China’s political advisors highlight economic growth, innovation, green development

Members of China's national political advisory body highlighted the country's achievements in areas such as economic growth, science and technology innovation and green development on Wednesday.

The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, concluded in Beijing on Wednesday.

Justin Lin Yifu, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University, praised China's economic contribution to the world.

"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), our economy surged through four major milestones over five years. Particularly against the backdrop of a global economic slowdown, we achieved an average annual growth rate of 5.4 percent, contributing approximately 30 percent to global economic growth each year. This represents an exceptionally impressive achievement. We can fully leverage the advantages we possess domestically thanks to the most crucial factor -- having General Secretary Xi Jinping at the helm to guide our course with scientific decision-making and uniting the entire nation in overcoming challenges. As long as we do our part diligently, no matter how high the waves may rise, we will forge ahead through the storm," he said.

Deng Zhonghan, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stressed China's strategy in advancing scientific and technological development.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping has called for striving to make new breakthroughs in enhancing original innovation and tackling key core technologies so as to secure the high ground in science and technology. This has charted the course for our scientific and technological personnel. In the development of emerging and future industries, we must boldly explore new paths, forge independent technological routes to achieve leapfrog development to truly make scientific and technological innovation the core driving force of high-quality development," said Deng.

Gao Jixi, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and principal investigator with the Satellite Application Center for Ecology and Environment under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, put an emphasized on the draft environmental code for deliberation this year.

"At this year's two sessions, we discussed China's second law to be named a 'code' -- a draft environmental code, marking a new phase of systematic integration and coordinated efficiency in advancing ecological and environmental rule of law. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, we will accelerate the green transformation of development patterns and expand pathways for realizing the value of ecological products," he said.

The "two sessions" -- which refer to the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's supreme organ of state power, and the National Committee of the CPPCC -- are a key event on the country's political calendar.

The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC opened in Beijing on March 4.

China’s political advisors highlight economic growth, innovation, green development

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on Wednesday, discussing the recent shooting at the White House press dinner, the situation in Iran and the Ukraine crisis, the Kremlin said.

The Russian president informed his U.S. counterpart of Russia's readiness to declare a truce with Ukraine for the period of Victory Day commemorations.

Trump voiced strong support for the initiative, noting that "the holiday marks our common victory over Nazism in World War II," said Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov after the phone conversation that lasted over an hour and a half.

At Trump's request, Putin described the current situation along the contact line with Ukraine, where Russian troops maintain the strategic initiative and are pushing back enemy positions, said Ushakov.

Putin reaffirmed that the goals of the special military operation will be achieved in any case, the aide said. Russia would prefer this to be achieved through negotiations, for which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskymust respond positively to the well-known proposals that have been repeatedly put forward, including by the U.S. side, he said. Russia has handed over more than 20,000 bodies of the deceased to Ukraine, Putin told Trump, adding that Ukraine has returned just over 500 bodies to Russia since the beginning of 2025.

Among the issues on the international agenda, the two leaders focused primarily on the situation in Iran and the Persian Gulf, according to the Kremlin.

Putin viewed Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran as the right move, as it will help stabilize the situation, Ushakov said, adding that Putin drew attention to the inevitable, extremely dire consequences not only for Iran and its neighbors, but also for the entire international community should the United States and Israel resort to force again.

Russia remains firmly determined to fully support diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a peaceful settlement to the crisis, and has put forward a number of proposals intended to resolve differences over the Iranian nuclear program, said the presidential aide.

Ushakov noted that to this end, Moscow will maintain active contacts with Iranian representatives, leaders of Persian Gulf states, as well as with Israel and the U.S. negotiating team.

For his part, Trump also outlined his assessment of the Middle East situation to Putin.

Putin, Trump hold phone call on issues of Iran, Ukraine