The first working day after the Spring Festival, the Third Plenary Session of the State Council held on February 18 emphasized striving to seize the initiative in work, aiming to achieve practical results in all tasks as soon as possible, winning the trust of the people with solid work and real achievements, and ensuring that the final results conform to the decision-making intent of the Party Central Committee.

　　The plan for the year lies in spring, and the start of work often carries the meaning of a "weather vane." Looking across the country, whether at the central or local level, "substance" was the strongest signal China sent on the first day of work in the Year of the Dragon.

　　"Substance" is first reflected in solid work. Managing the economy and pursuing development concern the vital interests of the people and every aspect of society; this is solid, hard-nosed work that allows no room for the slightest falsehood.

　　On the first day of work, localities not only introduced real measures to strengthen services but also turned the blade inward with genuine resolve. As China's economic center, Shanghai on February 18 released the 7.0 version of its action plan for optimizing the business environment for the seventh consecutive year. The 150 measures include only tasks of concern to all sectors of society and enterprises; the number of items has been slimmed down but the problem orientation is stronger and more targeted, dedicated to reducing the "temperature gap" between what enterprises feel and the policies.

　　At the start of the new year, the news that Hunan launched a province-wide great discussion on emancipating the mind also drew public attention. Reversing the impulse to "find ways" and "manufacture achievements" by focusing solely on data, and keeping a close eye on bottlenecks such as the oversized number of non-establishment personnel in some government agencies and public institutions, overstaffing, and the heavy burden of fiscal support—these "ten reversals" and "ten close attentions" were called "every cut drawing blood" by netizens.

　　"Substance" is more importantly reflected in seeking practical results. Turning the "construction blueprint" into a "real-life picture" requires a division of labor and path, assessment targets, and an acceptance mechanism; it must prevent mere scribbling on paper and hanging on walls, and eliminate formalism and vague generalities.

　　On the first day of work, localities showcased the results of the past year's work, speaking with numbers and proving with real achievements, letting entrepreneurs and scientists take the center stage and speak from real experience. In addition, when deploying the new year's work, localities also focused on quantified targets and clear responsibilities.

　　For example, while Shanghai released its plan for optimizing the business environment, the government also issued a responsibility division table for each department and a list for replicating and promoting business environment experience and practices from each district; at Guangdong's "Spring Festival First Meeting," not only did the provincial party secretary make deployments and raise requirements, but 21 municipal party secretaries also stated their positions on site, comparing and learning from one another and pledging "military orders"; Liaoning's "Spring Festival First Meeting" reiterated that "ensuring the goal of economic growth higher than the national level is the military order we have pledged to the Party Central Committee and the people of the whole province."

　　"Empty talk harms the country, solid work rejuvenates the nation; one part deployment, nine parts implementation." The Central Economic Work Conference held last December required "implementing without compromise," "implementing with swift and vigorous action," "implementing in a truth-seeking and pragmatic manner," and "implementing with courage to act and skill to succeed."

　　The start concerns the overall situation, and the first step determines the latter course. Dragon Year China, setting out with solid work, looks even more forward to speaking through practical results.