industry, investment, consumption, ecology, and regions. Population security is the bottom line requirement for high-quality population development; the rise and fall of great powers are often profoundly influenced by population conditions, and we must incorporate population security into the overall national security framework for planning.

　　Third, we must promote high-quality population development through reform and innovation. In the past, population work was mainly focused on 'management,' but in the future, the scope of work will be broader and more detailed, requiring greater emphasis on 'guidance' and 'incentives,' shifting from relying mainly on government power to collaborative governance between the government and society. We must deepen reforms in key areas, accelerate the formation of ideas, policies, and systems conducive to high-quality population development, and establish a sound public policy system in population and related fields, allowing the public to have a greater sense of gain in participating in and supporting high-quality population development. At the same time, we must avoid 'hasty measures' and the rush to implement controversial initiatives.

　　Fourth, we must promote the comprehensive development of individuals and the common prosperity of all people. To effectively carry out population work in the new era, we must align with the people's expectations for a better life, uphold the principal position of the people, closely integrate high-quality population development with high-quality living for the people, and tightly combine 'investment in material' with 'investment in people.' We should do our best within our capacity to establish a comprehensive population service system covering all groups and the entire life cycle, considering marriage, childbirth, upbringing, education, employment, medical care, housing, and elderly care in an integrated manner, effectively promoting the comprehensive development of individuals and the common prosperity of all people.

　　(3) Key tasks to support Chinese-style modernization through high-quality population development.

　　First, deepen the reform and innovation of education and health services to comprehensively improve the overall quality of the population. We must comprehensively enhance the scientific and cultural quality of the population. Building a strong education nation should be regarded as a strategic project for high-quality population development, adapting to the trends of the global technological revolution and industrial transformation, and planning education, technology, and talent together to improve education quality. We should raise the level of education popularization and increase the average years of education for the labor force. Optimize the structure of higher education levels, types, disciplines, and talent cultivation, and accelerate the construction of a modern vocational education system with Chinese characteristics. Strengthen digital empowerment and improve the mechanism for promoting lifelong learning for all. We must comprehensively improve the health quality of the population. Effectively enhance the quality of newborns and promote the healthy growth of children. Strengthen the health management of major chronic diseases and improve healthy life expectancy. Widely carry out national fitness activities and strengthen sports and mental health work for young people. We must comprehensively improve the moral quality of the population. Use the core socialist values to cultivate people, strengthen integrity construction, promote the spirit of labor and struggle, and raise the moral standards and civilized qualities of the entire population.

　　Second, establish and improve a fertility support policy system to promote long-term balanced population development. We should vigorously develop an inclusive childcare service system. Improve the support policies and standards for childcare, coordinate the allocation of childcare resources for children aged 0-6, and increase financial support through multiple channels, with the national financial resources providing more support for related public services. We must significantly reduce the burden of childbirth, upbringing, and education on families. Improve the maternity insurance system and expand its coverage. Fully implement maternity leave, establishing a reasonable cost-sharing mechanism among the government, employers, and families. Improve support policies in housing, education, and employment. We should promote the construction of a fertility-friendly society. Emphasize family education and family values, build a new marriage and childbirth culture, promote marriage customs reform, and eliminate outdated practices such as high bride prices.

　　Third, strengthen the development and utilization of human resources to increase the effective supply of labor in society. We should steadily and orderly implement the policy of delaying the statutory retirement age. We must stabilize the labor participation rate, improve the efficiency of human resource utilization, and promote high-quality full employment. Support young people in entrepreneurship and employment. Strengthen the protection of labor rights and interests for flexible employment and new employment forms. Safeguard women's reproductive rights and increase women's labor employment. Continue to promote the urbanization of the agricultural transfer population, increasing the urbanization rate of the resident population and registered population.

　　Fourth, implement a national strategy to actively respond to population aging, striving to ensure that the elderly are well cared for, can contribute, and can enjoy life. We need to promote the construction of a basic elderly care service system. Improve the basic elderly care service list system, and establish a coordinated elderly care service system that integrates home, community, and institutional care, as well as medical and health services. We should vigorously develop the silver economy. Support the large-scale, standardized, clustered, and branded development of the elderly care industry, and cultivate high-end products and high-quality service models. We need to enhance the sustainability of the social insurance system. Accelerate the development of a multi-level, multi-pillar pension insurance system, strengthen the second and third pillars of pension insurance, and improve the funding and benefit adjustment mechanisms for basic medical insurance.

　　Fifth, better coordinate the relationship between population and economic society, resources, and the environment, and maintain population security. We should adapt to the new trends in population change and build a modern industrial system. Lead industrial transformation and upgrading through the upgrading of consumption structure, and consider the impact of population peak and distribution changes in infrastructure layout. We need to optimize regional economic layout and land spatial system. Improve the mechanisms linking personnel allocation, land supply, fiscal transfer payments, and public services with population changes, and support the reasonable and orderly flow of population and labor. We should seize the new opportunities presented by population reduction, strengthen ecological protection and restoration, and promote recovery and rejuvenation. We need to optimize population structure and distribution to maintain national security.

　　To effectively carry out population work in the new era, we must adhere to the comprehensive leadership of the Party. We need to establish and improve a leadership coordination mechanism to promote high-quality population development. Local party and government leaders should take personal responsibility and ensure that the implementation of population policies is included in relevant assessments. We should strengthen population statistics and dynamic monitoring and early warning, improve the legal system for population and fertility protection, and build a population theory system with Chinese characteristics. We need to do a good job in publicity and guidance to create a positive atmosphere.