Full text of Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength

BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength.

On the occasion of the opening of the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength, I would like to express my warm congratulations on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee!

Our Party has been committed to securing new successes in developing socialist culture. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has attached great importance to cultural development in national governance, furthered understanding of rules about cultural development, and promoted cultural inheritance and development. Solid progress has been made in building China into a country with a strong socialist culture.

We must fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, better shoulder new cultural missions, increase confidence in our own culture, adhere to the approach of openness and inclusiveness, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, and inspire the cultural creativity of the whole nation. Standing at a new historical starting point, we will continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a leading country in culture, develop a modern Chinese civilization, keep promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and provide cultural strength for building a stronger country and achieving national rejuvenation.

Xi Jinping

June 7, 2023

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Xi calls for sustained efforts to create new miracles in combating desertification

BAYANNUR, Inner Mongolia, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over a symposium on strengthening comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of key ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), during an inspection tour in the city of Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and made an important speech.

He stressed that to strengthen comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and further carry out the construction of such key ecological projects as the TSFP is of great concern to our country's ecological security, the building of a great country, and the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. It is a great accomplishment at present time that will benefit future generations. He required those involved to shoulder the mission with courage, determination and perseverance to create new miracles in China's fight against desertification in the new era, consolidate the green barrier that extends thousands of kilometers in the north of our motherland, and make greater achievements in building a beautiful China.

From Monday to Tuesday, accompanied by Sun Shaocheng, secretary of Party committee of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Wang Lixia, the autonomous region's chairwoman, Xi was on a fact-finding mission to a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in Bayannur.

Located at the apex of the meandering bends of the Yellow River, Ulan Suhai Lake, also known as Wuliangsu Lake, is the biggest lake wetland of the Yellow River basin. With important functions of regulating water flow, improving water quality and preventing ice formation and flooding, it is a hub of ecological functions in north China, and a natural ecological barrier to prevent sandstorms from reaching Beijing and Tianjin. On Monday afternoon, Xi arrived at Ulan Suhai Lake to learn about the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grass and sand and the ecological environment rehabilitation there, and examine the natural landscape of the lake and the ecological environment in the surroundings. Xi stressed the great importance of environmental protection and rehabilitation work on Ulan Suhai Lake to the ecological security of north China. With task of environmental protection and rehabilitation clearly defined, wholehearted and meticulous efforts must be made in a consistent and long-term manner, so as to conserve well the lake as "a pearl beyond the Great Wall" and leave a beautiful homeland with lush mountains, lucid waters and clean air for future generations.

Xi then went to the modern agricultural demonstration zone at the southern bank of the lake. He watched exhibited samples of soil and seeds, and affirmed how local people have restored, transformed and made comprehensive utilization of saline-alkali and sandy lands, expanded well-planned irrigation, and promoted modern agriculture. Xi walked into the farmland, checked the growth of wheat and peppers, and asked the agricultural technicians on-site about the building of high-standard farmlands. He noted that the demonstration zone should play its role in promoting modern agriculture, keep exploration to find crop species, develop agricultural techniques and ways of farming in line with local conditions, and cut costs while enhancing output to develop modes that could be duplicated and popularized. The Hetao region enjoys natural advantages from irrigation of the Yellow River. Although water is not a problem, the region should still save water resources, boost highly-efficient modern agriculture and water-saving industries instead of making flood irrigation. Overall, grasslands have been overgrazed in Inner Mongolia, and something needs to be done for grasslands to rehabilitate.

Xi then went to state-owned Xinhua forest farm in Linhe District on Tuesday morning, where he learned about the development of the TSFP, an afforestation project covering north, northeast and northwest China. Since 1978, the forest farm has been making great efforts in rehabilitating sandy lands caused by saline-alkaline farmlands, and planted a total of 39,000 mu (2,600 hectares) of new forests. At the forest farm, Xi was briefed on the progress of the program in Inner Mongolia as well as sand control and afforestation of the farm, and checked sandy lands under restoration on the spot. Xi stressed that should the mankind live a better life and enjoy sound development, they must do a good work in combating desertification. Just like rolling a large rock uphill, endeavor in this regard is a progress that may fall into relapse if any negligence occurs. Major ecological projects like the TSFP could only be accomplished under the leadership of the CPC. Given the fragile ecological conditions of the Three North region, tackling desertification has become a long-term task of historic importance, and sustained efforts must be made in this regard to conserve well what our ancestors have left us and not to do a disservice to our future generations when it comes to ecology. The work at the forest farm is arduous, but remarkable outcomes have been achieved, and sustained efforts are needed for new progress. Scientific workers should base their research on the realities of our country, turn the real knowledge acquired from practice into their theses, and become the true PhDs and experts that the Party and the people need.

Xi then arrived at the Hetao Irrigation Area Water Information Monitoring Center for inspection. As one of the three mega irrigation areas in China, the Hetao Irrigation Area has formed a complete seven-tiered irrigation and drainage system. While watching the sand table and screens, Xi listened to an introduction about how the locals make use of information technologies to improve the precision management of the Hetao Irrigation Area and promote the eco-friendly and efficient use of water resources. He stressed that the irrigation project at the Hetao Irrigation Area is a great enterprise to the future of our country, and lots of endeavors have been made on it, which is worthwhile. More progress should be made in improving the scientific diversion and management of water. Meanwhile, all resources must be used within your means, a diverse input mechanism should be established to pool the strength of the whole society, Xi said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Xi chaired a symposium in Bayannur City on strengthening the overall prevention and control of desertification and accelerating the building of the TSFP and other key ecological projects. Those who made presentations include Wang Guanghua, minister of natural resources, Sun Shaocheng, secretary of the Party committee of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hu Changsheng, secretary of the Party committee of Gansu Province, and Liang Yanshun, secretary of the Party committee of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. He Lifeng, vice premier of the State Council and leaders of other relevant provinces and autonomous regions submitted written speeches.

Xi made an important speech after listening to the presentations. He stressed that the CPC Central Committee has attached great importance to the work of desertification prevention and control, and has made the prevention of desert encroachment and sand control major tasks in this regard. A series of key ecological programs have been launched, including the TSFP, the program of turning more marginal farmland into forests and grasslands, and source control of sandstorms in Beijing and Tianjin. With over 40 years of unremitting efforts, China has made remarkable achievements in desertification prevention and control. China realized a historical transformation from "sand forcing humans to retreat" to "trees forcing sand to retreat" in key areas under control, environmental protection and improving people's well-being have entered a virtuous circle, and economic and social development as well as the ecological environment of the regions with desertification saw tremendous changes. The areas of land desertification and soil desertification were both reduced, and hazards of sandstorms and soil erosion were effectively curbed. Laws and regulations in this regard have been improved, green development has benefited people's lives, and "the spirit of Three-North" has been cultivated. What China has achieved in this regard has become a model in ecological conservation in the world. Facts have proved that the decisions of the CPC Central Committee to prevent and control desertification was right and far-sighted, especially with the implementation of the projects such as the TSFP. China has blazed a special path of desertification prevention and control that follows the rules of nature and suits China's national reality and local conditions.

Xi pointed out that desertification is a major global environmental scourge that matters to human survival and development. China is one of the countries with the severest desertification, and desertification areas are mainly in northwest, north and northeast China. Xi noted that the regions with desertification problems often overlap areas that are economically underdeveloped and areas where ethnic minorities live in clusters. Disasters of the ecological system caused by desertification, hazards of sandstorms and soil erosion have constrained economic and social development in northwest, north and northeast China, and posed challenges to the survival and development of the Chinese nation. Currently, the control of desertification and sandification in China shows a positive trend of overall and accelerated improvement. However, the desert areas remain large, widely distributed, and the degree of desertification is severe, and difficult to control. Affected by abnormal weather conditions because of climate change, sandstorms have hit north China more frequently in the past two years. Reality shows that the task to combat desertification in our country remains severe. We need to fully recognize that sand control is a long-term and arduous task that may require repeated efforts for uncertain outcomes. We also need to be better positioned, and strengthen our sense of mission and urgency.

Xi stressed that the sixth phase of the TSFP will be constructed from 2021 to 2030, which is also a critical period for consolidating and building on the achievements in sand control, as well as driving the high-quality development of the program. It is important to fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy on all fronts, adhere to holistic conservation and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, with sand control as focus and strengthening the eco-security shields in the northern region as fundamental goal. It is necessary to adopt targeted measures according to local conditions and the degree of damage, implement classified strategies, enhance overall planning and coordination, highlight key areas for control, and mobilize all parties involved. We must strive to complete the program in about 10 years, making it a fully functional and unbreakable Great Green Wall and eco-security shields in northern areas.

Xi pointed out that it is essential to adhere to a systematic approach and make solid progress in integrated conservation and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts. It is imperative to coordinate the conservation and restoration of forests, grasslands, wetlands and deserts, strengthen the coordination and management of all elements involved in sand control, river management and mountain conservation, and focus on cultivating healthy, stable and fully functional ecosystems in forests, grasslands, wetlands and deserts. It's imperative to strengthen joint prevention and control between different regions, break the limits of administrative management, and make coordinated conservation plans for both border areas and heartlands of deserts, both the windward and downwind sides, and both desert areas and routes, so as to build an ecological protection network that integrates points, lines and surfaces. It is essential to optimize the structure of utilizing lands for the agricultural, forestry and animal husbandry sectors, and strictly regulate the use of territorial space to leave enough ecological space and well protect the invaluable grasslands and forests.

Xi stressed that it's imperative to focus on key priorities in ecological conservation and spare no efforts to win the fight against air, water and land pollution. We should do our utmost to protect the ecosystem in the areas near the meandering bends of the Yellow River, with major focuses on regions including the Mu Us Desert, the Kubuqi Desert and the Helan Mountains. We should implement regional conservation projects in a comprehensive and systematic approach, and speed up controlling the lands affected by sandification. We should also protect and rehabilitate the rivers, lakes, wetlands and natural grasslands in the Hetao Plain and boost its capacity of preventing and controlling desertification and conserving water resources. It's imperative to go all out and pool strengths to fight against desertification in the two sandy lands of Horqin and Hunshandake, and arrange major ecological conservation and restoration projects in a sound manner. We should also do our best to prevent desertification in the Hexi Corridor-Taklimakan Desert region, do a good job in enclosing the hills to protect natural forests, grasslands and other vegetation in areas such as the Qilian Mountains, the Tianshan Mountains, the Altay Mountains, the Helan Mountains and the Liupan Mountains, and speed up rehabilitating the degraded forests and grasslands so as to ensure that deserts will never expand.

Xi noted that it's imperative to control deserts in a sound manner and improve the quality and stability of desert ecological systems on all fronts. It is imperative to regard the availability of water resources as the most rigid restraint and always take it into consideration for green development, land use, population growth and industrial development. It is essential to make great efforts to develop water-saving forests and grasslands. It is necessary to scientifically select vegetation restoration models, allocate forest and grass vegetation types and densities in a rational manner, adhere to the combination of trees, shrubs, and grasses, and create windbreak and sand-fixing forest networks, forest belts, and desert-edge forest and grass belts. It is imperative to adopt suitable measures based on local conditions and scientifically promote the application of effective governance models.

Xi called for efforts to extensively carry out international exchanges and cooperation, fulfill the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, actively participate in global desertification control and environmental governance, place strong emphasis on cooperation with neighboring countries, support desertification control and prevention efforts in Belt and Road countries, lead countries in policy dialogues and information sharing, and jointly respond to sand and dust storm disasters.

Xi emphasized that the implementation of the TSFP is a major national strategy. It is necessary to comprehensively strengthen organizational leadership and adhere to a working mechanism under which the central authorities coordinate, provinces take overall responsibility, and cities and counties ensure implementation. Policies and mechanisms should be improved, coordination and cooperation strengthened, and key related work should be guided, coordinated, and promoted in a unified manner. Efforts must be made to improve financial support and policy framework for the TSFP and to establish a stable and sustainable investment mechanism. Party committees and governments at all levels should maintain strategic resolve, stick to a single blueprint until the end, do hard work one term after another, and make unremitting efforts to advance the construction of key projects such as the TSFP in order to build a strong ecological security barrier in north China.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the inspection tour and attended the symposium.

Li Ganjie and others were on the inspection tour and attended the symposium. He Lifeng was also on the inspection tour. Ma Xingrui and the leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments, leading officials of relevant provinces and autonomous regions attended the symposium. ■

Xi calls for efforts to build modern Chinese civilization

BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended a meeting on cultural inheritance and development on Friday and made an important speech. He stressed that it is our new cultural mission in the new era to further promote cultural prosperity and develop a great culture in China and a modern Chinese civilization from a new starting point. It is imperative to have greater confidence in our own culture, shoulder the mission, work diligently and proactively, and make concerted efforts to create a new culture of our times and build a modern Chinese civilization, Xi said.

To ensure that the meeting would be fruitful, Xi visited the China National Archives of Publications and Culture (CNAPC) and the Chinese Academy of History.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the visits and presided over the meeting.

On Thursday afternoon, Xi took a car to the headquarters of the CNAPC that sits at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains in Changping District of Beijing. Made up of the headquarters and three branches in the cities of Xi'an, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, the CNAPC facilitates the planning and coordination of the country's publications resources, organizes the work to survey and collect such resources, and also preserves and exhibits them. It organizes research into them and related exchanges, as well as the promotion and utilization of them. Xi first walked into the Wenhua Hall and was briefed on the planning and construction of the CNAPC. He visited the national library, the Inception of Chinese Civilization: Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Publications and Cultural Articles, and the exhibition of fine works and special copies of contemporary Chinese publications. Then in Wenhan Ge (pavilion), Xi carefully examined the Classic Publications Exhibition of Marxism Localization and Modernization, and asked from time to time about the collecting and sorting of archives in this regard. Then he ascended to the terrace on the fifth floor to take a bird's-eye view of the CNAPC. Xi then visited Lantai Cave and watched exhibitions on block printing collections of Tripitaka in the Han, Tibetan, Mongolian and Manchu languages, and collections of the "Complete Library in Four Sections" or "Siku Quanshu," where he learned about how the collections of premium publications are preserved in the CNAPC. Xi stressed his great concern about the precious editions of classics in Chinese civilization, which have survived the vicissitudes of the times. Xi said that the CNAPC is a project he approved in person and he is quite concerned about its development. The original aspiration for building the CNAPC is to collect and preserve as many as possible the various kinds of copies of Chinese classics since ancient times, and pass on the Chinese civilization, the only one that has never been disrupted in its continuity in the world. In an era of national prosperity and social stability, we have the will and capacity to carry forward Chinese culture, and we should accomplish this great undertaking well. Xi said that he affirmed and was satisfied with the construction and management of the CNAPC. He said the collection and preservation of copies of ancient classics are the main tasks of the CNAPC, requiring the CNAPC to strengthen its work on collecting, categorizing and preserving the classics. He urged the CNAPC to do a good job in conducting research into the collected classics to better preserve them. While performing its major tasks, the CNAPC should support relevant departments on research and exploration of various copies of historical classics. In a word, building the CNAPC is a fundamental program for building a country with a great civilization, and a landmark cultural project that calls for our efforts and will bring boons for future generations.

Xi took a car to the Chinese Academy of History on Friday afternoon. Major work of the academy includes leading nationwide research on history, integrating resources and forces to formulate plans on research into the Chinese history in the new era, and organize and launch major national academic projects on the study of history. Xi walked into the Chinese Archaeological Museum in the compound, where he visited the themed exhibitions Origin of Civilization and The Making of China. He learned about the major archaeological discoveries of the Neolithic Age and the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, and once in a while he would inquire about the developments of relevant research work. Afterwards, he examined some rare ancient books and documents housed in the academy, and listened to a report on relevant work in front of the Research Achievements Exhibition of the academy. Xi stressed that archaeology is essential if we are to know about the long history of Chinese civilization and experience the profound Chinese culture. He called for down-to-earth endeavors on such major projects as "A Comprehensive Study on the Origin and Early Development of Chinese Civilization" and "Chinese Archaeology," in order to do a good job on the research and explanation about the origin of Chinese civilization. In more than four years' time since its establishment, the academy has organized a series of national-level major research programs and academic projects and attained some high-quality results, which, Xi said, is praiseworthy. Xi hoped that the academy will carry forward the fine traditions, pool the strength of historical researchers across the country and keep improving research capability, so as to contribute more wisdom and strength in historical science to the development of Chinese modernization.

After the inspection, Xi attended a meeting on the inheritance and development of Chinese culture at the academy. Those who delivered presentations at the meeting include Yang Geng, professor at Beijing Normal University; Wang Bo, vice president of Peking University; Peng Gang, vice president of Tsinghua University; Xing Guangcheng, director of the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Fan Di'an, president of the China Artists Association; and Mo Lifeng, senior professor in humanities and social sciences from Nanjing University.

After hearing the presentations, Xi made an important speech. He stressed that Chinese culture has a long and continuous history and Chinese civilization is extensive and profound. A profound understanding of the history of Chinese civilization is essential to promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in a more effective manner, pushing ahead with the building of a cultural sector with Chinese characteristics more strongly and developing a modern Chinese civilization.

Xi noted that China's fine traditional culture is comprised of many important elements, which have formed the prominent features of Chinese civilization. The fact that Chinese civilization is highly consistent is the fundamental reason why the Chinese nation must follow its own path. If one does not learn about China from the continuity of its long history, there is no way for him or her to understand ancient China, modern China, or China in the future. Chinese civilization is exceptionally innovative, which explains why the Chinese nation upholds fine traditions but never blindly sticks to old ways, and respects the fine traditions but never indiscriminately restores old traditions. It is also the reason why the Chinese nation is fearless of new challenges and is always open to new things. Chinese civilization is characterized by strong uniformity, which is why different ethnic cultures of the Chinese nation are integrated, and can rally close together even when faced with major setbacks. It determines the common belief that the homeland cannot be divided, the country cannot be destabilized, the ethnic groups cannot be separated, and the civilization cannot be disrupted. It also determines that national unification always stays at the heart of China's core interests and a strong and unified country is the pillar upon which the well-being of all Chinese people depends. Chinese civilization is inclusive, which fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the Chinese nation featuring exchanges and integration, the harmonious coexistence of diverse religious beliefs in China, and the openness of Chinese culture to world civilizations. The peaceful nature of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that China will continue to build world peace, contribute to global development and safeguard the international order, and that it will continue to pursue exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations rather than cultural hegemony. It also determines that China will not impose its own values and political system on others. China is a champion of cooperation, not confrontation. Never will it dish out favors to acolytes and punishments to opponents.

Xi stressed that it is natural to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture if we are to create and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the basis of the profound Chinese civilization of more than 5,000 years. This is the understanding we have drawn from our exploration of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the key to our success. First, compatibility is the prerequisite for integration. Although Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture have different origins, they are highly compatible with each other. Compatibility facilitates integration. Second, the result of the integration is mutual benefit, giving rise to a unified new culture that enables Marxism to become Chinese, and fine traditional Chinese culture modern. The newly-minted culture through integration has become the cultural form of the Chinese path to modernization. Third, the integration solidifies the foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, providing it with broader and deeper historical depth and enriching its cultural basis. Chinese modernization invigorates Chinese civilization with modern power, while Chinese civilization supports Chinese modernization with cultural sustenance. Fourth, the integration has opened up space for innovation and helped us maintain the initiative in our ideological and cultural work, exerting a powerful influence on our path, theory and system. What is more important is that integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture means another effort to emancipate our minds, which makes it possible for us to make full use of the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture in broader cultural space in exploring theoretical and institutional innovation for the future. Fifth, the integration has consolidated the principal role of culture, with the establishment of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era being the most vivid example. Integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture has resulted from our thorough review of the historical experience drawn from adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. It showcases that we have profoundly grasped the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization. It demonstrates that our Party's understanding of the Chinese path, theory and system has reached a new height, and so has our Party's confidence in our history and culture, as well as our Party's consciousness in promoting cultural innovation when carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture.

Xi noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee, while leading the Party and the people to govern the nation, has placed the promotion of culture in an important position of our overall work, and kept deepening understanding in this regard. A series of new ideas, viewpoints and judgments have been put forward. These important viewpoints are theoretical reviews of experience from the practice of cultural promotion under the Party's leadership in the new era. They are the fundamental guidelines for doing a good job in our publicity, ideological and cultural work. We must adhere to and implement them over the long term and continue to update and develop them.

Xi called for efforts to continuously promote cultural prosperity and build a great culture in China and a modern Chinese civilization from a new historical starting point. To do all these, Xi said that we need to develop an independent cultural psyche, which requires greater confidence in our own culture and adherence to our own path. To have such a psyche, we also need to draw on what the Chinese nation has achieved in the past and at present, summarize Chinese experiences with Chinese wisdom, and develop Chinese experiences into Chinese theories, Xi said. We must continue to be open and inclusive, adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, inherit and develop fine traditional Chinese culture, adapt foreign cultures to China's context, and continuously cultivate and create a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Efforts must be made to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, carry forward the fine historical traditions and write a new chapter for our times with positive energy and a pioneering spirit.

When presiding over the meeting, Cai Qi pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech made a comprehensive, systematic and in-depth explanation of a series of major theoretical and practical issues regarding the inheritance and development of Chinese culture from the perspective of the overall strategic development of the Party and the country. His speech is of political, ideological, strategic and guiding significance. It is necessary, along with the ongoing theoretical study program, to conscientiously organize study sessions on the gist of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech in a bid to more deeply understand the significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must strengthen our commitment to the "Four Consciousnesses", the "Four-sphere Confidence" and the "Two Upholds". Under the guidance of the gist of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, we should constantly deepen our understanding of the regularity of cultural development and be committed to our cultural mission, Cai said. Research and interpretation should be strengthened in this regard, and theoretical knowledge should be applied into practice. We must fully implement the strategic arrangements of the 20th CPC National Congress on publicity, ideological and cultural work, and have greater confidence in our own culture and strengthen self-improvement, in order to solidly promote the building of a modern Chinese civilization and develop a great culture in China.

Li Shulei, Tie Ning, Shen Yiqin, Qin Gang, Jiang Xinzhi and others were on the visits. Members of the Central Leading Group for Publicity, Ideological and Cultural Work, leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments, leading officials of various units of the central publicity and cultural sector, and representatives of relevant experts and scholars attended the meeting. ■

Xi visits Beijing school ahead of International Children's Day

BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Beijing Yuying School on Wednesday morning ahead of International Children's Day, which falls on June 1. Xi extended festival greetings to children across the country while visiting teachers and students of the school. He stressed that children are the future of the country and the hope of the nation, and urged Chinese children in the new era to have high aspirations and dreams, enjoy studying and love manual labor, be grateful and kind, and have the courage to innovate and strive. He also emphasized that they should develop the qualities of sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills, and expressed his hope that they should aspire to study for contributing to the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation, and live up to the expectations of their parents, the Party and the people.

Xi was accompanied by Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Cai is director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Ding vice premier of the State Council.

Beijing Yuying School was launched in Xibaipo, Hebei Province, in 1948, and it used to be the Yuying Primary School of the Supply Department for Organs under the CPC Central Committee. With care and concern of revolutionaries of older generation over the past 75 years, the school has fully implemented the education principles of the CPC to make it its fundamental task to foster virtue through education, innovated school systems, introduced distinctive educational approaches, and guided students to seek all-round development in moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills.

Upon his arrival, Xi walked into the School History Hall to learn about the school's history, development and the work it has done in recent years to carry out educational reform and innovation, implement the policy of "reducing the burden of excessive homework and after-school tutoring for students" and promote students' development in moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility as well as work skills. Xi pointed out that the basic task of education is to foster virtue, and nurture builders of and successors to the cause of socialism with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills. He emphasized that students should be cultivated in ideals and convictions, moral character, knowledge and intelligence, and physical and mental strength, none of which is dispensable. It takes time for the "double reduction" policy to yield substantive results, hence sustained efforts must be made in this regard, he said. Work should be done to guide parents, schools and the society as a whole to raise awareness about it, put into practice the requirements for the "double reduction" policy and promote students' well-rounded development. Yuying School has glorious revolutionary traditions and distinctive revolutionary heritage. More work should be done to educate the students on revolutionary traditions, so that all of them can bear in mind the glorious history of Yuying School, always remember the care of the Party, carry forward revolutionary traditions and heritage, steadfastly follow the Party and its guidance, and aspire to develop themselves into talent for the Party and the country.

Xi then walked around the campus for inspection. On the basketball court, the students were having their PE class. Some of them were playing basketball while others doing rope skipping. Xi noted that adolescence is a golden period to strengthen constitution and improve health. Developing a sound constitution is the most important. Good health is a solid foundation for future study and work, he said. Engaging in sports and exercise is the most effective way to strengthen children's constitution. With much better living conditions, it's not good for children to be overweight, but they should be healthy and strong, he added. Children should start regular exercise from a very young age. The more they participate in sports and exercise, the less chance they become overweight or have vision problems. Xi said that it is important to staff schools with sufficient and capable PE teachers, and families, schools and the society should provide support for teenagers and children to improve their physical fitness.

Then Xi came to the students' farm, where students practice farming and planting. In the sunshine and on the field ridges, rows of green vegetable seedlings were growing well. Holding buckets, shovels, rakes and brushes, the children were watering, loosening soil, weeding and pollinating for tomatoes and cucumbers, among others. Xi stressed that a lot of knowledge and truth come from labor and life. It is beneficial to their study if children are guided to have the awareness of engaging in manual labor, develop the habit of working, and improve abilities in this regard from an early age. Xi said that nowadays, some urban children lack contact with rural areas and nature, and many of them "can neither toil with their limbs nor tell the five grains apart." They can't tell what crops they eat, where they come from and how they have grown, and as a result, they cannot understand the line from the Chinese poem that "Who knows the rice that feeds is the fruit of hard toil." Xi told the students that learning about nature starts with learning about the plants around them. The various plants cultivated by the students, although described in books, will teach them more when they personally sow, nurture, and closely observe them. Xi hoped that through learning agriculture, the students can experience the hardships of farming and the challenges faced by farmers. He also expected them to love manual labor, cherish food, and respect nature from a young age, in order to contribute to building a beautiful China. In the new era, the development of ecological civilization must start from the education of children. By having personally experience, and gaining a perception in lively labor courses, children will be able to embrace from an early age the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

Cheerful voices could be heard from the second-floor science classroom of Sicong Building. Xi entered the classroom, where the teachers and students told the general secretary that they were using their knowledge of linear motion, curvilinear motion, and motion on an inclined plane to design and build roller coaster models with building blocks for verification. Xi pointed out that science experiments are an effective way to cultivate children's scientific thinking, their interest in exploring the unknown, and their awareness of innovation. He hoped that the students would pursue technological innovation and contribute to a strong nation from an early age, and become young scientists at present and great scientists in the future, making contributions to building the country's self-reliance and strength in high-level science and technology.

Xi then visited teachers in charge of fifth-grade students at their office where the teachers were discussing and preparing for their lessons. He asked about the after-class services and the arrangements and structures of curriculum. Xi noted that the education system featuring socialism with Chinese characteristics is a good one, and the basic education in China has advantages in the world. He stressed the need to remain confident in our own culture, and do a good job both in upholding what is good in our own education and drawing on what is good of foreign education. It is essential to keep abreast of the times and keep development open to broaden children's horizons and let them have an inclusive mind, Xi said. He encouraged teachers to work harder to cultivate backbones for our country who are capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation and accomplishing miracles in the world. Xi stressed that good teachers are the key to cultivating talent. All the teachers should keep firmly in mind the original aspiration and mission of cultivating talent for the Party and the country, follow the examples of "People's Teachers" and always conduct themselves by virtue, and run schools and teach by virtue. It is also imperative to create an environment where teachers enjoy public respect and education has public support, and teacher becomes one of the most respectable and admirable occupations, in which more talent will have the enthusiasm to participate and more and more excellent teachers will emerge.

The teachers and students bid farewell to Xi at a small square of the school. Xi wished the children healthy growth and extended festive greetings to all children across the country by wishing them a happy International Children's Day. "I paid a special visit to you at Beijing Yuying School today to celebrate the Children's Day. I'm delighted to see that you are innocent, lively and full of vigor with happy smiles," He said. The CPC Central Committee has always cared for the healthy growth of children and has implemented a series of policies and measures to create a better environment for their healthy growth and development. Xi said he believes that with the leadership of the CPC and the remarkable advantages of the socialist system, children of all ethnic groups living in the big family of the Chinese nation will become happier and have a brighter future. He urged Party committees and governments at all levels, and all sectors of society to do a good job in various tasks related to the development of children's undertakings, care for and help children from poor families, especially orphans and disabled children, so that all children can feel the care and concern of the Party and the government and have a happy and beautiful childhood.

Xi said to the students, "Today's children are the successors to and the main force of the great cause of building a stronger nation and achieving national rejuvenation. In order to build our country into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, our generation is now working hard towards this goal, and it will be up to you to continue the struggle in the future."

Xi wished all parents good health and happiness, and hoped that teachers would make new contributions in their sacred positions.

Yin Li, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, and leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments, and leading officials from the Beijing Municipal Government were on the inspection tour. ■

Xi urges accelerated efforts to modernize national security system, capacity

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over the first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee on Tuesday and made an important speech. Xi is head of the commission. He stressed the need to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, deeply understand the complex and challenging circumstances facing national security, properly grasp major national security issues, and accelerate the efforts to modernize the country's national security system and capacity, so as to safeguard the new development pattern with a new security architecture and break new ground for national security work.

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji and Cai Qi, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the National Security Commission, attended the meeting.

It was pointed out at the meeting that the commission has carried forward the fighting spirit, upheld and developed the holistic approach to national security, and improved the leadership as well as the legal, strategic and policy systems of national security steadily. It has secured the effective running of the coordination mechanisms of national security work, and ensured that national security system has covered CPC local committees across the country, safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests and strengthening national security in an all-round manner.

It was stressed at the meeting that the complexity and severity of national security problems faced by our country have increased dramatically. The national security front must build up strategic self-confidence, have enough confidence to secure victory, and be keenly aware of its own strengths and advantages. We must be prepared for worst-case and extreme scenarios, and be ready to withstand the major test of high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms. More efforts must be made to modernize our national security system and capacity, and get prepared for actual combat and dealing with practical problems. Emphasis must be placed on coordination and efficiency, law-based thinking, science and technology empowerment and popular support, so as to promote the consistency and integration of work in various sectors.

It was noted at the meeting that a new security architecture must be built to better safeguard China's new development pattern. Efforts should be made to create a favorable external security environment, better ensure security for opening up, and promote the deep integration of development and security. It is imperative to advance the transformation of ways and measures to uphold and ensure national security, innovate theoretical guidance, improve the allocation of resources, and promote empowerment by science and technology. It is important to improve the integrated system to counter national security risks, enhance real-time monitoring, issue warnings promptly, and take a raft of measures to safeguard national security.

It was emphasized at the meeting that as far as national security work is concerned, the decisions and plans laid out by the 20th CPC National Congress must be implemented. It is imperative to maintain political security, improve security governance of network data and artificial intelligence, accelerate the development of a national security risk monitoring and early warning system, promote rule of law in national security efforts, and strengthen education on national security.

Documents including "guidelines on speeding up the building of risk monitoring and early warning system for national security" and "guidelines on strengthening extensive public education about national security" were deliberated and adopted at the meeting.

Executive members and members of the National Security Commission attended the meeting, and leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments were also present. ■

Xi calls for accelerated efforts to build leading country in education

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a group study session Monday on building a leading country in education. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the session. He stressed that when education in a country thrives, the country will thrive, and strong education makes a strong nation. Xi said that building a leading country in education serves as a strategic precursor of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, an important support for achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, an effective approach to promoting common prosperity for all, and a fundamental project to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. It's imperative to fully implement the Party's policies on education, adhere to the people-centered principle in developing education, proactively make strategic planning in advance, effectively respond to changes, and vigorously explore new territories, so as to accelerate the modernization of education, facilitate people's wellbeing with what has been achieved in education, consolidate the foundation of national strength and prosperity with the strength of education, and provide strong support for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Qiu Yong, secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave a lecture on this issue and put forward suggestions about the work. Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee carefully listened to the lecture and had a discussion about it.

Xi made an important speech after listening to the lecture and discussion. He said that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has held education as of being great significance to the future of the country and the Party, made important decisions to accelerate the modernization of education and build a leading country in education, and secured historic achievements and structural changes in developing education in the new era. China has established the largest education system in the world and joined the ranks of upper-middle level countries in terms of the overall level of modernization in education. According to estimates, China ranks the 23rd in a global education index, up 26 spots from 2012 with the fastest progress in the world. This fully demonstrates that the path of socialist education with Chinese characteristics is completely correct, Xi said.

Xi stressed that China needs to improve its strength in education, which should feature socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is imperative to adhere to the Party's overall leadership over education, and focus on fostering virtue through education as a fundamental task. Education must uphold it as its target to cultivate talent for the CPC and the nation, as its mission to serve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, as its basic approach to promoting modernization in educational ideas, systems, rules, contents, methods and governance, and as its core role to play in supporting and leading Chinese modernization. All these efforts are supposed to make it possible for education to meet the needs of the people.

Xi noted that the fundamental issues education must address are what kind of talent we should cultivate, how and for whom, which are also core issues of building a leading country in education. Building a leading country in education is meant to nurture successive generations of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills who will fully develop socialism and carry forward the socialist cause, and shoulder important tasks in the process of socialist modernization, so as to ensure that they are successors to the cause of the Party and of building a great modern socialist country. It is necessary to use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to cultivate soul and educate people, strengthen education about core socialist values, as well as guide students to develop firm ideals and convictions, follow the Party's instructions and path, and devote themselves to the nation and the people, Xi said. Reform must be furthered to explore new grounds in integrating the political education curriculum across all levels, from elementary schools to universities, and make relevant courses more targeted and appealing. Work should be done to let the internet play a more important and effective role in education, and to improve the political and ideological work of our schools in this internet age.

Xi stressed that high-quality development must be maintained as the lifeline for various types of education at all levels to build an educational system featuring high quality. To develop a leading country in education, priority must be given to basic education. Only when basic education enjoys sound development, can we make steady progress in building up our country's strength in education and sustaining its momentum. Work must be done to promote the popularization as well as safe and quality development of preschool education for the benefit of all, and promote high-quality, balanced and integrated development of urban and rural compulsory education. Basic education should not only help solidify students' knowledge foundation, but also arouse their interest in science and aspirations for exploring mysteries, thus nurturing their mindset for exploration and innovation. A scientific outlook on talent, personal career and education should be promoted in the whole society, and more work should be done to reverse the utilitarian trend in education so as to foster a healthy educational environment. To develop a leading country in education, higher education is the key. Priority must be given to the building of world-class universities and superior disciplines, and the development of basic, emerging and interdisciplinary subjects must be strengthened. Innovation in research must be developed by following the frontier developments in science and technology of the world and responding to the country's strategic needs, thus to constantly improve the capability for original innovation and the quality of personnel. We must build a learning-oriented society and nation, in which all residents pursue life-long study, and can study whenever and wherever they want to, so that the educational level can be raised for all residents, and human resources can be better developed, and as a result, well-rounded development can be promoted for all.

Xi noted that serving high-quality development should be regarded as a vital task of developing a strong educational sector. The undertakings of building China's strength in education, science and technology, and cultivating a quality workforce are consistent in essence and reinforce each other, so the three should be advanced in an integrated and coordinated manner to create multiplier effects in promoting high-quality development. Education in science and technology and engineering should be furthered. Greater efforts should be made to nurture China's top-notch and innovative talent on our own to provide support for achieving breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. It is important to conduct systemic analysis of China's talent development trends and deficit in talent in all areas, and thereafter make dynamic adjustment of disciplines and programs for higher education in accordance with the trends of sci-tech development and the needs of the country's major strategies, so as to cultivate talented personnel of strategic importance and in urgent need and strengthen the role education should play in providing more support for and contributing to high-quality development. Xi called for coordinated efforts in developing vocational education, higher education and continuing education, and promoting integration between vocational education and general education, between industry and education, and between science and education, so as to continuously cultivate high-caliber technicians and skilled workers and master craftsmen.

Xi stressed that developing a large country in education into a leading one in this respect means systemic improvement and qualitative change, and reform and innovation must be maintained as a driving force for such transformation. Systems thinking must be upheld to promote reform in a coordinated manner in the ways students are cultivated, in the modes schools are run, in management system and support mechanisms. He urged efforts to resolutely break the shackles of stale thinking, remove the institutional obstacles to the high-quality development of education, and promote the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance in education on all fronts. It is essential to incorporate improving educational equality into all aspects and links of deepening comprehensive reform in education, narrow the gaps in education between urban and rural areas, between regions, between schools and between groups, strive to ensure every child's access to fair and quality education, and better meet the people's needs for good education. It is necessary to deepen the reform of educational evaluation in the new era, and build a world-class evaluation system that features multiparty participation and conforms to China's reality. It is imperative to enhance the development and regulation of textbooks, keep to the correct political orientation and values, and strive to make high-quality textbooks that cultivate souls and develop wisdom. Digital education is where our country can achieve breakthroughs in opening up new areas and forming fresh strength of educational development. More should be done to encourage digital education to support personalized learning, lifelong learning, expanding the reach of quality educational resources, and modern education.

Xi stressed the need to improve the strategy of educational opening up, put equal emphasis on introducing overseas educational resources and going global, and put to good use world-class educational resources and innovative factors, so as to make China an influential and important education hub in the world. It is important to participate in global education governance, vigorously promote the brand of "Study in China," tell China's stories well, spread China's experience, make China's voice heard, and enable China's education to be more influential and have a greater say in the world.

Xi emphasized that we must have better teachers first if we are to strengthen education. Strengthening the ranks of teachers should be regarded as the most important fundamental work for building China into a leading country in education. A teacher and education system with Chinese characteristics should be improved to cultivate a well-structured force of teachers sound in professional ethics and skill, and full of vigor. It is imperative to foster public respect for teachers and encourage public support for education, and enhance the political, social and professional status of teachers so that their occupation becomes one of the most respectable ones. Work should be done to support and attract excellent personnel to engage in teaching all their life with enthusiasm and meticulousness. Xi called for endeavors to foster professional ethics and conduct of teachers, stressing that teachers should be guided to be firm in their ideals and convictions, refine moral sentiment, cultivate solid learning, possess a deep sense of humanity, foster the ambition of always remaining hard-working in teaching to contribute to building China into a great country, stick to their posts and devote themselves to imparting knowledge and educating students.

Xi finally stressed that building China into a leading country in education is a common task facing the whole Party and the whole society. The Party's overall leadership over education work must be upheld, and efforts must be made to improve the leadership mechanism for education under unified leadership by Party committees, under which the Party and the governments work together and relevant departments perform their respective duties. Party committees and governments at all levels should always give high priority to the development of education, and make greater efforts in aspects including organization and leadership, making plans for development, ensuring sufficient resources and financial input. Schools, families and the society should cooperate closely, take actions to the same direction, and actively dedicate themselves to building a strong education system. The whole Party and people across the country should maintain firm confidence and work together persistently to achieve the goal of building China into a leading country in education as soon as possible. ■

Full text of Xi Jinping's letter to teachers and students from Macau University of Science and Technology

BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of Xi Jinping's letter to teachers and students from the Macau University of Science and Technology.

Teachers and students from the Macau University of Science and Technology,

I've received your letter. From between the lines of what you said in your letter, I could feel your enthusiasm and sense of responsibility to devote to the country's development of science and technology and building the country's strength in aerospace. I was very delighted to hear about the successful launch of the "Macao Science 1" space exploration satellites in which you have put your efforts, and I would like to extend warm congratulations!

In recent years, the deepening scientific and technological cooperation between Macao and the mainland in areas such as aerospace has achieved commendable results. Efforts to make China a global leader in science and technology and to advance Chinese modernization have opened up broader prospects for universities in Macao as well as local scientific and technological personnel. I hope you will continue to carry forward the fine tradition of loving both the motherland and Macao, integrate your own development into the overall development of the country, actively take part in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and help with Macao's efforts to appropriately diversify its economy so as to make new contributions to the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Macao.

Xi Jinping

May 23, 2023

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Xi calls for efforts to further high-quality development of audit work in the new era

BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, head of the Central Auditing Commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee, on the afternoon of May 23, presided over the commission's first meeting. In an important speech delivered at the meeting, Xi stressed that audit work is an important mission on the new journey of building China into a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation. Audit work must base its major endeavors on the supervision of economic issues and focus on performing its own responsibilities and doing its own work well to better play its unique role in promoting the Party's self-reform, Xi said. To do a good job in its work, the new auditing commission must uphold as its guide the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, fully and accurately carry out the new development philosophy on all fronts, place focus on issues of overall, long-term and strategic nature, strengthen strategic planning and top-level design in auditing field, and facilitate the high-quality development of audit work in a new era, so as to serve and safeguard the overall work of the Party and the country with strong and effective auditing supervision.

Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the Central Auditing Commission, attended the meeting and so did Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, and also deputy head of the commission.

The office of the Central Auditing Commission made reports to the meeting on auditing of the execution of central budgets and other fiscal expenditures in 2022, and suggestions on promoting high-quality development of audit work in the new era.

It was stressed at the meeting that audit work is an integral part of the Party's and national supervision system, and plays a major role in promoting the modernization of national governance systems and capacities. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, under the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Auditing Commission has promoted restructuring of auditing institution in a systematic and holistic manner, developed a new auditing institution in line with China's conditions, and as a result made historic achievements and achieved historic transformation. First, the reform of the audit management system has been further promoted, and the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over audit work has been constantly refined, substantiated and institutionalized. Second, our understanding of the regularity of the audit work under socialism with Chinese characteristics has been deepened. Third, the consciousness has been raised that audit work must serve and dovetail with the overall work of the Party and the country, and as a result audit work's unique supervisory role has become even more manifest. Fourth, the overall paradigm of audit rectification is taking shape, and the general application and coordination of audit results has become more smooth, authoritative and efficient.

It was noted at the meeting that to improve audit work in the new era and on our new journey, the general requirement is that more efforts must be made in building a centralized and unified, authoritative and efficient audit oversight system covering all areas, and in allowing audit work to play a greater supervisory role. Just like arms employ fingers without any difficulty, we should enhance the political nature and functions of audit work, and do a good job in accurately and thoroughly understanding and implementing the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. Audit supervision must cover all local governments, departments, and institutions that manage public funds, state-owned assets and resources without exception, so as to produce a normalized and dynamic deterrent effect. Audit work must be law-based and supported by research efforts. All auditors should carry forward fighting spirit and build up the capability to grapple with tough challenges, so as to form a "special task force" in the supervision of economic work. The meeting also calls for cooperation and coordination with other forms of supervision to create a synergy in this regard.

Solid audit work was urged at the meeting for this year, which should highlight intensified auditing of prominent issues, and facilitate the implementation of the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee. With focus on the top tasks of high-quality development, supervision on the implementation of major projects, major strategies and major measures should be strengthened. With emphasis placed on keeping economic growth, employment and prices stable, government funds must be placed under tight oversight, and the auditing must be intensified over the implementation of the package of policies to stabilize the economy. We must focus on the development of the real economy, step up auditing of financial support for it and the implementation of relief and support policies for enterprises, and ensure efforts to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and to unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector.

It is essential to ensure that the basic living needs of all residents are met, focus on the pressing and realistic issues that concern them most, and encourage the implementation of policies that benefit them. We need to coordinate development with security, pay close attention to key areas such as local government debt, finance, real estate, food and energy, so as to prevent systemic risks. We will concentrate on the proper exercise of power, give full play to the important role of audit work in combating corruption, and resolutely crack down on corruption where political and economic problems are intertwined, on graft in areas with concentrated power, intensive capital and rich resources, and on corrupt officials that directly affect the people's livelihood.

It was stressed at the meeting that rectification of problems identified during the second stage of auditing is as important as its first stage of detecting problems, and both stages must be carried out in a coordinated manner. The oversight of rectification in auditing should be handled as pivot for daily supervision, and audit results should be used as an important reference for assessment of officials' performance, as well as their promotion or removal, and reward or punishment. Those who fail to deliver, are perfunctory or cheat in this regard must be strictly held to account.

It was noted at the meeting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the National Audit Office. The CPC Central Committee expects much of audit work. Those working in this sector must carry forward the fine traditions and conduct of auditing, build professional ethics and become more competent. It is imperative to strictly govern the Party and audit work in an all-round way, carry out extensive theoretical study program and the education and rectification of the audit team, so as to build a team of high-quality and professional auditors who are loyal to the Party, clean and responsible.

Party committees at all levels are required to earnestly shoulder their political responsibilities and improve their leadership over audit work. Leading officials must take care of audit work themselves and give full play to the role of the Central Auditing Commission in taking the lead in overall planning and coordination.

Members of the Central Auditing Commission attended the meeting, and leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments were also present. ■

Full text of Xi Jinping's letter to veteran experts and artists of the National Art Museum of China

BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of Xi Jinping's letter to veteran experts and artists of the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC).

Veteran experts and artists of the NAMOC,

I have received your letter. The NAMOC has witnessed the thriving development of New China's fine arts. Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, it has achieved a great deal in collecting outstanding artworks, holding exhibitions, facilitating public education and promoting international exchanges. I want to extend warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all members of the museum as it celebrates its 60th anniversary.

I hope that on the new journey, the museum will adhere to the correct political orientation, put people first and put into practice the core socialist values in running the venue. Painstaking efforts must be made on the part of the museum to improve the quality of its collection, promote its utilization level of artworks, and provide better services. The museum should develop itself into an art venue that enjoys national and even worldwide prestige for the general public to appreciate fine artworks and improve their artistic literacy in the new era, so as to make greater contributions to the prosperity and development of China's fine arts, to building cultural confidence and strength, and to achieving new progress in developing socialist culture.

Xi Jinping

May 21, 2023

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Xi calls on National Art Museum of China to develop itself into art venue that enjoys national, even worldwide prestige

BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, replied to a letter by veteran experts and artists of the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) on May 21. In his letter, Xi extended warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all members of the museum as it celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Xi said in the letter that the NAMOC has witnessed New China's thriving development of fine arts. Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, it has achieved a great deal in collecting outstanding artworks, holding exhibitions, facilitating public education and promoting international exchanges.

Xi said he hoped that the museum would adhere to the correct political orientation on the new journey, put people first and put into practice the core socialist values in running the venue. He called for painstaking efforts on the part of the museum to improve the quality of its collection, promote its utilization level of artworks, and provide better services. He called on the NAMOC to develop itself into an art venue that enjoys national and even worldwide prestige for the general public to appreciate fine artworks and improve their artistic literacy in the new era, so as to make greater contributions to the prosperity and development of China's fine arts, to building cultural confidence and strength, and to achieving new progress in developing socialist culture.

A national-level art museum established after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the NAMOC was opened to the public on May 23, 1963. Over the six decades, the museum has held more than 5,500 influential art exhibitions and housed over 130,000 artworks of various types from home and abroad. In recent days, 13 veteran experts and artists from the NAMOC wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping, in which they reported what the museum has achieved and expressed their resolve to make further contributions to the high-quality development of the country's art museums in the new era. ■

Full text of Xi Jinping's keynote speech at China-Central Asia Summit

XI'AN, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday delivered a keynote speech at the China-Central Asia Summit held in the city of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The following is the full text of the speech:

 

Working Together for a China-Central Asia Community with a Shared Future

Featuring Mutual Assistance, Common Development, Universal Security, and Everlasting Friendship

Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the China-Central Asia Summit

19 May 2023

 

Distinguished Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

I'd like to welcome you all to Xi'an for the China-Central Asia Summit to explore together ways for closer cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries.

Xi'an, known as Chang'an in ancient times, is an important cradle of the Chinese civilization and nation. It is also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road on the east end. Over 2,100 years ago, Zhang Qian, a Han Dynasty envoy, made his journey to the West from Chang'an, opening the door to the friendship and exchanges between China and Central Asia. With their joint endeavor of hundreds of years, Chinese and Central Asian peoples made the Silk Road expand and prosper, a historic contribution to the interaction, integration, enrichment and development of world civilizations. The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai once wrote, "In Chang'an we meet again, worthy of more than a thousand pieces of gold." Our gathering in Xi'an today to renew our millennia-old friendship and open up new vistas for the future is of very important significance.

Back in 2013, I put forward the initiative of jointly building a Silk Road Economic Belt during my first visit to Central Asia as Chinese president. Over the past decade, China and Central Asian countries have worked closely together to fully revive the Silk Road and actively deepen future-oriented cooperation, steering our relations into a new era.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway that runs across the Tianshan Mountain, the China-Tajikistan expressway that defies the Pamir Plateau, and the China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline and the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline that traverse the vast desert -- they are the present-day Silk Road. The China-Europe Railway Express operating around the clock, the endless streams of freight trucks, and crisscrossing flights -- they are the present-day camel caravans. Entrepreneurs seeking business opportunities, health workers fighting the COVID-19, cultural workers delivering message of friendship, and international students pursuing further education -- they are the present-day goodwill ambassadors.

The China-Central Asia relationship is steeped in history, driven by broad actual needs, and built on solid popular support. Our relations are brimming with vigor and vitality in the new era.

Colleagues,

Transformations of the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace. Changes of the world, of our times, and of the historical trajectory are taking place in ways like never before. Central Asia, the center of the Eurasian continent, is at a crossroads connecting the East and West, the South and North.

The world needs a stable Central Asia. The sovereignty, security, independence and territorial integrity of Central Asian countries must be upheld; their people's choice of development paths must be respected; and their efforts for peace, harmony and tranquility must be supported.

The world needs a prosperous Central Asia. A dynamic and prospering Central Asia will help people in the region achieve their aspiration for a better life. It will also lend strong impetus to global economic recovery.

The world needs a harmonious Central Asia. As a Central Asian saying goes, "Brotherhood is more precious than any treasure." Ethnic conflicts, religious strife, and cultural estrangement are not the defining feature of the region. Instead, solidarity, inclusiveness, and harmony are the pursuits of the Central Asian people. No one has the right to sow discord or stoke confrontation in the region, let alone seek selfish political interests.

The world needs an interconnected Central Asia. Blessed with unique geographical advantages, Central Asia has the right foundation, condition and capability to become an important connectivity hub of Eurasia and make unique contribution to the trading of goods, the interplay of civilizations and the development of science and technology in the world.

Colleagues,

At the virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries held last year, we jointly announced our vision of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. It was a historic choice made for the fundamental interests and bright future of our peoples in the new era. In building this community, we need to stay committed to four principles.

First, mutual assistance. It is important that we deepen strategic mutual trust, and always give each other unequivocal and strong support on issues concerning our core interests such as sovereignty, independence, national dignity, and long-term development. We should work together to ensure that our community features mutual assistance, solidarity, and mutual trust.

Second, common development. It is important that we continue to set the pace for Belt and Road cooperation and deliver on the Global Development Initiative. We should fully unlock our potentials in traditional areas of cooperation such as economy, trade, industrial capacity, energy and transportation. And we should forge new drivers of growth in finance, agriculture, poverty reduction, green and low-carbon development, medical service, health, and digital innovation. We should work together to ensure that our community features win-win cooperation and common progress.

Third, universal security. It is important that we act on the Global Security Initiative, and stand firm against external attempts to interfere in domestic affairs of regional countries or instigate color revolutions. We should remain zero-tolerant to the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and strive to resolve security conundrums in the region. We should work together to ensure that our community features no-conflict and enduring peace.

Fourth, everlasting friendship. It is important that we implement the Global Civilization Initiative, carry forward our traditional friendship, and enhance people-to-people exchanges. We should do more to share our experience in governance, deepen cultural mutual learning, increase mutual understanding, and cement the foundation of the everlasting friendship between the Chinese and Central Asian peoples. We should work together to ensure that our community features close affinity and shared conviction.

Colleagues,

Our Summit has created a new platform and opened up new prospects for China-Central Asia cooperation. China will take this as an opportunity to step up coordination with all parties for good planning, development and progress of China-Central Asia cooperation.

First, we need to strengthen institutional building. We have set up meeting mechanisms on foreign affairs, economy, trade and customs, as well as a business council. China has also proposed establishment of meeting and dialogue mechanisms on industry and investment, agriculture, transportation, emergency response, education, and political parties, which will be platforms for all-round mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.

Second, we need to expand economic and trade ties. China will take more trade facilitation measures, upgrade bilateral investment treaties, and open "green lanes" for streamlined customs clearance of agricultural and sideline products at all border ports between China and Central Asian countries. China will also hold a live-streaming sales event to further promote Central Asian products, and build a commodities trading center. All this is part of an effort to push two-way trade to new heights.

Third, we need to deepen connectivity. China will strive to increase the volume of cross-border cargo transportation, support the development of the trans-Caspian international transport corridor, enhance the traffic capacity of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan highway, and move forward consultations on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. China will seek to modernize the existing border ports at a faster pace, open a new border port at Biedieli, promote the opening of the air transportation market, and build a regional logistics network. China will also step up the development of China-Europe Railway Express assembly centers, encourage capable enterprises to build overseas warehouses in Central Asian countries, and build a comprehensive digital service platform.

Fourth, we need to expand energy cooperation. China would like to propose that we establish a China-Central Asia energy development partnership. We should expedite the construction of Line D of the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline, expand trade in oil and gas, pursue cooperation throughout the energy industrial chains, and strengthen cooperation on new energy and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Fifth, we need to promote green innovation. China will work with Central Asian countries to conduct cooperation in such areas as improvement and utilization of saline-alkali land and water-saving irrigation, build together a joint laboratory on agriculture in arid lands, and tackle the ecological crisis of the Aral Sea. China supports establishing high-tech firms and IT industrial parks in Central Asia. China also welcomes Central Asian countries to participate in special cooperation programs under the Belt and Road Initiative, including programs on sustainable development technologies, innovation and start-up, and spatial information science and technology.

Sixth, we need to enhance capabilities for development. China will formulate a China-Central Asia special cooperation program for poverty reduction through science and technology, implement the "China-Central Asia technology and skills improvement scheme", set up more Luban Workshops in Central Asian countries, and encourage Chinese companies in Central Asia to create more local jobs. To bolster our cooperation and Central Asian development, China will provide Central Asian countries with a total of 26 billion RMB yuan of financing support and grant.

Seventh, we need to strengthen dialogue between civilizations. China invites Central Asian countries to take part in the "Cultural Silk Road" program, and will set up more traditional medicine centers in Central Asia. We will speed up establishment of cultural centers in each other's countries. China will continue to provide government scholarships for Central Asian countries, and support their universities in joining the University Alliance of the Silk Road. We will ensure the success of the Year of Culture and Arts for the Peoples of China and Central Asian Countries as well as the China-Central Asia high-level media dialogue. We will launch the "China-Central Asia Cultural and Tourism Capital" program, and open special train services for cultural tourism in Central Asia.

Eighth, we need to safeguard peace in the region. China is ready to help Central Asian countries strengthen capacity building on law enforcement, security and defense, support their independent efforts to safeguard regional security and fight terrorism, and work with them to promote cyber-security. We will continue to leverage the role of the coordination mechanism among Afghanistan's neighbors, and jointly promote peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Colleagues,

Last October, the Communist Party of China successfully held its 20th National Congress, which laid out the central task of realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. It is a grand blueprint for China's future development. We will strengthen theoretical and practical exchanges with Central Asian countries on modernization, synergize our development strategies, create more opportunities for cooperation, and jointly advance the modernization process of our six countries.

Colleagues,

There is a proverb popular among farmers in Shaanxi Province, "If you work hard enough, gold will grow out of the land." In the same vein, a Central Asian saying goes, "You get rewarded if you give, and you harvest if you sow." Let us work closely together to pursue common development, common affluence, and common prosperity, and embrace a brighter future for our six countries!

Thank you. ■

Xi calls on Shaanxi to write new chapter in advancing Chinese modernization

XI'AN, Shaanxi/YUNCHENG, Shanxi, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, listened to a report on the work of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and the provincial government at a meeting on May 17.

Xi stressed that Shaanxi should have the ambition and courage to become the pioneer of the era in advancing Chinese modernization, make efforts to catch up with and surpass other regions, so as to play a demonstrative role in the western region. He stressed the importance of fully and accurately implementing the new development philosophy on all fronts. Centering on the primary task of high-quality development, taking into consideration the big picture of the national development, based on its own reality, Shaanxi needs to leverage its strengths, clarify its main development targets, take the initiative to integrate into and serve the forging of a new development pattern, and work hard to achieve new breakthroughs in building self-reliance and strength in science and technology, developing a modern industrial system, promoting coordinated development between urban and rural areas, expanding high-level opening up, and strengthening ecological and environmental protection. All these endeavors will contribute to the writing of a new chapter of Chinese modernization in Shaanxi.

The meeting was held ahead of the China-Central Asia Summit, which will be held in Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province. Xi will preside over the summit. Zhao Yide, secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, delivered the report. Zhao Gang, governor of Shaanxi Province, among others, attended the meeting. Xi made an important speech, in which he affirmed what the province has achieved in various aspects of work.

Xi pointed out that Shaanxi must achieve new breakthroughs in innovation in science and technology and in the development of a modernized industrial system in order to catch up with and surpass other regions. The province should focus on developing the real economy based on its industrial foundation and endowment of resources. While consolidating its traditionally leading industries, it should explore new fields and paths, and develop new strengths for competition. It needs to promote technological innovation to accelerate high-end, smart and green transformation and upgrade of traditional industries, boost strategic emerging industries, and develop digital economy and modern service industries. Efforts are needed for the province to promote the development of smarter, greener and more integrated industries and build a complete modern industrial system that is advanced and secure, and improve modern energy industrial clusters, Xi noted. He urged that focus should be placed on national strategic demands and key fields in international competition to launch national major technological projects, make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields and develop more cutting-edge technologies and projects of national significance. Leading role of enterprises in technological innovation should be strengthened, and innovation, industries, funds and professionals should be further integrated to accelerate the industrialization of achievements in science and technology. He urged efforts to do a good job in building the comprehensive national science center and the technological innovation center in Xi'an, and build the city into a key sci-tech research, cultural and education center and hi-tech industrial and manufacturing hub.

Xi stressed that rural development is still the most arduous task when it comes to building a modern socialist country in all respects and promoting common prosperity, and urban-rural gap must be gradually narrowed. It is necessary to promote new urbanization with county towns playing a key role. Public utilities in county towns must be improved, and so must the basic public services as well as supporting industries there. Comprehensive carrying capacities and governance capacity of county towns must be promoted so that the role of county towns in boosting county economies can be given full play. We should develop small cities and towns in line with local conditions, and promote the sound development of featured small towns, so as to forge a county economic system with county towns as pivots and small cities and towns as junctures. We should develop and improve institutions and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, put in place policies for promoting equal exchanges of production factors between urban and rural areas, so as to facilitate the smooth flow of resource elements from cities to villages and unleash new impetus for the development of agriculture and countryside. We should redouble our efforts to develop featured industries in line with local conditions, and advance the integration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas to open up more channels for increasing farmers' incomes. It is imperative to continuously improve rural living environment, preserve traditional villages and rural characteristics, promote cultural and ethical progress in rural areas, and nurture good folk customs. It is essential to continue with dynamic monitoring, strengthen the endogenous drivers for development of regions that have just been lifted out of poverty, and guard against a large-scale relapse into poverty.

Xi noted that more efforts must be made to transform our growth model into a green and low-carbon one so as to promote ecological progress. We should firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and continue to improve air, water and land quality. Shaanxi Province should pursue high-quality development starting from the ecological conservation of the Yellow River Basin, strictly enforce the Yellow River Protection Law and relevant plans, step up comprehensive control of soil erosion and desertification, strengthen the ecological protection and restoration of the basin, deepen prevention and control of wide-spread pollution in agriculture, industry, urban and rural areas and improve the eco-environment in mining areas, thus doing a better job in protecting our mother river. Work must be done to establish a regular and long-term mechanism for the protection of the Qinling Mountains, improve the supervision system, strengthen dynamic investigation and governance, thus better protecting the "central water tower" of our country. Work should be done to strengthen the protection of the water source of the middle route of the Water Diversion Project from South to North to ensure clear water can be transferred to the north perpetually. Xi called for green and low-carbon economic and social development, emphasizing accelerated restructuring in industry, energy, transportation and land use, and the green transformation of the energy sector, so as to advance towards carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality in a proactive and prudent manner. He stressed the importance of implementing a comprehensive resource conservation strategy, and promoting green consumption, as well as the intensive and economical use of resources.

Xi stressed that efforts should be made to open up wider both domestically and internationally, and develop the inland province into a high ground for reform and opening up. It is necessary to be more proactive in integrating into and serving the country's endeavor of fostering a new development pattern, integrate local development more deeply into the Belt and Road Initiative, and strengthen the development engine and dynamic in the process of expanding opening up domestically and internationally, so as to break new ground in development. Efforts should be made to steadily promote institutional opening up that covers rules, regulations, management and standards, advance high-quality development of pilot free trade zones, with a view to building high-level platforms of opening up. The province should be more active in the development of new land-sea transit routes for the western region, give full play to Xi'an's role as an assembly center of the China-Europe freight train services, speed up the formation of the transportation corridors to countries in Central, South and West Asia, and play a bigger role in connecting the domestic and international markets. More should be done to foster a world-class business environment that is market-based, law-based and internationalized to attract higher quality inbound investment.

Xi noted that the theoretical study program on the study and implementation of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is underway throughout the Party. Party organizations at all levels must make in-depth and solid efforts in this regard, and achieve substantial results in nurturing minds, gaining wisdom, improving Party conduct, and motivating work through the program. Enhancing one's wisdom through learning means gaining a clear understanding of the law, direction, methods, and wisdom from the Party's scientific theories, drawing greatest strengths from the Party, and acquiring the skills of invigorating the Party and the country. First, it is essential to improve political ability. We need to be good at thinking, making decisions, and handling things from the viewpoint of the Party and the people and from the overall work of the Party and the country. We need to be adept at grasping the regularity of various complicated problems, the tendency from emerging ones, and the inevitability from occasional ones. We should also be skilled at navigating a complex situation, pooling social forces, and guarding against political risks. It is necessary to shoulder the political responsibilities entrusted by the Party and the people, and truly become sober-minded in politics. Second, it is crucial to improve thinking ability. We need to translate the worldview, methodology, positions, viewpoints and methods of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into our own scientific thinking and methods, and use them as the master key to studying and solving problems. We need to improve our ability in strategic, dialectical, systematic, innovative, historical, legal, and bottom-line thinking. We should be good at grasping the nature of things, the law of development, the key to our work, and the measure of policies, so as to make our work more scientific, farsighted, proactive, and creative. Third, efforts should be made to strengthen ability for practical work. We should carry forward the fine style of study that combines theory with practice, fully grasp the practical requirements of new concepts, ideas and strategies of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and strengthen our ability to push forward high-quality development, serve the people, and prevent and defuse risks. We should strengthen the courage and ability to carry on fight, redouble our efforts to enhance the ability to prevent risks, rise to challenges, and withstand pressure, fill our gap in knowledge, address inadequacies in quality and strengthen weak areas in capability in a timely manner, so as to become more professional. Shaanxi must make good use of its own historical and revolutionary cultural resources and further carry forward the great founding spirit of the Party and the Yan'an Spirit to ensure that the theoretical study program yields concrete results.

Xi concerns himself about the ecological conservation and the protection of cultural relics in the Yellow River Basin. On the afternoon of May 16, on his way to Shaanxi, Xi took off the train at Yuncheng, and visited Yuncheng Museum and Yuncheng Salt Lake, accompanied by Lan Fo'an, secretary of the CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee, and Jin Xiangjun, governor of Shanxi Province. Yuncheng, which gets its name from a phrase "a town transporting salt" in Chinese, has a long and enduring history and abundant cultural resources. At the museum, Xi visited exhibitions themed on topics including the origin of the Chinese civilization, collection of rarities, and the history of the local salt industry, to learn in details about the origins of mankind and the development of early history of the Chinese civilization in Yuncheng. He was also briefed on the formation, development and historical evolution of Yuncheng Salt Lake. Xi stressed that the museum has a great collection of precious cultural relics or even "national treasures," which prove that China's history includes million years of humanity, 10,000 years of culture, and more than 5,000 years of civilization. We must further advance the national research project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization and extend research into its history. Requirements of the CPC Central Committee in this regard must be conscientiously implemented: give top priority to protection, strengthen management, tap values and make good use of cultural relics to let them play their own role in cultural development. As such, the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the preservation and inheritance of cultural heritage will be strengthened.

Yuncheng Salt Lake has a mining history of more than 4,600 years, with profound cultural heritage and significant historical value. In recent years, local authority has insisted on giving priority to protection and green development and stopped all industrial production within the protection area of the lake, in a bid to promote industrial transformation and upgrading according to local conditions. Xi listened to relevant briefings based on display panels and exhibits, and inspected the landscape of the salt lake. He pointed out that the ecological value and function of the salt lake are becoming increasingly important. Work must be done to coordinate its protection and utilization to ensure that the unique cultural and historical resources and ecological resources of the lake can be passed on from generation to generation, gradually restore its ecological function, and better protect its historical and cultural value. He emphasized that the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee from the perspective of sustainable development of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization. All provinces and regions within the Yellow River Basin must take the protection of the ecology of the Yellow River Basin as the baseline in planning development and promoting high-quality development, and must refrain from doing things that are not conducive to the ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin.

Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting and accompanied Xi on his inspection trip.

The leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments were on the inspection tour and attended the meeting, leading officials of the Third Central Steering Group for theoretical study program were also present at the meeting. ■

Xi calls for building Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region pioneer in pursuing Chinese modernization

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour in north China's Hebei Province in recent days and presided over a meeting on promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. He delivered an important speech at the meeting.

Xi stressed that efforts should be made to boost confidence and maintain resolve, to improve the capabilities of seizing opportunities, meeting challenges, addressing crises, nurturing decisive opportunities, and to coordinate development and security. He emphasized that work should be done to promote work in all fields with enthusiasm and diligence, so as to push the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to a higher level and to make the region a pioneer and example in pursuing Chinese modernization.

Premier Li Qiang, Cai Qi, who is director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang were present at the meeting. Cai was also on the inspection tour. The three are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

On May 11 and 12, accompanied by Ni Yuefeng, secretary of Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Wang Zhengpu, governor of Hebei, Xi went to the cities of Cangzhou and Shijiazhuang, where he visited the countryside and places including a port and a research institute, to learn about the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

On May 11, Xi arrived in Cangzhou. In a plot of saline-alkali wheat land in Xianzhuang area of Jiucheng Town, Huanghua City, he learned about how saline-alkali land has been harnessed, how wheat is planted in saline-alkali land and how the agriculture here has been industrialized. He walked into the wheat field, examined how the wheat was growing, and asked the farmers and agricultural technicians working in the field about the output, prices, quality, and earnings of saline-alkali wheat. Xi said, it is a strategic issue to comprehensively utilize saline-alkali land, and great importance should be attached to it. It is important to base our work on the reality that China has a large amount of saline-alkali land, which has great development potential, Xi noted. It is imperative to make greater efforts to harness saline-alkali land through innovation in science and technology, to promote the development and planting of crops suitable for saline-alkali environment, to effectively expand the planting areas of the crops, and to develop processing industry in this regard, so as to do a great job in developing the distinctive agriculture of saline-alkali land.

On the afternoon of May 11, Xi arrived at the coal dock of Huanghua Port and learned about the integrated development of ports in Hebei as well as production, operation and future planning of this port. Xi stressed that Hebei, with a uniquely advantaged location and good conditions for marine transport, should continuously promote the upgrading of its ports, integrate resources, and optimize their functional layout with a view to proactively dovetailing with the major national strategic needs for coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, high-standard and high-quality construction of Xiong'an New Area, and cooperation projects of the Belt and Road Initiative. In this way, the province will be able to play a greater role in promoting coordinated regional economic development and in the building of a modern industrial system, Xi noted. As a hub port to transport coal from west China to east China and from north China to south China, Huanghua Port should improve its capacity, innovate management systems and mechanisms to develop itself into a multifunctional, comprehensive and modern port, Xi said.

On the morning of May 12, Xi visited the research institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation in Shijiazhuang City. He learned about the development of the enterprise, its research and development of products, and improvement of military-civilian integration and independent production. He entered a workshop to observe the chip production process. Xi pointed out that developing China into a power of science and technology serves as the strategic pivot for building it into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. National strategic needs must be targeted as priority to systematically arrange key innovative resources, give full play to strengths brought about by the full integration of enterprises, colleges and research institutes so that new breakthroughs will be continuously made in core technologies in key fields. Xi encouraged technological researchers to achieve continuous progress in making breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies, and develop more technological and engineering equipment and projects of great significance independently.

Later, Xi visited the planning exhibition hall of the International Biomedical Industry Park in Shijiazhuang, and was briefed on the development of biomedical industries in Shijiazhuang, watched exhibited medicines, and learned about research and development of medicines. Xi emphasized that biomedical industry is an emerging strategic one of great importance to the national economy and people's wellbeing as well as national security. It is essential to strengthen basic research and scientific innovation capacity to keep the lifeline of the biomedical industry firmly in China's own hands. The principle of putting the people and their lives first must be upheld to develop and produce more "Chinese medicines" that are compatible with the genetic, physical and mental features of the Chinese people, and much emphasis should be placed on the innovation and development of traditional Chinese medicine.

On the afternoon of May 12, Xi chaired a meeting in Shijiazhuang City on further promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Ni Yuefeng, secretary of Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC and Chen Min'er, secretary of Tianjin Municipal Committee of the CPC, made speeches. Yin Li, secretary of Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC submitted his written speech. They reported their work on pushing forward the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and offered suggestions and advice.

After listening to their speeches, Xi Jinping delivered an important address. He affirmed what Hebei has achieved in its economic and social development since the 19th CPC National Congress and expressed the hope that the province should thoroughly learn and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, put into practice the new development philosophy in a holistic, precise and comprehensive manner, remain committed to the primary task of high-quality development and the strategic task of fostering a new development paradigm, and blaze new paths in pursuing the strategy of innovation-driven development. He also expressed the hope that the province shall shoulder new responsibilities in promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and building Xiong'an New Area with high standards and high quality, score new breakthroughs in achieving all-round green transition, cultivate new strengths in deepening reform and opening up, take new initiatives in realizing common prosperity, accelerate the pace of building Hebei into a beautiful province with economic strengths and strive to write a brilliant chapter on the province's journey to Chinese modernization.

Xi stressed that since the 19th CPC National Congress, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have been performing their principal duties in compliance with the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee, relevant central Party and government departments and units have offered strong support and played a very important role, and as a result, new and marked achievements have been made in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, efforts to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital are paying off, significant phased achievements have been made in building Xiong'an New Area, the high-quality development of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center has been stepped up, the rail network connecting Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei is quickly taking shape, major progress has been made in building the region into a beautiful and livable place, and technological innovation and industrial integration have been constantly improved. Facts have proved that the major regional development strategies such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region the CPC Central Committee has made are in line with the needs of our country in the new era to pursue high-quality development, and are an effective approach for promoting Chinese modernization.

Xi pointed out that active and steady efforts to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital must be prioritized as the pivot to control the increase of unnecessary functions and cut down the existing non-essential functions, and equal emphasis should be placed on reorganization of the internal functions and relocation of non-essential functions outside the capital to make solid and orderly progress in this regard. Xi urged greater efforts in relocation of marked projects, and the planning for the relocation to Xiong'an of another batch of the headquarters of centrally-administered state-owned enterprises in Beijing as well as their subsidiary companies and units of innovation operation. Incentive and constraint policies for the relocated should be further improved. Xi also called for greater roles of market mechanisms, and strengthening internal impetus for the relocation through market-based and law-based approaches. Work should be done to restrain Beijing's functions non-essential to its role as the national capital from increasing.

Xi stressed that more progress needs to be made in the development of both the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and Xiong'an New Area, which are the "two new wings" of Beijing. Xi noted that a balanced relationship should be developed between the role of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and that of Xiong'an New Area, and coordinated endeavors of the "two new wings" are needed to address Beijing 's "big city malaise." He highlighted a balanced development between the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and the central area of Beijing, and the former should support the development of the city center, and both should achieve prosperity together. Xi urged the relocation of another batch of administrative organs, state-owned enterprises and public institutions under the Beijing municipal government to the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center to make room for the enhancement of the essential functions of the capital. It is imperative to realize balanced development between the "two new wings" and their surrounding areas, stressing their role in leading the high-quality development of the neighboring areas.

Xi pointed out that the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is one of the most important three major drivers in leading the high-quality development of China, as it boasts a large number of first-class institutions of higher learning and high-caliber talent in research, and strong innovation capability with a solid foundation. The region should strengthen innovation coordination and industrial collaboration to play an exemplary role in achieving self-reliance in high-level science and technology. Efforts should be made to accelerate the building of an international center for innovation in science and technology and a high-level talent highland in Beijing, making the capital city an important source of China's independent innovation and original innovation. A new model of collaboration among enterprises, universities and research institutes should be developed to increase the efficiency and share of the science and technology achievements that have been applied within the region of their origin. Xi stressed the necessity of reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in innovation to cultivate a group of leading innovative enterprises with international competitiveness that hold independent intellectual property rights. It is essential to consolidate and strengthen the foundation of the real economy, and give top priority to the development of strategic emerging industries such as integrated circuit, cybersecurity, biomedicine, electric power equipment, and safety and emergency equipment to build world-class advanced manufacturing clusters.

Xi stressed that the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region should ultimately improve people's wellbeing and promote common prosperity. It is important to encourage investigation and research, gain an in-depth understanding of people's needs, address the issues of concern to their interest to constantly boost their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. It is essential to accelerate the improvement and sharing of public services, strengthen the policy of putting employment first, and promote more adequate and high-quality employment in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Efforts must be made to share high-quality primary and middle school education resources in Beijing, Tianjin with Hebei, and deepen cooperation in faculty members, discipline development and the application of achievements among higher education institutions in the region. It is imperative to develop health care consortia and extend elderly care programs in Beijing and Tianjin to eligible areas in Hebei. Efforts should be redoubled to work on key ecological conservation and restoration projects such as the sand control belts in northern China and major ecological projects like the building of ecological shields.

Xi pointed out that it is important to accelerate the development of transportation and other infrastructure and deepen intra-regional coordination. He stressed the need to pursue coordinated development between Beijing and Tianjin by expanding cooperation in breadth and depth, in order to make the two cities pioneers in regional development and play a radiating and leading role in the development of a world-class city cluster in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It is necessary to combine Beijing's strengths in scientific and technological innovation with Tianjin's advantages in advanced manufacturing research and development, strengthen joint efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, build a national technological innovation center in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to enhance their role as a growth engine for scientific and technological innovation. On the one hand, Hebei should give full play to its geographical advantages surrounding Beijing and Tianjin, and build economic corridors connecting Beijing and Tianjin from different directions. On the other hand, Beijing and Tianjin should continue to offer assistance to Hebei, and encourage eligible areas in Hebei to better absorb the spillover effects of science and technology and industrial transfer from Beijing and Tianjin. It is necessary to advance institutional reform and open up wider, make great efforts to improve the business environment, communicate with other regions at home and abroad to make the region a pacesetter for opening up in China.

Xi emphasized that to carry out the extensive theoretical study program is the top priority of this year's Party building work. The provincial and municipal Party committees in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei must conscientiously implement the arrangements and requirements of the CPC Central Committee, earnestly focus on the study program, and further enhance the political and organizational role of Party organizations at various levels to provide a strong guarantee for promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

In his speech, Li Qiang said that it is essential to earnestly study and thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, thinking and acting from a big-picture perspective, in a bid to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region more effectively and efficiently. It is imperative to highlight the primary task, and promote the aggregation of resources, policies and forces with the aim of relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, so as to make sure notable results will be achieved in the relocation of landmark projects. We must be aware of the regional differences, step up efforts to make regions complement each other with their own strengths, not only to make up for their respective deficiencies, but also forge common strengths, and turn the potential energy of development gaps into the driving forces for coordinated development, so as to ensure that residents have a stronger sense of fulfillment. Efforts should be made to further improve the working mechanism and form a closer coordinated promotion pattern.

Ding Xuexiang said that it is necessary to conscientiously study and implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, adhere to the rigid requirements of remarkable improvement in air quality, and make continuous efforts to prevent and control air pollution, so as to bring the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to a higher level. Efforts should be made to accelerate the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure, resolutely curb the blind development of energy-intensive projects with high emission and backward production capacity. Work must be done to promote the low-carbon transition in energy structure, strengthen the clean and highly-efficient use of coal, and vigorously develop new and clean energy. Efforts should be made to adjust and optimize the transportation structure to reduce fuel pollution emissions from the source. Continuous efforts must be made to deepen the joint mechanism for the prevention and control of air pollution, make sure that local governments perform their due responsibilities to form a synergy for joint management in this regard.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng and others were on the inspection tour and attended the meeting. Wu Zhenglong, Mu Hong and leading officials of the Second Central Steering Group for theoretical study program, the leading officials of the relevant departments of the central Party and government, leading officials of relevant local government departments and those in charge from relevant enterprises were present at the meeting. ■

Xi inspects Xiong'an New Area, urges new progress in its development

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour of Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province on Wednesday. Xi also presided over a meeting on promoting Xiong'an's high-standard and high-quality construction and development and delivered an important speech. He stressed that the development of Xiong'an New Area has entered a phase when the same importance must be attached to both its large-scale construction and its purpose to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital. The focus has shifted to high-quality construction, high-level management and high-quality development of relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital, he said. It is imperative to boost confidence, maintain resolve, and step up efforts in a solid and fruitful manner to achieve new progress in various aspects of work.

Xi was accompanied by Premier Li Qiang, and Cai Qi, who is director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. The three are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

On Wednesday, accompanied by Ni Yuefeng, secretary of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Wang Zhengpu, governor of Hebei, Xi conducted a fact-finding mission in the high-speed railway station, a local community, and construction sites.

On Wednesday morning, Xi took a high-speed train to Xiong'an New Area. Upon his arrival, Xi first inspected the construction and operation of the station. As the first important infrastructure project in the new area, Xiong'an Railway Station is of great significance. Xi examined the platforms, the waiting hall, and the squares outside, and learned about the station's construction and operation as well as the planning and construction of Zan'gang area, where the station is located. Xi said that Xiong'an Railway Station is the transportation hub of Xiong'an New Area. The transportation networks that connect the railway station and the rest of the new area should be further optimized, so as to improve the efficient flow of logistics and people, he said. Zan'gang area should be built into a cluster of high-end and high-tech industries, so that visitors will be able to immediately feel the new atmosphere of modernized Xiong'an New Area upon their arrival, he said.

Xi then took a car to Nanwenying community in Rongdong District of Xiong'an New Area, which is now home to 5,000-plus relocated people from Anxin and Rongcheng counties. While visiting the CPC service center for the public and then the community's canteen, Xi chatted cordially with staff of the community, residents seeking public services at the center, and elderly people dining at the canteen. He checked records of civil affairs of the community and expressed his satisfaction with its work on facilitating people's life and providing elderly care services. Xi stressed that he has been concerned about the life of relocated people. It's a relief to see their good living conditions. The key to boosting the development of Xiong'an New Area is to secure settlement and jobs for the relocated residents, so that they could live a stable, prosperous and promising life, Xi said. Xiong'an New Area needs to promote the modernization of its urban governance, and work must be done to the last detail in the initial phase to promote equal access to basic public services, so as to build a people's city that is both livable and conducive to doing business, Xi noted.

Xi called on the home of Li Jinghe, one of the relocated residents. Li told Xi that he moved into his new home in November 2021. The roomy and bright home offers much comfort, and his life is becoming better and better. Xi highlighted that developing Xiong'an New Area is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee. The relocated residents had answered the call of the state, supported the policies, and made their contributions to the implementation of the national strategies. Xi urged the young generation to boost their confidence, improve their capacities, contribute to their hometowns and work as builders of and successors to the cause of socialism in the building of a stronger China and national rejuvenation.

When Xi was leaving, the residents greeted him with loud cheers. Xi also waved goodbye to the residents. He said with emotion that he felt attached to this place as he once worked in Hebei, and hoped to build it into a better region. The development of Xiong'an New Area is a national project of millennial significance and should be pushed forward with concrete actions and sustained efforts. The construction cannot be done in a hasty mood, and neither should it rely solely on support, Xi said.

Xiong'an Intercity Railway Station is located at the core of the first-built zone in Xiong'an New Area. Xi then arrived at the construction sites of the station and the international trade center. He checked sand tables of the areas, overlooked the sites from a high point, and learned about the development of key infrastructure projects and major projects launched for the purpose of relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the capital. Xi noted that transportation plays the role of the blood vessels of a modern city, and smooth flow of traffic is the prerequisite to a city's healthy development. More efforts should be made in constructing a multidimensional comprehensive transport network, in making full use of underground space and in building a future city without "urban problems," so as to turn the high-standard blueprint into high-quality development of a city.

In the afternoon, Xi arrived at the Xiong'an Hall of the Xiong'an Exhibition Center. While watching the sand table and related short videos, he listened to the introduction on the overall planning and construction of Xiong'an New Area, and learned about the progress in ecological and environmental governance and protection of Baiyangdian Lake, river dredging and the "100 lakes connection project." He stressed that the endeavors to promote the ecological and environmental governance and protection of Baiyangdian Lake will benefit not only this generation, but many more to come. Therefore, comprehensive plans must be made and implemented in a steady manner.

Afterwards, Xi chaired a meeting on advancing the high-standard and high-quality construction of Xiong'an New Area at the multifunctional hall on the third floor of the exhibition center. Zheng Shanjie, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Ni Yuefeng, secretary of Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Zhang Guohua, secretary of Party Work Committee of Xiong'an New Area made speeches. Heads of China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd. and China State Construction Engineering Corporation submitted their written speeches.

After listening to their speeches, Xi delivered an important address. He stressed that under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the strong support from the relevant central departments, Beijing, Tianjin and other regions, Hebei Province has performed its principal responsibilities, and the Party Work Committee and the Administration Committee of Xiong'an New Area have performed their due responsibilities and made solid progress on all fronts. As a result, significant phased achievements have been made in building Xiong'an New Area, top-level design regarding the construction and development of the new area is near completion, major progress has been made in infrastructure construction, efforts to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital are paying off, tangible results have been seen in the ecological and environmental governance of Baiyangdian Lake, positive results have been attained in deepening reform and opening-up, conditions for integrating industries and innovations have become more mature, and steady progress is being made in the relocation and resettlement of local residents. Within only six years, Xiong'an New Area has started from scratch and developed from a blueprint to reality. A high-level modern city is sprouting up, which is undoubtedly a miracle. All these achievements have been made while the world today is undergoing a scale of changes unseen in a century and during the COVID-19 pandemic that lasted for three years, which is very hard to come by. Facts have shown that the strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee on the development of Xiong'an New Area is correct, and work in different aspects is solid and effective.

Xi stressed the importance of fully, faithfully and comprehensively implementing the strategic plans of the CPC Central Committee on the construction of Xiong'an New Area and deeply understanding the practical and historical significance of the CPC Central Committee's decisions. It is important to stay committed to the CPC Central Committee's arrangements on Xiong'an New Area's functions and roles, missions and tasks, and relevant principles and requirements in this regard. Xi highlighted the need to enhance political awareness and be sufficiently patient, in a bid to balance the relationships between the near-term targets and mid- and long-term goals, between the speed of urban development and the scale of population increase, between industrial relocation and industrial upgrade, between the government and the market, between the work to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and city development of Xiong'an, between urban construction and the revitalization of surrounding rural areas, so that the right direction can be ensured for the development of Xiong'an New Area.

Xi called for solid endeavor to do tasks related to relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital, urging the planning for the relocation to Xiong'an of another batch of the headquarters of state-owned enterprises directly under the central government in Beijing as well as their subsidiary companies and units of innovation operation. The relocation to Xiong'an of financial institutions, research institutes and public institutions should also be planned. Incentive and constraint policies for the relocated should be further improved. As far as policies related to children's education of those relocated to Xiong'an, their healthcare, housing, remuneration, social security, and housing provident fund are concerned, the principle should be followed that old measures are applied for veterans and new measures for fresh employees, and policies should be more detailed and practical, so that they can enjoy real benefits. Xi also called for the integration of market mechanisms and government's guidance, equal emphasis on projects and policies, and strengthened internal impetus for the relocation through market-based and law-based approaches.

Xi emphasized the importance of fully implementing the strategy of innovation-driven development, and carrying out pioneering policies and measures on reform and opening up in multiple areas and forward-looking trials and demonstration projects in Xiong'an New Area. He called for efforts in building new functions, forming new images, developing new industries, gathering new talent, and constructing new mechanisms, making Xiong'an New Area an innovation highland and a fertile ground for business ventures in the new era. It is essential to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment, formulate a package of special support policies to extensively attract and gather domestic and foreign forces and capital to participate in the construction and development of Xiong'an New Area, in a bid to create a dynamic landscape of public popularity, convergence of factors, joint contribution and common development. It is also essential to widely apply advanced science and technology, strengthen the capability for scientific and technological innovation as well as the application of achievements in science and technology research, develop new business forms and models to foster new growth drivers, and make a smart, green and innovative Xiong'an New Area a widely acclaimed brand name. It is equally important to implement the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, pursue green and low-carbon development, and make Xiong'an New Area a model of green development.

Xi pointed out that it is imperative to improve the leadership and management mechanisms of Xiong'an New Area, and Xiong'an should embrace an urban management system in a phased and orderly manner. The leadership teams at all levels and the officials of the new area need to be strengthened to make the personnel more qualified and professional. Work needs to be done to improve the assessment and evaluation mechanisms for officials in Xiong'an and encourage Party members and officials to take on responsibilities, innovate and perform their duties well.

Xi stressed that it must be ensured that people's cities are built by the people and for the people. Efforts must be made to address the issues of major concern to officials and people in Xiong'an New Area, so that people will get a strong sense of fulfillment and happiness from the development of the new area. Priority must be given to employment to improve policies that guide employment and entrepreneurship, and increase employment training programs for the labor in the new area. Efforts must be made to seek balanced development between urban and rural areas, so as to blaze a new path in narrowing the gap between urban and rural areas, pursuing integrated urban-rural development and promoting common prosperity for all.

Xi pointed out that the Xiong'an New Area Party Work Committee and Party organizations at all levels should conscientiously carry out the theoretical study program, and take the study as an opportunity to strengthen fact-finding efforts, promote the emancipation of mind, the improvement of capabilities, the transformation of work style, and the implementation of work, in a bid to further boost political and organizational functions. Continuous efforts must be made to tackle pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, and advance anti-corruption endeavor in an integrated manner to make sure that officials don't dare to, are unable to and have no desire to commit corruption so as to create "Xiong'an quality" secured by "a clean government of Xiong'an."

In his speech, Li Qiang said that to promote the construction of Xiong'an New Area with high standards and high quality, the most fundamental and crucial thing is to understand and implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. It is necessary to have the resolve of the "Millennium Plan," firmly grasp the role and mission of Xiong'an New Area, and work in a steady and patient manner for sustained achievements. It is essential to have the enthusiasm to "seize the day and night," vigorously focus on the things that have been clarified and must be done, and never to wait or procrastinate. Instead, work must be done in a fast manner to accelerate the efforts to help relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, solidly advance infrastructure construction, and step up efforts to build a modern industrial system, give full play to the enthusiasm of all parties, and continuously make new progress in fulfilling various tasks.

Ding Xuexiang said that it is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, and take scientific and technological innovation as the fundamental task for the high-quality construction and development of Xiong'an New Area. More efforts should be made to create an important source of independent and original innovation, build a first-class innovation platform, and carry out high-level scientific and technological innovation. Efforts must be made to promote the deep integration of industrial chain with innovation chain, deploy the innovation chain based on the industrial chain, intensify the application of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the development of high-tech industries; endeavors must be made to create a collaborative innovation community for the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, innovate the benefit-sharing model, and absorb and gather more innovative elements for promoting high-quality development of Xiong'an New Area.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng and others were on the inspection tour and attended the meeting. Wu Zhenglong, Mu Hong, Jiang Xinzhi and the leading officials of the relevant departments of central Party and government, relevant military units, Hebei Province, Xiong'an New Area, and those in charge of relevant enterprises were present at the meeting. ■

Xi stresses building of modern industrial system and high-quality population development

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission and director of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs (CCFEA), presided over the first meeting of the commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee on Friday afternoon. He stressed that the work of the commission should be well carried out and underlined research and efforts on speeding up the building of the country's modern industrial system and advancing Chinese modernization with support from the high-quality development of the population. In his important speech at the meeting, Xi stressed that the newly grouped CCFEA should continue to play its role in formulating major guidelines for economic work and further strengthening and improving the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over economic work. A modern industrial system is the material and technological foundation of a modern country, and the focus of the economic development should be placed on the real economy to provide solid material support for China to realize its Second Centenary Goal, Xi said. Population development is of vital importance to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and efforts must be made to improve the overall population quality so as to support Chinese modernization.

Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese premier and deputy director of the CCFEA, Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, a member of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat and a member of the CCFEA, and Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese vice premier and a member of the CCFEA, attended the meeting.

At the meeting, reports on accelerating the building of a modern industrial system were heard from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and so were reports on supporting Chinese modernization with high-quality population development from the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Ministry of Education.

It was noted at the meeting that economic development is the Party's central work. To strengthen the Party's leadership over economic work is an integral part of strengthening the overall leadership of the Party. The CCFEA bears heavy responsibilities and plays an important role as an important institutional arrangement of the CPC Central Committee to lead economic work. To do a good job, the CCFEA under the 20th CPC Central Committee must fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerate the creation of a new development pattern and pursue high-quality development. It is imperative to strengthen strategic planning, bolster systems thinking, promote coordinated implementation, and intensify investigations and research to put into good practice the national development strategy in a consistent manner. The meeting examined and approved Work Regulations for the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs and Detailed Regulations for the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs.

It was stressed at the meeting that to accelerate modernizing the industrial system with the real economy as the pillar concerns whether China can take the strategic initiative when it comes to its future development and global competition. We must grasp the opportunity of the new scientific and technological revolution which involves artificial intelligence among others, adapt to the requirement for harmony between humanity and nature, maintain and strengthen the advantages of a complete industrial system with strong capabilities of coordination, and effectively accumulate innovation factors worldwide, so as to ensure that the industries are smarter, greener and more integrated, and build a more complete, advanced, safe and modernized industrial system. We must maintain the real economy as the mainstay and prevent it from being sidelined, take steady and incremental steps instead of going after what is big and foreign and maintain an integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries and prevent them from being isolated and opposite to each other. We must also keep promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries rather than eliminating them as "low-end industries," and adhere to openness and cooperation instead of divorcing ourselves from reality.

It was noted at the meeting that industrial policies under the new development stage must be improved, top priority must be given to safeguarding industrial security, top-level design for strategic fields must be enhanced, and industrial policies must be more coordinated. Greater efforts should be made to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas and strengthen support for strategic resources, and the principal position of enterprises in sci-tech innovation should be ensured with institutional arrangements. Greater attention should be given to enhancing the application of technologies in grain production and breaking through the restrictions of natural conditions such as cultivated land on agricultural production. It is important to make full use of the advantage of the super-sized market, with efforts to integrate the strategies of domestic demand expansion and innovation-driven development, and promote opening up and cooperation of the industrial and supply chains. Vigorous efforts should be made to build world-class enterprises, cherish and care for outstanding entrepreneurs, and train master craftsmen and highly skilled workers.

It was pointed out at the meeting that the current population development in China is characterized by the trend of birthrate decline, population aging, and differentiation in regional population growth, so the new situation of population development in China must be fully understood and correctly viewed. We should focus on the strategic arrangement of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation, perfect the strategy for population development in the new era, and understand, adapt to and guide the new normal of population development. Efforts should be made to improve the overall quality of the population, maintain an appropriate birthrate and population size, and speed up the development of modern human resources with good quality, sufficient quantity, optimized structure and reasonable distribution, so that Chinese modernization will be advanced with support from the high-quality development of the population. It is necessary to apply systems thinking in planning the population development, promote high-quality population development through reform and innovation, closely integrate high-quality population development with high quality of life for the people, and promote well-rounded development of individuals and common prosperity for everyone.

The meeting stressed the need to deepen the reform and innovation of education and health services, regard the construction of an education power as a strategic project for high-quality population development, and comprehensively improve the scientific and cultural literacy, health, and intellectual and moral level of the population. It is imperative to introduce and improve policies to support childbirth, develop a childcare service system that can benefit all so as to alleviate the burden of raising children on households, and build a society friendly to childbirth and child care to promote steady population growth in the long run. Efforts should be made to develop and make good use of human resources, stabilize labor participation rate, and bolster the efficient use of human resources. It is important to implement proactive national strategies in response to the population aging, promote the building of a basic system for elderly care services, develop silver economy, and accelerate the building of a multi-layered, multi-pillared elderly care insurance system to make sure that the seniors have a sense of security, worthiness and happiness. The relationship between population and economy and society must be well coordinated, and so must be that between population and resources and environment. Work should be done to improve regional economic layout and territorial spatial system, optimize the population structure, and safeguard the population security to promote the high-quality development of the population.

Members of the CCFEA were present. Leading officials of relevant central Party and government departments attended the meeting. ■

Xi presides over meeting on economic work

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to analyze current economic situation and economic work.

It was noted at the meeting that since the beginning of this year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all localities and departments have better balanced domestic and international imperatives, responded to COVID-19 and pursued economic and social development in a well-coordinated way, and ensured both development and security. As a result, China has secured a major, decisive victory in the country's COVID-19 response efforts, and economic and social activities have fully returned to normal. With macro policies well in place, the triple pressure of shrinking demand, supply shocks, and weakening expectations has been alleviated. The economic growth has exceeded expectations, market demand is picking up, economic growth is rebounding, and China's economy is off to a good start.

It was pointed out at the meeting that the current upturn in China's economy is mainly in the process of recovering, with endogenous driving force still weak and demand insufficient. Economic transition and upgrading face new headwinds, and hardships and challenges are still to be overcome to promote high-quality development.

It was stressed at the meeting that it is imperative to carry out the theoretical study program on the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, earnestly implement the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerate the forging of a new development pattern, and comprehensively deepen reform and opening up. It is also important to give full play to the effectiveness of policies while boosting the vitality of business entities, so as to create a strong driving force for high-quality development. Work should be coordinated to ensure sustained economic growth, boost the dynamism of the economy, improve social expectations, and prevent and defuse risks and hidden dangers, so that we can ride the crest of what has been achieved to effectively upgrade and appropriately expand China's economic output.

It was noted at the meeting that efforts must be made to accelerate modernizing the industrial system supported by the real economy. It is not just necessary to speed up achieving breakthroughs in inadequate areas, but also important to make strong areas stronger and bigger. Efforts must be made to consolidate the foundation of self-reliance and strength in science and technology and cultivate new drivers for growth. The strengths in developing new energy vehicles must be consolidated and expanded with efforts to build more charging piles and energy storage facilities and to renovate power grids. Importance must be attached to the development of artificial general intelligence, fostering an enabling environment for innovation and remaining on high alert against risks.

It was noted at the meeting that currently the key for the economy to steadily recover and pick up relies on the recovery and expansion of demand. It is necessary to step up efforts in making proactive fiscal policy more effectual and prudent monetary policy more targeted and effective so as to create synergy for expanding demand. The incomes of urban and rural residents should be increased through multiple channels, the consumption environment should be improved, and the consumption of services in sectors such as culture and tourism should be boosted. The guiding role of government investment and policy incentives should be well leveraged to effectively stimulate private investment.

It was noted at the meeting that the principle must be firmly maintained to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector. Efforts must be made to remove the obstacles and barriers in terms of laws and rules as well as hidden ones that hinder enterprises under all forms of ownership from competing and growing on a level playing field. Efforts must also be made to continuously boost the confidence of business entities and help enterprises regain strength. All enterprises must operate in compliance with law and regulations. Work must be done to ultimately address the issue of overdue payments to enterprises. Work should be done to promote the well-regulated and healthy development of platform companies, and encourage leading platform companies to explore and innovate.

It was stressed at the meeting that reform should be comprehensively deepened and high-level opening up expanded. The reform plan of the Party and state institutions should be conscientiously implemented to promote the modernization of the state governance system and capacity. It is imperative to put attracting foreign investment in an even more important position and achieve stable performance in foreign trade and investment. Free trade pilot zones and free trade ports with conditions should be supported to dovetail their rules with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and play a pioneering role in reform and opening up.

It was pointed out at the meeting that work should be done to effectively prevent and defuse risks in key areas and coordinate the reform of small and medium-sized banks, insurance and trust institutions and help them prevent and defuse risks. The principle must be adhered to that housing is for living in, not for speculation. With this in mind, city-specific policies should be implemented to support people in buying their first homes or improving their housing conditions. Work must be done to secure timely deliveries of presold homes, ensure people's wellbeing and social stability, so as to promote the steady and healthy development of the real estate market and boost the establishment of a new development pattern for the real estate industry. In megacities, renovation of "villages" in cities should be steadily promoted and so should the construction of public infrastructure for both normal and emergency use. More affordable housing should be planned and constructed. It is of importance to strengthen the management of local government debts and strictly control the increase of implicit debt. The prevention and control of COVID-19 should remain in place.

It was noted at the meeting that solid efforts must be made to safeguard and improve people's livelihoods, priority must be given to employment to expand employment channels for college graduates and stabilize employment for key groups such as migrant workers. With a particularly strong sense of responsibility, efforts must continuously be made to ensure workplace safety. Adequate electric power supply should be guaranteed during the peak summer season. What has been achieved in poverty alleviation must be consolidated and further expanded, and efforts made to ensure grain production and supply of essential agro-products to comprehensively promote rural revitalization. Ecological conservation and environmental protection must be strengthened. Officials at all levels must take the lead in conducting investigations and research, targeting problems and helping enterprises and grassroots solve problems in a practical manner. ■

Xi stresses solid efforts to write a new chapter in reform and opening up

BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission and director of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, delivered an important speech while presiding over the first meeting of the commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee on Friday afternoon.

Xi stressed that this year is the first year for the implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. It also marks the 45th anniversary of China's reform and opening up and the 10th anniversary of the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. To achieve the goals and targets on the new journey of the new era, we need to harness comprehensively deepening reform as the key source of momentum in our endeavor to advance Chinese modernization and the key focus of our efforts to secure overall stability, cope with changes, and open up new vistas. Steering toward the right direction, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and with solid efforts, we will write a new chapter in China's reform and opening up on the new journey.

Li Qiang, Wang Huning and Cai Qi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy directors of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, attended the meeting.

Seven documents were examined and approved at the meeting. They were Opinions on Reinforcing the Principal Role of Enterprises in Innovation, Opinions on Strengthening and Improving the Management of the State-Owned Sector to Support Chinese Modernization, Opinions on Promoting the Development of Private Economy, Work Regulations for the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, Work Regulations for the Specialized Groups of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, Detailed Regulations for the Office of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, and Work Plan for the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform in 2023.

It was pointed out at the meeting that strengthening the principal role of enterprises in innovation is a major move taken to deepen the reform of scientific and technological system, and to realize higher level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology. It is important to apply systems thinking, focus on "for whom we should innovate, who should innovate, what and how we should innovate." Institution building should be the pivot to make holistic arrangements for decision-making on technological innovation, R&D investment, organizing scientific research, and the industrial application of scientific and technological advances. Systematic arrangements should be made for the distribution of such key resources for innovation as policies, fund, projects, platforms and professional personnel. Innovations in terms of science and technology, industries, and institutions and mechanisms should be promoted in a coordinated way, so as to promote the establishment of an innovation system with enterprises playing a principal role and closer collaboration between industries, universities, and research institutes. Meeting the major needs of the country's strategic and industrial development should be the focus in order to beef up support for enterprises in innovation, actively encourage and effectively guide private enterprises to participate in major national innovations, and promote enterprises to play their role in making innovations in core technologies in key fields and achieving breakthroughs in major original technologies.

It was stressed at the meeting that the missions the state-owned economy shoulders and its functions as well as its role on the new journey of the new era should be the pivot for strengthening and improving the management of this sector. Strategic importance must be attached to forging a new development pattern, advancing high-quality development, promoting common prosperity and safeguarding national security when efforts are made to optimize the sector's safety responsibilities, quality, structure, property and management of enterprises. Efforts should be made to deepen reform of state-owned enterprises, and focus on addressing inadequacies, strengthening weak areas, consolidating fundamentals and giving full play to strengths, so as to build a management system of the state-owned sector that has top-level coordination, clear rights and responsibilities, efficient operation and powerful supervision.

It was noted at the meeting that supporting the development of the private sector is a long-term principle of the CPC Central Committee. To support the growth and expansion of the private sector, work must be done to improve the environment for its development, remove the institutional obstacles that prevent private enterprises from fairly participating in market competition, and guide them to accurately identify their role in the process of high-quality development, so that private enterprises will be able to constantly improve the quality of their development by reforming themselves, complying with law and regulations and upgrading themselves. We should fully consider the characteristics of the private economy, improve the way policies are implemented and coordinated to provide private enterprises with precise and direct access to preferential policies and thereby effectively solve the practical difficulties of enterprises. We should put into practice the building of a cordial and clean relationship between government and business to guide and promote the healthy growth of personages in the private sector.

It was emphasized at the meeting that since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have deepened the reform in an all-round way with great political courage, adhered to our goals as guide, highlighted problem-oriented approach, dared to break into uncharted waters, tackle tough issues, wade through dangerous rapids and face new issues and challenges, resolutely eliminated the drawbacks of various institutional mechanisms, and opened up a new situation with unprecedented strength. In the first 10 years of the new era, the reform we have promoted is comprehensive, in-depth and fundamental, and the achievements we have made are historic, revolutionary and pioneering. There is no country or political party in the whole world that has the political courage and historical responsibility to carry out such a bold and inward-looking self-reform. There is either no country or political party that can promote reform in such a wide range of areas, at such a large scale, with such a powerful strength and in such a short period of time. This is a distinctive feature and significant advantage of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

To continue comprehensively deepening reform on the new journey, we must uphold and strengthen Party leadership, find the right path, clarify goals and tasks, and implement to the letter each task with scientific planning and the courage to innovate. We must overcome difficulties in major reform tasks, coordinate the overall situation while grasping the key points, plan and promote reform with a focus on the major issues of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. We must also make good use of the favorable conditions created by institutional reform, and strive to break through some difficulties in removing institutional obstacles in all areas and adjusting the distribution of interests. We should strengthen investigation into and research on reform, make more visits to regions and departments where issues and problems accumulate, go down to the grassroots and keep close contact with the people, so as to learn about and analyze real problems. In-depth study should be conducted on specific problems, while taking into consideration all aspects of work. We should use our brain and make more efforts as far as the scheme of things and overall situation are concerned. It is necessary to intensify reform and focus on implementation, to foster a more targeted and effective mechanism, under which higher and lower level institutions are well coordinated, vertical and horizontal management soundly integrated. Greater efforts should be made in supervision over reform to make sure that reform measures are implemented to the letter. All departments must be motivated and the incentive mechanisms on reform and innovation must be perfected. Advanced experience on reform should be shared and promoted, public opinions should be well guided and timely responses should be made to concerns of all parties.

Members of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform were present, and so were leading officials in charge of relevant central Party and government departments. ■

Xi calls for further reform, opening up to drive Chinese modernization in Guangdong

GUANGZHOU, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that Guangdong Province is the pacemaker and experimental zone of China's reform and opening up, and plays an instrumental role in Chinese modernization. He made the remarks during a recent inspection trip to the province. Xi said that with the goals of building China into a great socialist country and achieving national rejuvenation in mind, Guangdong must focus on high-quality development as the primary task and forging a new development pattern as the strategic mission to take the lead in promoting reform in all respects and higher-level opening up, achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, modernizing the industrial system, and advancing coordinated urban-rural and regional development, and be a trailblazer on the Chinese path to modernization.

From April 10 to 13, Xi made an inspection tour to places including Zhanjiang, Maoming and Guangzhou where he visited enterprises, a port, a village among other sites. Xi was accompanied by Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, and Wang Weizhong, governor of the province.

On the morning of April 10, Xi first visited a mariculture base, a national level key mariculture project in south China, on Donghai Island in Zhanjiang City. After being briefed about the development of marine fisheries in Guangdong, Xi went on to see the fine fish breeds and asked research staff and breeders about breeding technology, the growth of fry and their market prices. He pointed out that China is a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion. To make sure the people have enough to eat and guarantee food security, we should adopt an all-encompassing approach to food production, utilizing both land and sea resources. Let the sea become blue granaries with fish and other marine products growing in aquafarms, he said. The breeding industry is the foundation of the development of modern agriculture and aquaculture. Concrete efforts must be made to promote its development. It is imperative to vigorously develop deep-sea aquaculture equipment and smart fisheries, and boost the transformation of marine fisheries into an information-based, intelligent and modern industry, he said.

The Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve is the largest and densest natural reserve of its kind in China. Xi inspected the mangrove area on the Jinniu Island in Huguang Township, Mazhang District, in the eastern part of the reserve, and learned about the growth of mangroves and the surrounding ecological environment. He stressed that the mangroves are a "national treasure" and we should protect them as we do our own eyes. Strengthening marine ecological environment is an important part of overall ecological conservation. We should continue to pursue green development, make unremitting efforts from generation to generation to build a beautiful China, and make China's contribution to protecting the global village.

On the afternoon of April 10, Xi inspected Xuwen Port in Xuwen County of Zhanjiang City. This port is the "No.1 project" to connect Guangdong and its neighboring province Hainan. At the port terminal, Xi observed the overall view of the port and was briefed on Guangdong's efforts to improve connectivity of transport infrastructure and coordinate the work for the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Then he came to the berth wharf to see the ship docking and passenger transfer, among others. When passengers on board saw Xi, they all extended greetings to him. He waved to them and wished them a safe journey. Xi pointed out that the Qiongzhou Strait serves as a strategic channel for the national economic strategy in the South China Sea, and also a key gateway for the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. We should do a good job in utilizing this "golden waterway" as the best channel for passenger and cargo transport, so as to build Xuwen Port into a modern comprehensive land-sea transport hub linking the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port.

After leaving Xuwen Port, Xi visited Dashuiqiao Reservoir in Xuwen County. The reservoir is a junction station for water diversion under the Beibu Gulf Rim Water Resources Allocation Project in Guangdong Province. Xi asked about the project's construction, management, operation and follow-up planning. The staff showed water samples and monitoring equipment and briefed Xi about local efforts in strengthening ecological conservation in the surrounding areas. Xi pointed out that China faces the challenges of insufficient and unbalanced water resources. To promote Chinese modernization, the availability of water resources as an important factor must be taken into consideration for urban development, land use, population growth and industrial development. Efforts should be made to develop water-saving industries. Guangdong Province must do a good job in optimizing the allocation of water resources, speed up with all-out efforts the construction of water resources allocation projects, promote endeavors in addressing the unbalanced development between regions and bring benefits to the people at an early date.

On April 11, Xi inspected Baiqiao Village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou of Maoming City. With plantations covering an area of 6,800 mu (around 453 hectares), the village specializes in producing lychees. Xi came to a lychee orchard to learn about local efforts to develop distinctive planting and cultural tourism industries. He cordially talked with technicians on the spot. Later, Xi visited a longan and lychee cooperative where he was briefed about the cooperative's operation and efforts in advancing rural revitalization. Xi noted that the region is known for lychees and has a history and culture of lychee planting with distinctive characteristics, notable advantages and a large market. It is necessary to further improve technologies in planting, fresh-keeping, and processing, so as to further advance the development of the distinctive lychee industry as well as distinctive cultural tourism.

When Xi was leaving, the villagers hailed aloud "Hello, General Secretary" and "Thank you, General Secretary." Xi said cordially to them, "This is my first visit to western Guangdong, and I am very pleased to see that the villagers are living a prosperous life through the development of lychee and other distinctive planting industries." He said we must advance rural revitalization across the board and address unbalanced development between urban and rural areas to advance Chinese modernization. We must remain committed to pursuing common prosperity, increase assistance and support for those who are lagging behind financially, foster social etiquette and civility among rural residents, and strengthen efforts to improve the rural living environment and protect the ecology, so that life for rural residents will get better one year after another, he added.

Xi made an inspection tour in Guangzhou on April 12. In the afternoon, he started his inspection by visiting the Guangzhou manufacturing base of LG Display. Leading officials of Guangdong briefed Xi on what the province has done over the past years to boost the interplay between domestic and international markets and resources and to raise the quality and level of trade and investment cooperation as well as the achievements made in this regard. Xi watched a display of the products and the process of manufacturing and assembly, and lauded the achievements made by the enterprise. Xi stressed that, amid the sluggish global economic growth, China will see its market have more competitive advantages if it speeds up fostering a new development pattern and improving its business environment. He said he hoped that foreign investors will seize the opportunities and come to China, especially Guangdong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and tap the potential of the Chinese market to secure new success in their development.

Xi then made an inspection tour to GAC Aion New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. He visited its exhibition hall, assembly workshop, and workshop for producing batteries, and learned about the enterprise's progress made in achieving breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields and what it has been doing in developing higher-end, smarter and greener manufacturing. At the automotive engineering institute of Guangzhou Automobile Group, Xi took an attentive look at the labs for intelligent networking and model design, and talked with scientific researchers, entrepreneurs, employees and representatives of foreign companies. Xi noted that China's reform and opening-up policy will remain unchanged over the long term and the country will never close its door to the world. We are willing to work in the same direction with all countries that are willing to cooperate with us for win-win results to promote the common prosperity and development of the world economy. Xi stressed that China is a big country and must attach importance to the real economy and take the path of self-reliance. Core technologies in key areas should be based on independent research and development, and international cooperation is also welcome. Efforts should be made to strengthen education and personnel training to consolidate the foundation of sci-tech self-reliance and strength.

On the morning of April 13, Xi listened to the work reports of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the provincial government and affirmed the achievements Guangdong has made in various aspects.

Xi pointed out that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has an important strategic position in the new development pattern of the country. Guangdong should earnestly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, regard the development of the Greater Bay Area as a great opportunity for Guangdong to further its reform and opening up, and give top priority to it, with the Pearl River Delta as the main position, and pool the whole province's efforts to do a good job in fulfilling this major task, so as to make the Greater Bay Area a strategic node for the new development pattern, a demonstration area for high-quality development and a pioneering area for the Chinese path to modernization.

Xi emphasized that high-level sci-tech self-reliance and strength is the key to the development of Chinese modernization. We should further implement the innovation-driven development strategy, strengthen the development of regional innovation system, further boost the independent innovation capability, and strive to make greater progress in achieving breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas. We should strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises in innovation, and cultivate more innovative enterprises with independent intellectual property rights and core competitiveness. It is very important to strengthen the principal role of enterprises in innovation, promote deeper integration of the innovation, industry, capital and talent chains, constantly promote the industrial application of scientific and technological achievements, and build an industrial science and technology innovation center with global influence. It is imperative to build the Greater Bay Area into a hub of talent to create an agglomeration effect of bringing together talent for innovation in high-end science and technology.

Xi pointed out that Chinese modernization should not follow the path that leads to the real economy being sidelined. Instead, efforts must be accelerated to develop a modern industrial system supported by the real economy. Guangdong Province must continue to develop manufacturing as its pillar industry and attach more importance to developing the real economy and accelerating industrial transformation and upgrading, so that its industrial foundation can be advanced and its industrial chain modernized. Guangdong must develop strategic emerging industries, and build a modern industrial system with stronger international competitiveness.

Xi emphasized that common prosperity is the essence of Chinese modernization, and coordinated regional development is a prerequisite for achieving it. Guangdong should make efforts to address unbalanced development between regions and accelerate the development of transport and other infrastructure for regional connectivity to promote the orderly transfer of industries from the Pearl River Delta to eastern, western and northern Guangdong. It is necessary to strengthen the overall planning of land and sea, and the complementary role between mountain-based economy and sea-based one, strengthen the overall layout of ports, industries and cities, enhance marine ecological protection so as to comprehensively build a strong maritime province. It is important to actively promote new urbanization with a focus on the development of county seats, accelerate the development of a modern rural industrial system, develop new rural collective economies, deeply implement rural development so as to promote common prosperity. Continuous efforts should be made to dynamically monitor any sign of rural residents relapsing into poverty, and regular assistance must be provided in this regard.

Xi pointed out that the theoretical study program is a major task for Party building this year. Party organizations at all levels must resolutely implement the plans of the CPC Central Committee, educate and guide Party members and officials to make efforts and achieve concrete results in forging inner strength, gaining wisdom, improving Party conduct and motivating actions through the study program. To forge the Party's soul through the study program is to deepen, internalize and apply the study and implementation of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, in order to strengthen our beliefs, reinforce the marrow of our faith, keep the roots of our convictions healthy and strong, and absorb the mental nutrients we need to maintain the right line in our thinking. First, we need to stay firm on our ideals and convictions to strengthen political identification with the Party's values and orientation and have a correct outlook on the world, life and values. Second, we need to consolidate our loyalty to the Party, consciously uphold the Party's overall leadership, and the CPC Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We should constantly improve our capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation, stay in line with the CPC Central Committee in terms of political stance, political orientation, political principles and political path, and materialize our loyalty to the Party in the implementation of decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee. Third, we should stand firmly with the people, raise our consciousness of the Party's fundamental principles, and stick to the Party's founding mission. We must practice the Party's "mass line," and whether the people are satisfied should be the criterion for assessing whether the study program is successful. Efforts must be made to solve problems of the greatest, most immediate, and most practical concern to the people. Concrete, meticulous and effective actions must be taken to improve the people's livelihood, warm their hearts and respond to their aspirations, so that the people will benefit more from the achievements of modernization in a fair manner.

Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the inspection tours.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, and other leading officials of relevant central Party and government departments were also in Xi's company on the inspection tours. Leading officials of the seventh central steering group on the theoretical study program attended the briefings. ■

Xi calls for afforestation efforts during tree planting activity

BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in a voluntary tree planting activity on Tuesday morning in Beijing. He called for national endeavor for tree planting during this season of growth.

Xi stressed that around this time each year, there is a tree-planting campaign from the country's warmer south to north. "Today, we are planting trees in order to call on more people to do the same. It is not just for more efforts to make the vast lands of China greener, but also help develop the awareness of afforestation among the general public," he said. "Together let us embrace this season of hope and build China into a beautiful country," he added.

Drizzling in the suburbs of Beijing has added to the vibrancy of the springtime. At 10:30 a.m., Xi and other Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng arrived at Dongba Central Park in Beijing's Chaoyang District amid the rain to attend the voluntary tree planting activity along with other participants in the capital.

The planting site is in Dongba Central Park at the confluence of the Beixiaohe River and Bahe River, covering an area of about 20 hectares. There used to be a village here called Dongfeng Village under Dongba Township. After villagers were relocated, the site vacated, and environment improved, the area is now planned to become an ecological space featuring biodiversity. In the park, officials and residents of Beijing as well as members of the Chinese Young Pioneers were planting trees with great enthusiasm.

Catching sight of Xi, they all extended greetings to him. Xi put on a raincoat, picked up a shovel, and walked to the place for tree-planting, joining in the activity together with leading officials from the Beijing municipal government and National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Digging pits, building soil berms and watering saplings, Xi planted saplings of different types of trees including Chinese pine, midget crabapple, Chinese pagoda tree, persimmon tree and red-barked dogwood. Everyone was busy amid a warm atmosphere. While planting trees, Xi told students how to plant trees and enquired about their study and daily life. He asked them how old their parents were, whether biology lessons were taught in primary school, how much knowledge they had about plants, how much homework and extracurricular tutoring they had now. He also advised the students to be enthusiastic about work from childhood in order to develop sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills. Xi stressed that children's upbringing is the same as planting trees. Just as a tree must be kept upright at the very beginning of its growth or else it will get crooked, a child must be educated to be upright as well at a very early age to avoid going astray.

After the trees were planted, secondary and primary school students, officials and other people present gathered around. Xi told them that China ranks the first in the world in terms of artificial afforestation areas, and the scale is still expanding. China and its people have made invaluable contributions to making the earth greener and responding to global climate change. Forests help conserve water, bring in economic benefits, boost grain production and also serve as a carbon sink. Planting trees is a noble cause of great significance which creates benefits for not only our generation but also future generations. We must continue our endeavor in this regard with consistent and persistent efforts.

Xi recalled his participation in tree planting activities. He said that this is the 11th time he has taken part in such activity since he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Counting the number of times he has done this since he started to work in the CPC Central Committee, it has been 16 times. "When I was working in Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, I also attended tree planting activities," Xi said. He told the primary and middle school students that when they become parents, they should also let their children and grandchildren continue to plant trees from generation to generation, which is the way how a beautiful China is built.

Xi said that he grew up in Beijing and much of his homesickness is related to trees. In a siheyuan (quadrangle) in old Beijing, there were definitely scholar trees, persimmon trees, or crabapple, pomegranate and date trees. In the past, more poplar and willow trees were planted in Beijing because the city is suitable for such trees. Additionally, attention should be paid to balance the proportion of coniferous and broad-leaf trees to better meet the requirements of the biological and ecological chains. We should strengthen colorization on the basis of greening, plant trees of vibrant colors, strive to build an all-area forest city so as to make Beijing more beautiful.

Xi emphasized that green development is a major strategy for China's current and future development. Launching voluntary tree planting activities nationwide is a vivid practice to promote afforestation and build a beautiful China. All departments and all regions should organize such activities in light of specific conditions. Efforts should be made to develop new ways of organization in this regard and come up with new models to fulfill organizers' due responsibilities so as to make it more convenient for the general public to participate. Duties in this regard should be performed throughout the year, in various ways and in a convenient manner. He called for nationwide action to make waters lucid and mountains lush that are invaluable assets, and write a new chapter in building a beautiful China through planting trees.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and state councilors in Beijing participated. ■