National Tobacco Work Conference Held in Beijing on January 16-17, 2025

The National Tobacco Work Conference was held in Beijing on January 16th-17th, 2025. The main tasks of the conference were to adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, comprehensively implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, and the Central Economic Work Conference, earnestly implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, as well as the requirements of the Party group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, to summarize the tobacco work in 2024, analyze the situation faced, and deploy key tasks for this year. Xing Guobin, member of the Party group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Vice Minister, attended the meeting and delivered a speech, while Ye Min, member of the Party group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervision Commission stationed at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, also attended the meeting. Zhang Jianmin, member of the Party group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Secretary of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration Party group, Director of the Administration, and General Manager of the China Tobacco Corporation, presented a work report. Han Zhanwu, member of the Party group of the National Administration, and Deputy Director, delivered a summary speech, with members of the Party group and Deputy Directors Wang Gongcheng, Lu Jie, and Liu Sanjiang also attending the meeting.

Xin Guobin pointed out in his speech that in the past year, the tobacco industry has focused on politics and the overall situation, bravely shouldering responsibilities and performing well, successfully completing the key tasks assigned by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. Significant achievements have been made in industry reform, reform efforts, operational regulation, technological innovation, monopoly supervision, risk prevention, and other work. Major economic indicators have reached new highs, the modernization level of the entire industry chain has accelerated, and the industry's political environment continues to improve.

In order to fulfill the work for this year, Xin Guobin emphasized the need to comprehensively implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, conscientiously implement the requirements of the Central Economic Work Conference and the National Conference on Promoting the New Type of Industrialization, adhere to the general principle of working steadily for progress, focus on the key task of high-quality development, use further deepening of reform as a driving force, comprehensively enhance the modernization level of the industry, and promote the high-quality development of the tobacco economy. We must make every effort to maintain the stable operation of the industry economy, adhere to the policy of "overall control, slightly tight balance, reasonable growth, and focus on sustainability," further strengthen the targeted regulation of operation, stabilize expectations more effectively, and enhance vitality; solidly promote industrial optimization and upgrading, make good use of the opportunities provided by the "two new" policies, promote the high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated development of the industry, actively cultivate and develop new productive forces; improve governance efficiency with reform and innovation, strengthen scientific planning, system integration, enhance synergy and coordination, push forward key reform measures to land and take effect more quickly, and enhance overall efficiency; strengthen control and enforcement of monopoly supervision with greater intensity, closely monitor new changes in the tobacco market, focus on key areas and key links, improve the quality and capacity of law enforcement personnel, maintain high pressure on cracking down on counterfeiting and smuggling, and fully maintain market order; scientifically determine development goals, implement the tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, compile the 15th Five-Year Plan with high quality, and enhance the foresight, targeting and operability of policy measures.

Xin Guobin emphasized the need to resolutely shoulder the political responsibility for comprehensively governing the Party with strict discipline and to lead high-quality development with high-quality Party building. It is necessary to comprehensively strengthen the construction of political organs, persistently use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to arm the mind, guide practice, and promote work, regularly carry out political awareness education in political organs and education on loyalty to the Party, deeply understand the decisive significance of the "two upholds", further enhance the "four consciousness", firmly uphold the "four confidences", and fulfill the "two safeguards", serving as good role models. It is important to consolidate and expand the achievements of industry rectification efforts, closely integrating rectification with fulfilling responsibilities, solving difficult problems, promoting work, improving management, etc., timely solidifying and persisting in good experiences and practices, and achieving greater results in rectification. Consistent efforts are needed to promote integrity, discipline, and anti-corruption, consolidate and deepen the results of learning and education on Party discipline, continuously implement the spirit of the Central Committee's eight-point regulations and their detailed implementation rules, maintain a high-pressure anti-corruption situation in the industry, continuously rectify the "four undesirable work styles", and create a good political environment of clean governance and integrity. Efforts should be made to boost the spirit of entrepreneurship, taking the tempering of Party character and the improvement of ideological consciousness as lifelong tasks, implementing the Party's organizational line in the new era, clearly establishing the correct orientation for selecting and appointing personnel, inspiring cadres to take on responsibilities, building a high-quality professional cadre team that is loyal, clean, and responsible, and promoting a dynamic situation of vigorous progress and daring to be the first.

Zhang Jianmin pointed out in his work report that in 2024, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the industry as a whole will deeply implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. It will adhere to the principles of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, establishing priorities before tackling difficulties, effectively implementing various work measures, maintaining a steady and progressive economic trend, continuously producing innovative technological achievements, steadily advancing key reform tasks in an orderly manner, vigorously maintaining market order, achieving significant results in rectification and reform, successfully completing annual goals and tasks, making more significant contributions in all aspects, and taking new solid steps towards high-quality development and modernization. The main achievements are as follows: highlighting strategic orientation and scientific regulation, making every effort to maintain stable economic operation; emphasizing the empowerment of technology for industrial upgrading, accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system; focusing on overcoming key obstacles in reform, continually improving the level of industry governance; cracking down on illegal activities in key areas related to tobacco, comprehensively strengthening market supervision; coordinating industrial policies, continuously improving the tobacco market access system; ensuring political leadership and further improving the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party system.

Zhang Jianmin emphasized the importance of fully implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, as well as the 2nd and 3rd Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, to firmly promote the high-quality development and modernization of the industry. It is necessary to continuously strengthen industry strategy guidance and implementation. Adhering closely to the goals and tasks set forth in the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, research should be conducted to develop new measures and methods to promote high-quality development and modernization of the industry. Efforts should be focused on ensuring that all existing and new policies are fully implemented; striving to achieve the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and preparing well for the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan, ensuring coherence in industry development goals, policy orientations, and key tasks. It is important to scientifically plan and promote further comprehensive reform in the industry. Upholding the principles of maintaining originality and innovation, reform should be guided by correct political direction, planned with a problem-oriented approach, and driven by economic system reform to enhance the well-being of the people. Emphasis should be placed on systematic planning, deepening reform of industry governance systems, economic systems, cadres personnel systems, normative management, and supervision system mechanisms, focusing on enhancing the systemic, holistic, and coordinated nature of reform efforts.

During the meeting, it was proposed to thoroughly implement the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference, consciously aligning development goals, policy orientations, and task arrangements with those set by the conference. Attendees were urged to use the spirit of the conference to clarify direction, understand the situation, and promote development, ensuring alignment with the macro goals and direction in strengthening situational analysis and policy formulation. It is necessary to conduct a comprehensive and dialectical analysis of the challenges facing industry development, scientifically determine the guiding ideology and expected goals for this year's work, fully assess difficulties, refine response measures, and better mobilize all aspects of positivity to transform potential favorable conditions into tangible results.

The meeting pointed out that in order to do a good job this year, we must adhere to the principles of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, upholding tradition while fostering innovation, fully implementing the new development concept with completeness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness, actively serving and integrating into the new development landscape, adhering to the industry's "sixteen-character" policy, further deepening comprehensive reforms, constructing a modern industrial system, coordinating development and security better, implementing more proactive macro policies, integrating into the strategy of expanding domestic demand, promoting the integrated development of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, stabilizing expectations, stimulating vitality, taking initiative and striving for progress, and actively promoting high-quality development and modernization in the industry to achieve new results, and achieving the high-quality completion of the tasks in the "14th Five-Year Plan," laying a solid foundation for a good start in the "15th Five-Year Plan.

The meeting emphasized the need to focus on key tasks for 2025. Firstly, it is necessary to maintain a strict tone and resolutely uphold the comprehensive strict governance of the Party. Thoroughly study and implement the important ideology of self-revolution of the Party put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, conscientiously implement the work deployment of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, adhere to and strengthen the overall leadership of the Party, consolidate and expand the results of rectification and reform, persist in rectifying discipline and fighting corruption, and continuously deepen the comprehensive strict governance of the Party in the industry. Secondly, it is important to adhere to progress while maintaining stability, make every effort to stabilize operations, promote growth, and contribute stability. Decisively implement the industry's "sixteen-character" policy, clearly establish the goal-oriented direction of "jumping high and touching", closely focus on the positive development goals of the industry, implement more balanced operation regulation, strengthen assessment and incentive mechanisms, and stabilize industry's contribution to the national finances and macroeconomy with greater efforts. Thirdly, it is necessary to strengthen supervision in accordance with the law and focus on purifying the market. Crack down severely on all kinds of illegal activities related to tobacco, combat counterfeit cigarette smuggling beyond normal measures, and improve the efficiency of e-cigarette and new tobacco-related supervision, strictly strengthen internal management and standardized law enforcement, effectively safeguard national interests and consumer interests. Fourthly, it is important to continue deepening reform comprehensively and systematically enhance the industry's governance efficiency. Solidly promote reforms in key areas, continuously improve corporate management systems, establish a sound mechanism to reduce costs and increase efficiency, rely on deepening reforms and enhancing management to continuously improve efficiency, enhance motivation, and expand space. Fifth, it is crucial to highlight innovation-driven development and accelerate the cultivation and development of new productive forces in the industry. Implement the strategy of innovation-driven development, enhance overall technological innovation capabilities, consolidate and improve the results of digital transformation, promote industrial optimization, and upgrade through technology innovation. Sixth, focus on quality improvement and comprehensively strengthen the work of industry cadres and personnel. Strengthen the selection and training of outstanding cadres and talents, unify and standardize cadre personnel systems, conduct in-depth supervision of cadre personnel work, and intensify the centralized management of human resources to comprehensively improve the quality of cadre personnel work and the level of team building. Seventh, coordinate development and safety, promote the overall improvement of the industry's soft and hard power. Continuously consolidate the foundation of safety systems, actively prevent and resolve risks and challenges, focus on creating a favorable environment for development, and strive to achieve high-quality development in conjunction with high-level safety interaction. The meeting called for the entire industry to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, take the lead in practical actions, achieve new results in high-quality development and modernization construction in the industry, and make more substantial contributions to the comprehensive advancement of building a strong country and national rejuvenation with Chinese characteristics.

In order to implement the spirit of the meeting, Han Zhanwu put forward three requirements: firstly, resolutely implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, consciously identify positioning and responsibilities within the overall work of the Party and the country, improve policy planning, maintain determination to implement strategies, and seize the opportunity to further promote comprehensive deepening of reforms. Secondly, it is necessary to recognize the situation, maintain confidence, establish a positive and enterprising work orientation, and be more proactive in achieving goals, policy orientation, and work status in order to guide development expectations, release development potential, and stimulate dynamic energy. Thirdly, it is necessary to face difficulties head-on, focus on implementation, and push forward with meeting deployment requirements through strengthening responsibilities, innovative methods, and overall consideration, in order to fully achieve annual target tasks.

During the meeting, representatives from Shenzhen Bureau (Company), Hunan Tobacco, Anhui Tobacco, Fujian Bureau (Company), Henan Tobacco, and Sichuan Bureau (Company) engaged in serious discussions on how to study and implement the spirit of the meeting, carry out this year's work effectively, and promote the high-quality development and modernization of the industry with new achievements.

The leaders of relevant departments of the State Council General Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Finance, as well as the head of the discipline inspection and supervision team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission stationed at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, attended the meeting to provide guidance. Deputy department-level officials and above from various departments and units of national agencies and headquarters, as well as key leaders of direct subordinate units in the industry and office directors, participated in the meeting.