President Xi Jinping sent a strong signal of maintaining supportive policies toward private businesses, including such measures as tax reductions, at an unusual meeting with entrepreneurs on Thursday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was briefed by 10 entrepreneurs, mostly from small and medium-sized companies, at the Great Hall of the People. He talked with them about their difficulties and required that related government departments study how to address the problems properly.

After the briefing, Xi delivered a speech pledging to support the development of private businesses as always.