Xi urges efforts to boost SMEs' innovation

He calls for creating favorable business environment, bolstering IPR protection

President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to step up support for small and medium-sized enterprises to promote innovation and foster more "little giant" companies.

Xi emphasized the need to create a favorable business environment for them, consolidate their confidence in growth and strengthen protection of intellectual property rights.

He made the remarks in a congratulatory letter sent to a conference on the development of such enterprises that opened on Thursday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.