Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, chairs a symposium on advancing the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and delivers an important speech in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, Oct. 12, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for further promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt to better support and serve Chinese modernization.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Thursday at a symposium he chaired on advancing the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

He stressed the importance of fully and faithfully implementing the new development philosophy in all respects, prioritizing eco-environmental progress and pursuing green development.

Xi said the region's development should be led by scientific and technological innovation while ecological and environmental protection and economic and social development should be advanced in a coordinated manner.

It is also imperative to strengthen synergy in policies and work to make long-term plans, seek long-term solutions and lay a foundation for lasting stability, he added.

The symposium was attended by Premier Li Qiang, Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. They are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Remarkable changes have been made in the region in the past eight years since the implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy, and it has turned into a consensus to promote well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoid excessive development, Xi said.

Advancing the high-quality growth of the Yangtze River Economic Belt relies fundamentally on the sound ecology of the Yangtze River basin, he said.

The ecological red lines along the river that had been drawn must be upheld and placed under oversight, he said, calling for continued work to enhance comprehensive environmental treatment to reduce the amount of pollutants at the sources of discharge.

Xi underlined cutting carbon emissions, curbing pollution, increasing vegetation and pursuing growth in a coordinated manner. Noting that the green transformation and upgrading of industries should be the top priority, he urged efforts to nurture and expand green and low-carbon industries and vigorously develop green technologies and products to turn ecological assets into economic assets.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, chairs a symposium on advancing the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and delivers an important speech in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, Oct. 12, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi also stressed the need to turn the advantages of the economic belt in sci-tech research and talent into advantages in development, to actively explore new frontiers, and to foster new drivers of development.

He said continued efforts should be made to strengthen the core competitiveness of the manufacturing sector, develop advanced manufacturing, enhance coordination along the industrial chains, promote the extension of industrial chains for competitive industries, and cultivate emerging industries.

Xi called for better playing to the strengths of the economic belt in terms of its location and connectivity to provide strategic support for the creation of a new development pattern, while actively promoting high-standard opening-up and expanding global economic cooperation.

Free trade zones along the economic belt should play a larger role in institutional innovation so as to gather experiences and explore new paths for establishing new systems for a higher-standard open economy, he said.

Xi stressed the importance of focusing on boosting regional coordination and connectivity, and urged provinces and cities along the Yangtze River to further promote inter-provincial consultation, joint ecological protection, as well as collaboration and shared benefits across the region.

He called for efforts to steadily advance the construction of a community with shared ecology and interests, and promote coordinated regional development.

He also urged efforts to further elevate the integration of regional transportation, deepen cooperation on government services and optimize the business environment.

Efforts should be made to fully tap the value of the Yangtze River culture that is relevant to the present times, and build the Yangtze River basin into a golden tourism belt with international appeal, Xi added.

Noting the importance of the Yangtze River Economic Belt to China's overall development, Xi urged efforts to strike a balance between development and security, and to see that the region plays a larger role in safeguarding national food security, energy security, water security and the security of key industrial and supply chains, and thus contributes to the country's overall security.

Xi urged related authorities to advance major reforms in key areas, guide enterprises and social organizations to actively participate in the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the people.

In his remarks, Li stressed the importance of strengthening the conservation of the Yangtze River with sustained efforts and improving the compensation system for ecological conservation.

Ding called for efforts to open up inland areas as well as areas along the coastline, the Yangtze River and borders in a coordinated way, and form synergy for high-quality development by promoting high-level coordination.  

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