The year 2015 was the last of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), and at the same time it was the first of Shanxi province's "Six Developments" program. The province worked hard in many areas to promote its social and economic development.

The Shanxi Daily has selected the following top ten news events about Shanxi in 2015.

No.1 Deepening reform of the coal management system

The Shanxi Provincial Party Committee and the Shanxi government released Opinions on Deepening Reform on the Coal Management System on Jan, 2015, proposing reforms in key areas such as resource allocation, project examination and approval, construction, production, ecological management, safety supervision, sales mechanisms, models of sales, enterprise reforms, power constraint, and rule by law.

According to the Opinions, the province hopes to achieve modernization of the coal management system in 2017.

No.2 Measures to lighten the burden on enterprises

The province of Shanxi began to implement 60 measures to lighten the burden on enterprises and promote smooth operation of industries as of April 1, 2015.

The measures are expected to reduce current fees of 46.5 billion yuan ($7.06 billion) and provide subsidies of 3.6 billion yuan.

An official document listing measures to boost industrial growth, called "Industry 19 items", was put into effect in August, which helped deal with downward pressure on the economy.

[Photo/sx.news.cn]

No.3 Putting power under the control of institutions

Shanxi fought hard against corruption and for practical implementation of the six rules of power – identifying the power by law, distributing the power in a scientific way, limiting the power to an institution, using the power transparently, supervising the power in public, and punishing abuse of the power harshly.

As many as 11 cities in the province have carried out the rules.

No.4 Taosi relics

Results of excavation of the Taosi relics in Xiangfen county of Shanxi province were announced at a press conference held by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on June 18.

The findings showed that the location, dates, and level of civilization of the Taosi relics accord with the time of Emperor Yao, a legendary Chinese ruler. They offer strong evidence for the existence of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

[Photo/sx.news.cn]

No.5 Making efforts into financial revitalization, technological innovation, and private economy

Shanxi province last year developed policies to promote financial revitalization, encourage technological innovation, and accelerate the private economy. The policies are meant to transform and encourage economic development.

No.6 Party cadres working in poor villages

As many as 9,395 Party cadres were assigned to work as secretaries of village Party committees in poor villages across the province to bring these villages and local people out of poverty by 2020.

No.7 Fairs held to promote cultural industry

The Second Shanxi Cultural Industries Fair was held in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, on Sept 9, with exhibitions from 24 countries, 31 cities, provinces, and autonomous regions in China, and from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The 25th National Book Trade Fair was held in Taiyuan on Sept 25, displaying 250,000 books and attracting over 1,000 publishers from around the country.

The 2015 China Sports Culture and Sports Tourism Expo took place in Shanxi's capital city on Oct 11, the highest-level one held in the province to date.

The Second Shanxi Cultural Industries Fair [Photo/sx.news.cn]

No.8 Accelerating the pace of opening up

Shanxi province has sought cooperation with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Circum-Bohai Sea region.

The General Administration of Customs confirms that Shanxi, with eight other provinces, including Shandong and Henan, was involved in the integrated reform of customs clearance along the Silk Road economic belt.

No.9 Policies benefiting the people

The province increased pensions for retired people and provided 20 million yuan of discounts which will stimulate about 650 million yuan of social capital in the development of the old-age service industry.

By the end of 2015, the province's critical illness insurance provided all insured people, whether urban or rural residents, with basic medical insurance.

No.10 Shanxi holding the Seventh Plenary Meeting of the Tenth Shanxi Provincial Party Committee

The Seventh Plenary Meeting of the Tenth Shanxi Provincial Party Committee was held in Taiyuan, capital city of the province, on Dec 4, and drew up the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) for the province.

The Seventh Plenary Meeting of the Tenth Shanxi Provincial Party Committee [Photo/sx.news.cn]