AT the Two Sessions, a key annual event on China’s political calendar, an even more detailed roadmap for achieving the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation has emerged.

The almost concurrent sessions of the top legislature and political advisory body every March are a time to gauge the country’s development and are being closely followed, in a world seeking certainty in uncertain times.

Last year, China’s economy, the second-largest in the world, grew 6.6 percent to exceed 90 trillion yuan (US$13.4 trillion). The growth target for 2019 was set at 6-6.5 percent, showing the economy’s long-term upward trend has not changed.

The accomplishment is attributed to the leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core and the hard work and perseverance of the Chinese people.

President Xi has laid out his governance priorities and shown his strategic resolve.

Xi gave policy instructions on a wide range of topics: maintaining resolve in environmental protection, sparing no effort to fight poverty, revitalizing the countryside, stimulating innovation and business activities, and boosting cultural confidence, among others.

These are issues crucial not only for China, but for other developing countries with the common desire to speed up modernization.

Jihaoyeqiu’s house perches on a hill among mountains in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The region is regarded as one of the last pockets of deep poverty in the country.

China has pledged to eliminate extreme poverty by 2020. Last year, just before the Chinese New Year, Xi came to visit Jihaoyeqiu in his ramshackle home. That scene was captured in a photo now hanging in the living room of Jihaoyeqiu’s new 100-square-meter apartment.

To his delight, Jihaoyeqiu heard his name mentioned by the president in a televised New Year Speech on the eve of 2019. “The whole family clapped and cheered,” he said.

Relocated from mountains

The family had been relocated out of the mountains with 100 others in the village. Life improved. Jihaoyeqiu fills his storage room with snacks and beverages as he plans to set up a convenience shop. He has had his QR code ready on the door for customers to scan for mobile transactions.

Across China, more than 13.86 million poor people crossed the poverty line last year. The country’s poor population shrank from 98.99 million to 16.6 million in the past six years.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said China has contributed the most in world poverty alleviation in the past decade.

Xi is the commander-in-chief in the anti-poverty fight. He has visited every single one of the 14 poorest regions. At this year’s Two Sessions, he made his goal clear again: “No turning back until a resounding victory.”

What China is aiming for is not just freedom from poverty for its people. Democracy, the rule of law, fairness, justice and a good environment — a moderately prosperous society must deliver all that the Chinese people yearn for.

Clean air, safe water and uncontaminated soil are some of the pressing matters. Xi has demanded strong resolve in adhering to green development even amid economic difficulties.

“Don’t ever toy with the idea of sacrificing the environment for growth,” Xi said when deliberating with lawmakers from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region last week. “The ecological red line cannot be crossed.”

“We must grit our teeth, climb over this slope and pass this ridge,” he said regarding pollution control and prevention.

Combating poverty, pollution and defusing major risks are called the “three critical battles.” The success of these battles are key to guaranteeing a moderately prosperous society can stand the test of time.

Over the past year, 13.61 million urban jobs were added, 14 million people got their dilapidated houses renovated, about 80 million people were eligible for personal income tax cuts, 17 cancer drugs were included in the medical insurance program and housing prices in key cities stabilized. The list even included things like toilets.

Xi asked a rural deputy in detail how the toilet upgrading has been going in the countryside.

“Do you have flush toilets or still use pits?” Xi asked.

Deliberating with deputies from Henan Province, Xi heard village head Li Liancheng sum up the general expectations of the rural population: good schools, hospitals, jobs close to home and a great environment.

“Our fundamental purpose is to serve the people, focusing our efforts on meeting their aspirations to live a better life,” Xi said. “The people are the foundation of the governance.”

China faces profound changes in the external environment — setbacks in economic globalization and challenges to multilateralism — and the growing pains of its economic transformation.

With so much responsibility, Xi is always working hard. His schedule has noticeably grown tighter in recent months. Meeting after meeting, he gives orders on a wide spectrum of fields on the country’s development.

“We are sailing through the midstream of a river where the waves are extremely rough,” he said when assessing the current situation. “(We) have no choice but to power ahead.”

Vision and stamina

China needs to maintain economic growth despite downward pressure while continuing its shift to high-quality development.

At the same time, more needs to be done to boost people’s welfare. The leadership’s vision and stamina are important, and Xi has both in abundance.

Reform and opening-up is the key. Latest measures include relaxing restrictions on market access, creating an even more enabling business environment, strengthening intellectual property rights protection, and actively expanding imports.

More reforms to power the country toward high-quality development have been outlined. A further 2 trillion yuan tax cut for businesses is planned for 2019, with policies to boost the vitality of the 100-million-strong market entities, and achieve breakthroughs in core technologies for key fields, among other policy tools.

China is stimulating the consumption of the world’s largest middle-income group and boosting the service sector, including elderly care and infant care.