This week, on December 22 and 23, 2025, heads of central state-owned enterprises gathered for a two-day meeting where President Xi Jinping delivered a clear message: central SOEs must step up their game and champion China's modernization drive.
Xi, who also serves as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged these enterprises—directly administered by the central government—to “better serve the overall work of the Party and the country and contribute more to Chinese modernization.”
Central SOEs manage some of the nation's most strategic assets and industries. Xi's instruction reflects a broader push to harness these state-owned giants as engines for innovation, sustainable development, and global competitiveness.
At the heart of the discussion was how SOEs can align their strategies with national priorities, embracing new technologies, green initiatives, and partnerships that drive both domestic progress and international collaboration.
For young professionals and entrepreneurs, the outcome of this directive could signal fresh opportunities, from cutting-edge projects in renewable energy to expanded roles in supply chains that stretch across the globe. As central SOEs chart their modernization plans, their moves will be worth watching for anyone tracking China's evolving economic landscape.
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Xi urges central SOEs to contribute more to Chinese modernization
cgtn.com
