China’s premier tells local authorities to give economy early boost in new year

China’s leadership has sent a clear signal to local governments to act resolutely and swiftly for a strong start to 2025, as concerns grow over the country’s ability to sustain economic growth amid rising external uncertainties and weak domestic demand.

During a visit to Shandong province, Premier Li Qiang urged local authorities to “take on a sense of urgency and responsibility, seizing the day and starting strong from the beginning”, Xinhua reported on Thursday.

“As we enter the new year … we must ensure the early implementation of policies, accelerate the advancement of projects, and deliver tangible results with our measures, striving to achieve a good start for this year’s economic development,” he said.

Li called for expanded trade-in programmes to boost consumption, emphasising the need to broaden their scope, continue subsidy funding, and maximise the policy’s impact.

He also urged a major push to expand charging and battery-swapping infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of new energy vehicles in China. Progress should also be accelerated in the building of key infrastructure and livelihood projects, such as sports venues and modern water networks, the premier said.

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Xi urges confidence in China’s economy in televised New Year’s Eve message

Xi urges confidence in China’s economy in televised New Year’s Eve message