Consolidate investment and continue to resume growth (new economic orientation)

  What is the impact of heavy rainfall on my country's grain production and maintaining stable grain prices?

In the second half of the year, what are the key tasks to make up for shortcomings and stabilize investment?

How to correct the campaign-style "carbon reduction" and resolutely curb the blind development of the "two highs" projects?

At a recent press conference, Meng Wei, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, responded to hot issues of social concern.

  Focus on five aspects to make up for shortcomings and stabilize investment

  From January to July this year, the national fixed asset investment increased by 10.3% year-on-year, and the two-year average growth rate was 4.3%.

Private investment increased by 13.4% year-on-year, investment scale continued to recover steadily, and investment structure continued to be optimized.

  "In order to better play the key role of effective investment and consolidate investment to continue to resume growth, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments and localities to focus on five aspects to make up for shortcomings and stabilize investment." Meng Wei said.

  Actively promote the implementation of major engineering projects identified in the "14th Five-Year Plan".

"The Fourteenth Five-Year Plan outlines 102 major engineering projects. This is an important support for keeping the economy operating within a reasonable range and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern." Meng Wei said that the leading role of major engineering projects should be brought into play and the establishment should be established. Implement the promotion mechanism, further subdivide 102 major projects into specific construction projects, form a list, strengthen the guarantee of elements, and promote the implementation of projects in an orderly manner.

  Take multiple measures to stabilize manufacturing investment.

Actively support investment in advanced manufacturing, continue to improve and make good use of mechanisms such as "revealing the rankings" and "horse racing", and speed up filling the shortcomings of the supply chain of the industrial chain.

Guide enterprises to increase investment in technological transformation, strengthen the guidance and incentives of traditional manufacturing carbon emission reduction policies, and promote green and low-carbon investment.

Comprehensive measures to ease the pressure of rising prices of bulk commodities, implement various cost reduction policies, and strengthen the investment motivation of mid- and downstream manufacturing enterprises.

  Do a good job in the preliminary work of the project.

Focus on urging all localities to increase investment in the preliminary work of the project, speed up the process of project approval and registration, land use, planning, environmental assessment and other procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, speed up preparations for land acquisition and demolition, and municipal supporting facilities, and promote a batch of projects to have the conditions to start construction as soon as possible.

  Give full play to the leading role of government investment.

Meng Wei said that the National Development and Reform Commission will speed up the implementation of the investment plan within the central budget, organize the preparation of the investment plan within the central budget next year in advance, and concentrate efforts on major and difficult tasks; guide and urge local governments to do a good job in the second half of this year and the first half of next year. Preparation of special bond projects to ensure that the special bonds can be put into project construction in time after the issuance of special bonds, and the physical workload can be formed as soon as possible.

  Further mobilize the enthusiasm of private investment.

Continuously improve policies to support the participation of social capital, and attract private capital to participate in the construction of areas such as municipal administration, transportation, ecological environment, and social undertakings to make up for shortcomings.

Standardize and promote the government-private partnership (PPP) model, steadily carry out pilot projects for real estate investment trust funds in the field of infrastructure, revitalize existing assets, and form a virtuous circle of investment.

  There is a good foundation for the year-round grain harvest

  Since the flood season this year, many parts of our country have suffered heavy rainfall, and some important infrastructures in the disaster-stricken areas have been damaged.

The National Development and Reform Commission issued an emergency investment of 795 million yuan in the central budget for the post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure and public service facilities in the severely affected areas. Among them, the special investment for the worst-hit Henan Province amounted to 644 million yuan.

  Henan is my country's major food production province. What impact did the heavy rains have on grain production?

Will it lead to a substantial increase in food prices?

According to statistics from the agricultural department, the area affected by crops in Henan Province is currently more than 16 million mu, and drainage in some areas is relatively timely.

Prior to the press conference of the State Council Information Office, the spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics Fu Linghui said that according to remote sensing monitoring, in late July, the growth of autumn grain in most plots was better than or equal to that of normal years, and there was a good year-round grain harvest. Foundation.

  “In recent years, my country’s grain has been harvested year after year, the country’s grain reserves are abundant, the capacity for purchasing, storage, and transportation has been enhanced, and the grain production, supply, storage and sales system has become increasingly perfect. Meng Wei said that at present, grain, oil and meat and other agricultural and sideline foods in the disaster-stricken areas in Henan are abundant in supply and stable in prices. The prices of fresh vegetables that are not easy to store and transport in some areas, especially leafy vegetables, have risen slightly, but the increase is within the normal fluctuation range.

  Since the beginning of this year, due to factors such as rising production costs, price transmission in the international market, and low social inventories, domestic fertilizer prices have risen.

  The National Development and Reform Commission adopted a series of control measures: during the spring ploughing period, it organized the release of some national chemical fertilizer commercial reserves for three consecutive months, during which the price increase of nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer and compound fertilizer nationwide was significantly reduced; and the one-off subsidy of 20 billion yuan of actual grain farmers was implemented as soon as possible; The interview reminded key fertilizer companies to strengthen the supervision of the fertilizer market and file an investigation on fertilizer companies suspected of driving up prices.

  "According to monitoring, the recent price increase of some fertilizer varieties has obviously slowed down." Meng Wei said that in the next step, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments and units to strengthen market supply and demand and price situation analysis and judgment, and actively adopt measures including promoting the reduction of enterprise production costs. , Support enterprises to increase operating rate and output, strengthen reserves and import and export adjustments, unblock the transportation and distribution of chemical fertilizer products and raw materials, maintain the order of chemical fertilizer market circulation, and vigorously promote the reduction of fertilizer application and efficiency, and other policy measures to ensure the supply and price of chemical fertilizers are basically stable.

  Urge localities to reduce over 350 "two highs" projects to be launched

  A few days ago, the Politburo meeting of the Central Committee clearly requested that the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality work should be coordinated and orderly, and the carbon peaking action plan before 2030 should be issued as soon as possible. Resolutely curb the blind development of the "two highs" project.

  According to reports, since the beginning of this year, various regions and departments have actively promoted carbon peaking and carbon neutral work, and have achieved certain results.

However, in some places, industries, and enterprises, the focus of work is "off the track", and the actions taken do not meet the requirements of seeking truth from facts, respecting the law, gradual and orderly progress, which are mainly manifested in three aspects:

  One is that the goal is set too high and out of reality.

Some places, industries, and enterprises have put forward goals beyond the development stage; some places have implemented "one size fits all" shutdown of high-energy-consuming projects; some financial institutions suddenly suspend loans for coal-fired power and other projects.

  The second is to contain the weakness of the "two highs" actions.

To curb the blind development of the "two highs" project is the top priority and top priority of the current carbon peaking and carbon neutral work, but in some places slogans are shouted loudly and actions cannot be kept up, and in some places the "two highs" are even launched in violation of regulations. The problem of building projects before approval is more prominent.

  The third is the weak foundation for energy conservation and emission reduction.

Some places have not paid enough attention to energy conservation and emission reduction, and the implementation of "dual control" of energy consumption is not effective; some industries have not done a good job in structural energy conservation, technical energy conservation, and management energy conservation, but hope that certain technologies will solve the problem once and for all; some Institutions are enthusiastic and chasing hot spots.

  "These phenomena run counter to the original intention and requirements of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality work and must be resolutely corrected." Meng Wei said that the National Development and Reform Commission is working closely with relevant departments to formulate and improve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality "1+N". The policy system ensures that the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council are not deviated or out of shape.

  According to Meng Wei, special inspections have been carried out recently to urge local governments to reduce over 350 "two highs" projects to be launched, and reduce new energy demand by 270 million tons of standard coal, which has achieved initial results.

However, it was also found in the special inspection that some outstanding problems still need to be solved urgently.

The "Barometer of Completion of Energy Consumption Dual Control Targets in Various Regions in the First Half of 2021" shows that in the first half of this year, the energy consumption intensity of 9 provinces in Qinghai, Ningxia, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Shaanxi, and Jiangsu did not decrease year-on-year. The energy consumption intensity reduction rate of 10 provinces has not met the progress requirements, and the energy saving situation is very serious.

“Nine provinces where energy intensity did not decrease but increased. For prefectures and prefectures where energy intensity did not decrease but increased, this year suspended the energy-saving review of the “two highs” projects other than the major projects planned by the state, and urged all localities to take effective measures. Measures to ensure the completion of the annual energy consumption "dual control" target, especially the target task of reducing energy intensity."

  The National Development and Reform Commission will further improve and strengthen the energy consumption "dual control" system, formulate a three-year work plan, resolutely curb the blind development of the "two highs" projects, resolutely take down the "two highs" projects that do not meet the requirements, and accelerate the promotion of the economy and society Develop a comprehensive green transformation.

Our reporter Lu Yanan