Premier Li Keqiang highlighted on Thursday the importance of completing the task of relieving State-owned enterprises of their obligations to operate social programs as part of broader efforts to improve the competiveness of SOEs and improve the social security system.

Li said in an instruction that work to relieve SOEs of their obligations to operate social programs and solve their other problems has secured decisive outcomes in recent years, which has solved the difficult issues that constrained the reform and development of SOEs in recent years.

Going forward, relevant departments and individuals must fully assume their due responsibilities and come up with tailored measures for different areas and enterprises to solve the remaining difficult problems, he said.

He called for efforts to consolidate the outcomes of reform, prevent and diffuse potential risks, effectively improve the social security system, the public service system and promote high-quality development.

Li’s instruction came as the nation held a teleconference in Beijing on relieving State-owned enterprises of their obligations to operate social programs and solving their historic problems on Thursday.

State Councilor Wang Yong, who is also a deputy head of a State Council leading group on SOE reform, attended the meeting.

The nation expedited steps to relieve State-owned enterprises of their obligations to operate social programs, such as hospitals, schools and running communities, in a guideline issued in August 2015.