Entrepreneurs' proposals and suggestions for 2022 two sessions

Editor's Note: The annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, known as the two sessions and considered the biggest annual political event in China, are underway in Beijing. Lawmakers and political advisors with an entrepreneurial background have made numerous suggestions and proposals. Let's see what they've said.

Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of TCL

Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of TCL. [Photo/IC]

Over 200 million people in China are in flexible employment, and the relevant social security systems should be improved according to a proposal from Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics giant TCL and an NPC deputy.

Li proposed an independent platform for people with flexible employment to participate in social security programs within the national social security system.

Li also said the government should standardize the terms and content of labor contracts for people with flexible employment and protect their legitimate rights and interests.　

Li also provided suggestions for nationwide carbon reduction. For example, to establish a unified platform for measuring individual carbon emissions, this could be in trial in first-tier cities with strong low-carbon awareness.

Based on monitoring data, the government could set carbon emission limits for residents, and guide people to choose low-carbon lifestyles and consumption habits. Financial incentives are another way to encourage carbon reductions for residents, Li added.

Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holding Group

Geely chairman Li Shufu. [Photo/IC]

China had 7.84 million new energy vehicles by the end of 2021, an increase of 59.25 percent on a yearly basis according to statistics released by the Ministry of Public Security.

Li Shufu, chairman of Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group and a deputy to the National People’s Congress, proposed to accelerate the construction of battery swapping stations, further improve policies and regulations for electronic vehicle battery swapping and accelerate the standardization of battery swaps.

Li also proposed to apply methanol fuel nationwide, saying the low-carbon fuel is safer and more convenient than other new energies.

Li said methanol automobiles should enjoy the same policy support as other new energy vehicles. Thus, more enterprises would compete for R&D in methanol vehicles, and carbon neutrality in the transport sector would be reached soon.

Chen Hong, chairman of SAIC Motor

Chen Hong, chairman of SAIC Motor. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chen Hong, chairman of China's largest carmaker SAIC Motor and an NPC deputy, proposed a special plan for the low-carbon development of the automobile industry.

The formulation and implementation of carbon emission standards for the whole life cycle of automobile products should be accelerated, he said.

Chen also proposed the commercialization of intelligent and connected vehicles, adding a grade evaluation certification system and access mechanism could assist the application of autonomous driving technology.

Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances

Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances. [Photo/IC]

Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances and an NPC deputy, proposed standards for the service life of home appliances should be issued in the form of mandatory standards or laws and regulations.

The safe service life of each type of household appliance should be cleared, while manufacturers are obliged to inform consumers of the specific expiration date of the products.

Dong also proposed to improve power battery safety monitoring standards, for example, to include certain safety testing methods into the national mandatory standards, and modify the standards with the development of technology.

Zhou Yunjie, president of Haier Group

Zhou Yunjie, left, president of Haier Group. [Photo/Haier]

Zhou Yunjie, president of home appliance giant Haier Group and an NPC deputy, suggested using industrial internet to enable the high-quality development of urban digital economy.

Zhou suggested increasing financial support to encourage cities to build city-level industrial internet service platforms to provide life cycle services to enterprises.

He also suggested industrial leaders build a vertical industry platform with industrial internet platform enterprises, enhance digital upgrading for industrial parks and economic development zones, and encourage regional manufacturing resource sharing and coordination.

Liu Yonghao, chairman of New Hope Group

New Hope Group chairman Liu Yonghao. [Photo/IC]

Liu Yonghao, chairman of China's agricultural conglomerate New Hope Group and a national political advisor, suggested the feed and breeding industry nationwide should act together to save grain and improve efficiency from the production end.

China's grain output reached 682.85 million tons in 2021, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. "If New Hope Group increases the comprehensive utilization rate of feed by 1 percent every year, it can save 1.5 million tons of grain in five years," Liu said.

"We talked more about saving grain from the consumption side in the past, but it was also important for the production side to save grain," he added.

According to Liu, the group will save grain by improving methods in breeding and feed formulas to increase the utilization rate of feed.

Zhao Chao, president of Buchang Pharma

Buchang Pharma president Zhao Chao. [Photo/Xinhua]

The operating revenue of China's pharmaceutical industry reached 2.35 trillion yuan ($371.98 billion) in the first 10 months of 2021, up 22.8 percent year-on-year, and the total profit of the industry increased 76.7 percent on a yearly basis.

Zhao Chao, president of Buchang Pharma and an NPC deputy, proposed more preferential policies to boost new medicine R&D, clinical trials and market introductions, as well as stimulate drug innovation and increase the accessibility of innovative drugs.

As traditional Chinese medicine has been extensively used in the treatment of COVID-19, Zhao also proposed TCM to be included in the national infectious disease prevention and control system.

Shen Nanpeng, founding and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China

Shen Nanpeng, founding and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China. [Photo/IC]

China's service manufacturing industry has great potential for optimization. Shen Nanpeng, founding and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China and also a member of the CPPCC, suggested utilizing industrial data for the transformation of manufacturing industry.

Shen suggested accelerating the compatibility and adaptation of industrial sensors and communication protocols, and strengthening data support capacity through technological transformation and new technologies.

He also suggested reducing development costs and expanding digital technology service providers based on real enterprise demand scenarios.