BEIJING -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has held a symposium with non-CPC personages to seek opinions and suggestions on the country's current economic situation and economic work for the second half of the year.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the symposium and delivered an important speech on July 23.

Stressing the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, Xi said efforts should be made to keep employment, businesses, markets and expectations stable, effectively bolster consumption, and break free from rat-race competition.

Work should be done to strengthen domestic economic circulation and promote the positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows, Xi said.

The symposium was attended by Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Li briefed the meeting on economic work in the first half of 2025 and introduced relevant considerations for the economic work in the second half.

Chairpersons of the central committees of eight non-CPC parties, chairperson of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), and a representative of personages without party affiliation made speeches.

They agreed with the CPC Central Committee's analysis and considerations for the economic work and offered suggestions on issues including inter-regional coordination of sci-tech and industrial innovation, service consumption and private enterprises.

The Chinese economy posted stable performance and made progress in the first half of this year, reflecting its solid foundation, multiple advantages, strong resilience, great potential, and continuous accumulation of positive factors supporting high-quality development, Xi noted after listening to their speeches.

In the face of risks and challenges in the second half, China should focus on expanding domestic demand, deepening reform and opening-up, promoting the in-depth integration of sci-tech and industrial innovation, preventing and mitigating risks in key sectors, and improving people's livelihoods, Xi said.

Xi expressed the hope that all non-CPC parties, the ACFIC, and personages without party affiliation will forge broad consensus on economic development and put forward more forward-looking and actionable opinions and suggestions on high-quality development.