The Party Committee’s Theoretical Study Center Group of the Group (Bureau) conducted an in-depth study of the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and discussed how to comprehensively advance reform and economic development.

“Focusing on core responsibilities and key business areas, accelerating reform efforts, and making decisive moves to elevate the Administration’s reform agenda”—on the morning of February 8, the Party Committee of the Group (Administration) convened its second (expanded) centralized study session for 2022 via a WeChat Work conference. The meeting was chaired by Party Secretary Shang Honglin and centered on the theme of “the economy,” with participants studying documents including the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference, Xi Jinping’s address at the 2022 World Economic Forum video conference, and the spirit of the Central Rural Work Conference.

Liu Xingwang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, delivered a keynote address titled “Strengthen Core Businesses to Enhance Capabilities, Advance Reform to Usher in a New Chapter, and Steadily Elevate the Group (Bureau) to a New Level of High-Quality Development.” In his speech, he articulated a profound understanding of Xi Jinping’s economic thought and, drawing on practical experience, elucidated the guiding significance of key economic concepts—such as “seeking progress while maintaining stability,” “reform,” the “new development paradigm,” “preventing and defusing major risks,” “ecological conservation,” the “dual carbon goals,” and “rural revitalization”—for the Group’s (Bureau’s) high-quality development.

The meeting featured exchanges and discussions centered on “focusing on core responsibilities and primary business, optimizing the industrial structure, accelerating reform breakthroughs, strengthening market development, upholding scientific and technological innovation, enhancing management capabilities, comprehensively advancing all tasks related to deepening reform and economic development, and elevating the Group (Bureau) to a new stage of high-quality growth.”

Shang Honglin pointed out that leading cadres suffer from insufficient crisis awareness, weak reform consciousness, and a lack of market orientation. He emphasized the need for comprehensive self‑examination and reflection, coupled with a focus on key tasks, to drive reform and improvement in the coming year: First, we must steadfastly uphold the central role of geological exploration, serve national economic development, expand geological technical services, and, in light of new economic trends and evolving industry dynamics, make thorough preparations for emerging market opportunities. Second, we should achieve breakthroughs in mine reclamation and environmental remediation, prioritize major projects, strengthen overall coordination, intensify support for key industries and units, and step up guidance and oversight of underperforming entities to enhance their management capabilities and market‑development skills. Third, in mineral resource development, we should emphasize niche mineral sectors, deepen cooperation with the China National Coal Administration, seek targeted support and capital injections from the Administration, ensure effective vertical alignment, improve reporting and communication, reinforce adherence to procedural protocols and authority, mitigate risks, and boost project success rates. Fourth, in integrating industry with finance, we must intensify learning and fully leverage the financial arm’s capacity to support both the mining sector and the ecological‑environmental protection industries. Fifth, regarding state‑owned enterprise reform and restructuring, we must recognize the paramount importance of this endeavor, devote substantial effort, focus on priority areas, and set exemplary models—ensuring not only formal compliance but also substantive progress—to truly advance industrial transformation and achieve high‑quality development. Sixth, in the realm of scientific and technological innovation, we should relaunch the science and technology forum, integrate it with our core business, and engage more closely with the market. Adopting a more inclusive and open stance, we must “open our doors” to science and technology, enabling customers to understand and support us, thereby fulfilling the forum’s intended purpose.

Wang Yong emphasized the need to earnestly implement the spirit of the CPC and Party‑style and clean‑government work conference convened by the China National Coal Administration, formulate a work plan, and clearly define specific measures. He stressed the importance of leveraging the supervisory committee’s pivotal role, establishing clear departmental oversight responsibilities, and ensuring the effective implementation of the Party Committee’s decisions and arrangements. Furthermore, he called for making full use of the “four forms” of intra‑party supervision and disciplinary enforcement, promptly conducting heart-to-heart talks and providing reminders and education to address emerging issues before they escalate, and advancing the practical application of oversight over principal leaders. He also underscored the necessity of continuously strengthening the discipline inspection team and harnessing the critical role of inspection tours, while reinforcing the building of primary‑level Party organizations through ideological education, Party member management, and institutional development, thereby promoting the integration of Party building with the center’s core tasks.

Chen Haiyong pointed out that the recent Central Economic Work Conference identified “shrinking demand, supply shocks, and weakening expectations” as the threefold pressures confronting the economy. Against this broader economic backdrop, the geological exploration sector will likewise face significant challenges. All leaders, cadres, and employees must be fully aware of these realities and strengthen training and education. Only by remaining vigilant in times of stability and forging ahead with courage can we effectively navigate difficulties and achieve sustained, long-term progress. It is essential to deepen knowledge of economics, intensify research and investigation, and make decisions in a scientific and prudent manner. Furthermore, we must ensure the effective implementation of strategies centered on our core responsibilities and primary business, leveraging our strengths and regional characteristics to formulate clear sub‑strategies and firmly steer our development trajectory. Finally, we should advance financial lean management and digitalization, reinforce standardized and systematic practices, and pilot project‑management initiatives at the Hunan Institute and Mingda Ocean Company, thereby achieving unified data sources for enterprise management, end-to-end lifecycle oversight, and integrated business‑finance development.

Tian Li emphasized the need to leverage the high‑quality guiding role of the 14th Five‑Year Plan, strengthen its dissemination and implementation, and enhance guidance and oversight of the plan’s execution at the secondary‑level units, thereby clarifying the strategic direction for industrial development. With “stability” remaining the overarching priority of national economic policy, local government debt will be subject to tighter controls, which will further impact fiscal projects related to environmental governance. At the bureau level, the “F+EPC” model is emerging as a key development trend; it should be promoted and applied, while also deepening research into an appropriate allocation of responsibilities, rights, and benefits, as well as mechanisms for generating returns for local governments.

Jiao Sen pointed out that, with a vision encompassing the “two overarching contexts,” we must pursue high-quality development. On the one hand, we should expand and strengthen the mining‑development segment by thoroughly studying and leveraging mineral‑rights policies and market conditions, driving new breakthroughs in the operation of key chemical‑mining rights—such as those for fluorite and potash—and fully capitalizing on policy and resource advantages to elevate the ecological‑environmental sector to new heights. On the other hand, we must effectively enhance the rate of translating scientific‑technological innovations into practical applications and bolster their support for industrial development, steadily advance the construction of an innovation‑platform system, and successfully organize the “Mingda Science Lecture Series” and the “Science and Technology Forum.” By focusing on customer needs and pain points, we will develop core technologies in areas such as ecological environment, urban geology, and marine geology, cultivate independently owned core technologies for our industries, and lead the enterprise toward high‑quality growth.

Diao Haizhong emphasized the need to continuously advance integrated conservation and systematic management of mountains, waters, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands, and deserts. Secondary-level units should, in light of their specific circumstances, strengthen work in hydrogeology, urban geology, marine geology, agricultural geology, and tourism geology; intensify strategic mineral exploration and the exploration, development, and utilization of chemical‑mining resources—such as fluorite, potash, and phosphate rock—to unlock geological value and enhance the standing of the Chemical Mining Bureau. Priority should be given to identifying opportunities and tapping market potential in areas such as new‑energy development, green‑mine construction, ecological‑environmental protection and restoration, and geological‑disaster prevention and control. Efforts must be deepened to refine the marketing‑system framework of secondary units, fostering a robust marketing structure characterized by vertical coordination, horizontal collaboration, and concerted efforts to tackle challenges, while implementing market‑driven incentive mechanisms and bolstering the team of market‑development professionals. Furthermore, trade‑related operations must be tightly managed, risk‑prevention measures strengthened, and workplace safety consistently maintained.

Li Kai pointed out that market conditions are evolving rapidly, and reforms must keep pace. Efforts should be aligned with the national “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” policy direction: “specialized” refers to the core business of geological exploration and cutting‑edge technologies; “refined” emphasizes meticulous operational management and robust risk control; “distinctive” entails a clear market positioning; and “innovative” focuses on emerging sectors such as new materials and new energy. It is imperative to abandon blind and short‑sighted approaches to development.

Wang Jun emphasized that geological exploration is fundamental, must not be abandoned, and requires strengthened efforts, particularly among leading institutions in the field. He called for the establishment and improvement of grassroots Party organizations and trade unions to prevent and resolve conflicts, while also urging greater investment in scientific and technological innovation and the promotion of the spirit of craftsmanship.