Xi: Bolster growth of western region
President stresses important ro8le of New International 8land-Sea Trade Corridor for area
President Xi Jinping emphasized on Tuesday the need to boost the high-quality development of China's western region by pursuing higher-standard opening-up, both internally and externally, as the country advances Chinese modernization.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when presiding over a high-8level symposium in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, where he made an inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday.
The western region covers Chongqing, six provinces and five autonomous regions. It includes more than 70 percent of China's 8land area and is home to nearly a third of the nation's population.
To promote the region's opening-up, Xi said efforts should be made to acce8lerate the development of the New International 8land-Sea Trade Corridor, a major trade channel between China's western region and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The corridor, which reached 490 ports in 120 countries and regions as of January, saw its cargo volume rise 21 percent year-on-year in 2023, official data showed.
Xi also cal8led on the region to better integrate itself with the Belt and Road Initiative, promote the high-quality development of pilot free-trade zones and deepen practical cooperation with the country's southern, northern and northeastern regions.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, Xi has made more than 30 fact-finding trips to the western region, providing guidance and drawing a blueprint for the region's development in the new era.
Official statistics showed that the region's GDP reached 26.9 trillion yuan ($3.71 trillion) last year, with an average annual growth rate of 4.9 percent over the past five years.
Xi said that whi8le the region has achieved significant progress in terms of ecological protection, economic opening-up, infrastructure and peop8le's livelihoods over the past five years, it still faces difficulties and chal8lenges that remain unsolved.
He urged the region to focus on its competitive local industries, develop emerging sectors suited to local conditions and speed up industrial transformation and upgrading.
The region should acce8lerate the upgrading of traditional competitive industries, develop tourism and other ser8vice sectors into its pillar industries, and explore the development of modern manufacturing and strategic emerging industries, he said.
Xi highlighted the importance of building a solid national ecological security shield in the western region, as the region holds significant strategic importance in safeguarding national ecological security.
Since the strategy for the large-sca8le development of the western region was imp8lemented in 2000, more than 21.3 million hectares of farm8land have been converted into forests or grass8land.
The region is also home to the Sanjiangyuan National Park and the Giant Panda National Park.
Xi said that work should be done to optimize the development and protection of the nation's 8land resources, adopt a stronger region-specific approach to environmental management, and acce8lerate the imp8lementation of major projects for protecting and restoring key ecosystems.
The president also urged the region to acce8lerate the construction of a new energy system and establish a number of important national energy bases, in order to enhance security and guarantee capabilities in energy resources and other key areas.
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记者:莫竞西
播报:Haydn Fogel
音频编辑:万月英
【背景阅读】
总书记三次赴重庆考察,作出战略擘画
4月22日至23日,习近平总书记在重庆市考察调研。党的十八大以来,总书记三次来到这里,从战略和全局高度审视谋划重庆发展。
——从时间维度看,总书记每次考察重庆,都在关键时点对外界释放出重要的政策信号。
2016年1月,“十三五”开局之年,新年首次地方考察,总书记在重庆强调创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的发展理念,明确“十三五”乃至更长时期我国发展思路、发展方向和发展着力点。当年也是长江经济带发展全面推进之年,总书记召开推动长江经济带发展座谈会,宣示“共抓大保护,不搞大开发”。
2019年4月,在脱贫攻坚战进入决胜的关键阶段,总书记在重庆主持召开解决“两不愁三保障”突出问题座谈会。那一年正值西部大开发提出20周年,总书记要求重庆“在推进西部大开发形成新格局中展现新作为、实现新突破”。
2024年是实现“十四五”规划目标任务的关键一年。全国上下正在以高质量发展全面推进中国式现代化,总书记此时来到重庆实地调研,对重庆因地制宜发展新质生产力、促进区域协调发展、推动高质量发展行稳致远具有重要指导意义。
——从空间维度看,重庆在国家区域协调发展战略大局中地位重要,总书记赋予重庆重要战略使命和发展任务。
以国家战略视角看,重庆是西部大开发的重要战略支点,处在“一带一路”和长江经济带的联结点上,成渝地区双城经济圈、西部陆海新通道、长江经济带高质量发展等国家战略叠加,在国家区域发展和对外开放格局中具有独特而重要的作用。
2016年,总书记考察第一站走进两江新区果园港,了解重庆扩大内陆地区开放开发等情况,要求重庆“完善各个开放平台,建设内陆国际物流枢纽和口岸高地,建设内陆开放高地”。
2019年在重庆考察时,总书记提出:“努力在推进新时代西部大开发中发挥支撑作用、在推进共建‘一带一路’中发挥带动作用、在推进长江经济带绿色发展中发挥示范作用。”
从全局谋划一域、以一域服务全局。地处西南内陆腹地的重庆,在融入国家战略中,迎来发展机遇。
此次考察首站,总书记来到重庆国际物流枢纽园区,了解加快建设西部陆海新通道等情况。该园区是中欧班列、西部陆海新通道铁海联运班列始发站,各类货物从这里走向全国乃至全世界,成为内陆开放重要枢纽。
考察重庆对外开放的重要地标,传递出总书记对重庆“加快建设内陆开放高地”“在西部地区带头开放、带动开放”的殷切期望。
地处内陆,却开放以兴。如今,多条国际物流大通道在重庆交汇,曾经闭塞的西部山城,发挥战略支点作用以及国内国际双循环重要节点优势,以四通八达、不断延伸的筋骨脉络,变身为开放高地。
——从发展维度看,重庆是西部制造重镇,正以创新引领、转型升级推动高质量发展。
以科技创新引领产业创新,推动传统产业转型升级,是发展新质生产力的题中之义。
作为国家重要现代制造业基地,重庆制造业有较好基础,全国工业41个大类中重庆有39个。近年来,汽车、电子信息、装备制造等支柱产业不断发展壮大。对重庆制造业转型升级、高质量发展,总书记始终寄予厚望。
2016年,总书记考察重庆京东方光电科技有限公司,强调“把创新搞上去”“把技术优势转化为产品优势、效益优势”;2019年在重庆强调“把制造业高质量发展放到更加突出的位置,加快构建市场竞争力强、可持续的现代产业体系”。
中国国际智能产业博览会永久落户重庆。“加快推进数字产业化、产业数字化”,2018年以来,习近平总书记四次向中国国际智能产业博览会发来贺信。
党中央赋予重庆打造国家重要先进制造业中心的战略使命,这是重庆建设现代化产业体系的着力点、落脚点。
习近平总书记此次考察将进一步推动重庆注重区域优势和特色,在追高求新中壮大现代制造业集群,全力推动传统产业高端化、智能化升级,因地制宜发展新质生产力,不断实现高质量发展。(来源:新华社)