Reform of state-owned enterprises

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are the backbone of our national economy. They provide the material and political basis for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. They are also important pillars underpinning the efforts of the CPC as the ruling party to govern the country and promote national development. Reform of SOEs is critical to both economic and social reform. It is the most important among all reform initiatives, as it bears on all aspects of national development. It is a difficult, complex and immense task that requires sustained commitment.

There have been several rounds of reform involving SOEs since the rollout of the reform and opening-up program, including the introduction of a contract system, a program to replace turning over business profits with income tax, implementation of managerial accountability, and promotion of modern corporate governance. At its third plenary session in 1993, the 14th CPC Central Committee called for modernizing corporate management, a move that paved the way for accelerating SOE reform. At its third plenary session in 2013, the 18th CPC Central Committee called for pursuing SOE reform at a deeper level. The year 2016 was a watershed year when the implementation of new reform policies began. To support a new round of SOE reform, the 2016 report on the work of the government outlined a series of pilot measures, such as diversification of forms of ownership – including introduction of mixed ownership – establishment of corporate boards of directors, open selection of executives and managers, and introduction of employee equity stakes. These measures were accompanied by initiatives to reform and reorganize national capital investment and management corporations. Together, they opened a chapter in SOE reform.

Unlike previous reforms, the current reform measures focus on innovation, and aim to sharpen the competitive edge of SOEs by tapping into their innovative potential, so as to build world-class enterprises and brands in response to the drive for economic structural upgrading. To this end, business integration and reorganization is essential. Some SOEs that use too much energy and produce too much pollution are being phased out. Another important reform measure is to expand market access in areas where SOEs used to enjoy monopolies, so as to allow private capital to have more opportunities to compete.  

國企改革攻堅戰

國有企業是中國國有經濟的核心載體和重要支撐，是中國特色社會主義的重要物質基礎和政治基礎，是中國共產黨執政興國的重要支柱和依靠力量。國企改革不僅影響經濟體制改革的推進，而且影響社會體制改革推進的過程，是全面深化改革的重中之重，事關發展全局，任務重、難度大，具有長期性、艱巨性和復雜性。

改革開放以來，國有企業改革作為整個經濟體制改革的中心環節，經歷了從承包制到利改稅、從廠長負責制到建立現代公司治理結構等過程。1993年黨的十四屆三中全會提出建立現代企業制度，國企改革進入快速推進階段。2013年，黨的十八屆三中全會提出進一步深化國有企業改革的方向和任務。2016年是深化國企改革攻堅年，也是政策措施落實年。為支撐新一輪國有企業改革,2016年的政府工作報告列出了推進股權多元化改革,開展落實企業董事會職權、市場化選聘經營者、職業經理人制度、混合所有制、員工持股等試點，加快改組組建國有資本投資?運營公司等一系列配套措施?由此，中國新一輪國企改革即國企改革攻堅戰正式開啟。

與此前幾輪國企改革相比，此輪攻堅戰的首要任務是創新發展，借此進一步提升國有企業的競爭力和影響力,打造一批世界級企業和品牌，呼應中國正在進行的經濟結構轉型升級?兼并重組則是此輪國企改革提升競爭力的重要途徑，此外，一部分高耗能、高污染國有企業消失在歷史舞臺，以及以往被國有企業壟斷的領域更多放開市場準入，讓社會資本有更多機會參與競爭，也是此輪國企改革攻堅戰的重要方向。