Top leaders pay New Year visit to Chongqing and Shanxi
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 22, 2016
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, and Premier Li Keqiang have paid their first inspection visits in 2016 to Chongqing Municipality from January 4-6 and Shanxi Province from January 4-5 respectively. New Year inspection tours by senior leaders are routine in China, usually setting the tone for the rest of the year.
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President Xi Jinping (L) inspects Guoyuan Port in the Liangjiang New Area of southwest China's Chongqing on January 4, his first workday of the New Year. |
Chongqing is a fast-developing municipality directly overseen by the central government, whereas Shanxi ranks among areas with the slowest GDP growth rate. The leaders’ visits indicate a governmental emphasis in 2016 on nurturing important economic growth points while pushing forward overall national economic upgrading.
In Chongqing, President Xi urged local government to build the city into an international logistics hub in the hinterland and a leading inland open economy, taking advantage of its roles as the start point of the developing transcontinental railway to Europe.
He also urged Chongqing to protect the Three Gorges Reservoir and the Yangtze River that runs through the city, saying both are crucial to the long-term development of Chongqing as well as the whole nation.
At Guoyuan Port, a modern transportation hub under construction, he said the Belt and Road Initiative provide a bigger platform for Chongqing to "go global" while the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt will help the metropolis better integrate with central and eastern regions.
At Chongqing BOE Optoelectronic Technology Co, a branch of China's display manufacturing giant BOE, the President said that "top priority should be placed on innovation", an area in which he expects major progress.
The economy of Chongqing grew by 10.9 percent in 2014. The figure was even higher in 2015, reaching 11 percent. In contrast, the 2015 national GDP growth rate stood at 6.9 percent.
While President Xi was visiting Chongqing, Premier Li headed for Shanxi Province.
Among the 34 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China, Shanxi, along with the northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang, has the lowest economic growth rate.
In the first half of 2015, its economy grew by 2.7 percent, only 0.1 percent higher than that of Liaoning Province in last place.
Li encouraged Shanxi to reduce its dependence on natural resources and switch to human capital. "China should make unyielding efforts for restructuring by eliminating outdated capacity and forbidding the construction of any new capacity," he said.
After visiting Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group, a world-leading stainless steel producer, Li said the steel sector is suffering badly from over-production and flagging demand. Companies should take pains in enhancing technology, quality and management to expand the country's effective supply with more quality products.
In a coal mine of Xishan Coal Electricity Group, Li took a tramcar more than 300 meters underground to talk with miners and check the company's safety conditions. Mines should take the initiative in reducing output while helping laid-off workers find new jobs, the premier said.
Li also visited a technology park in Taiyuan housing more than 200 high-tech companies, declaring that, "China has huge market potential and bright prospects; growth impetus from innovation will create new jobs."
Besides economic development, improving people’s livelihood is also a top priority for state leaders.
In Chongqing, President Xi stressed the fruits of the country’s reform and development should be shared by everyone, and urged "precision" in poverty relief, with measures tailored to different local situations and groups.
In Shanxi, Premier Li went to a shantytown that will be renovated into affordable apartment buildings this year. He urged local governments to lessen people's waiting times before moving into the new buildings.
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