Xi urges Heilongjiang to firmly grasp strategic position in China's overall development, strive to open new ground for high-quality development

HARBIN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed during a recent inspection tour in northeast China's Heilongjiang that the province must firmly grasp its strategic position in the overall national development, and focus on the primary task of advancing high-quality development. Implementing the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee on promoting the full revitalization of northeast China, Heilongjiang should build on its strengths and make up for its deficiencies, so as to turn its strengths in resources, ecology, scientific research, industries and geographical location into new development impetus. It is also imperative for the province to build and strengthen its role as a significant national commodity grain production base, heavy equipment production and manufacturing base, key energy and raw material supplier, a vital barrier of ecological security in northern China, and a pivotal gateway for China's northward opening up. While actively performing its duties in ensuring the security of national defense, food, ecology, energy and industries, Heilongjiang must strive to break new ground for high-quality development during the course of comprehensive and all-round revitalization.

From Sept. 6 to 8, accompanied by Xu Qin, secretary of the CPC Committee of Heilongjiang Province and Liang Huiling, governor of the province, Xi visited the Dahinggan Mountains, the city of Harbin and other places, inspecting sites including a forest farm, villages and a university and meeting with residents in flood-hit areas under post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

On the afternoon of Sept. 6, Xi arrived in the city of Mohe in the Dahinggan Mountains to inspect the natural forest of a forest farm. He examined the growth of the natural forest, observed a display of crops growing under trees, and learned about the local efforts to deepen the reform of forest asset management, integrate industries and ecosystems, and intensify forest fire prevention and suppression. Xi noted that equal emphasis must be placed on afforestation and forest protection, and it is urgent to make preparations in advance to preempt possible risks in order to make sure that the achievements made in decades, centuries and millennia will not be ruined overnight.

Subsequently, Xi rode to the northernmost village Beijicun, or North Pole Village, a riverside border village, where he was briefed how tourism with local characteristics was developed and how the locals turned their ecological advantages into development impetus. Xi noted that forests are a great treasure trove that combines reservoirs, grain depots, bank vaults and carbon pools. He stressed the awareness that larger green coverage and forests mean stronger strengths and more wealth, calling for measures to enable people to increase their income through "under-forest economy" on the basis of ecological conservation. At the homestay courtyard of Shi Ruijuan, a local villager, Xi learned about the development of rural industries with unique local features to revitalize border areas, enrich residents and promote rural revitalization. Xi said he was happy to see the development of Beijicun and the good life of its villagers. He noted the importance of tourism sector in achieving high-quality development, stressing the protection of the Dahinggan Mountains, which boast unique tourism resources. He urged policy support from local CPC committees and governments to ensure the development of both "under-forest economy" and tourist industry, in a bid to generate more income for local people from the local snow and ice resources.

When Xi left the small courtyard, local people warmly greeted him on both sides of the road. He kindly told everyone that the prospects for Beijicun are promising. He expressed the hope that officials and local people will work together to build a better countryside, protect the ecology well, live a better life, and work together towards a better future through the Chinese path to modernization.

Concerned with the post-flood reconstruction and living conditions of those affected, Xi on the morning of Sept. 7 came to Longwangmiao Village in Shangzhi City of Harbin, which bore the brunt of the recent flooding, where he checked the damage to rice crops and the reconstruction of damaged buildings. Villager Yang Chungui's house was soaked in water during the flood, with indoor facilities damaged and walls cracking. Walking into Yang's home, Xi was relieved seeing that the house repair was about to be completed and production and life were well arranged. Xi pointed out that he has been concerned about the affected people. Shangzhi City was seriously affected this time, he said, noting that seeing that the recovery and reconstruction were fast and smooth, and the villagers had a livelihood and production guarantee, he felt relieved. Winter in northeast China comes early and lasts longer than in other parts of the country, so it is necessary to ensure the affected people have a warm and safe home through the winter, which requires local Party committees and governments to make plans in time and take proactive actions, take into more detailed and comprehensive consideration all matters concerning people's production and life, such as food, drinking, living, transportation, employment, education, medical care and epidemic prevention, and leave no room for mistakes and accidents, he said. It is imperative to speed up the repair of damaged houses, accelerate post-disaster reconstruction, minimize agricultural losses caused by disasters, and ensure the security of the affected people, he added.

Seeing the general secretary coming, local villagers and construction workers gathered around to greet him. He kindly told everyone that the Party and the government are very concerned about residents in the disaster-hit areas, and have always stood hand in hand with the people through thick and thin, hoping that the villagers will work together under the leadership of Party organizations to overcome difficulties and strive to build a better home.

On the morning of Sept. 7, Xi came to Harbin Engineering University to learn about the university's development and its contributions to China's national defense science and technology, and to observe its teaching and research achievements. Xi urged Harbin Engineering University to carry forward the fine traditions of its predecessor People's Liberation Army Military Institute of Engineering, and meet the requirements for building a great modern socialist country and a strong military by doing a good job in work related to education, science and technology and talent, so as to make new contributions to building China into a leading country in education, science and technology and talent. Xi said that there will be more hope for achieving the Second Centenary Goal as long as the young generation works hard for national rejuvenation. He called on young students to aspire to serve the country by developing science and technology, work hard with dedication and achieve even more in science and technology, so as to dedicate their youth to the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation. Upon the arrival of Teachers' Day in a few days, Xi extended festive greetings to all the faculty members of the university and wished teachers across the country a happy festival.

Xi was briefed by the CPC Committee of Heilongjiang Province and the provincial government on their work on the morning of Sept. 8 and recognized their efforts in various respects.

Xi noted that it is imperative to lead the overall industrial revitalization by sci-tech innovation. Based on the existing industrial foundation, solid steps should be taken to promote the high-quality development of advanced manufacturing, and efforts should be accelerated to advance the upgrading of traditional manufacturing. The role of sci-tech innovation as a driving force should be given full play to improve the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in an all-round way, and constant efforts should be made to optimize the economic structure and adjust the industrial structure. Resources for sci-tech innovation should be integrated to guide the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, so as to form new productive forces. The core competitiveness of state-owned enterprises should be strengthened, while the sound development of the private sector should be guided, and a series of industrial clusters should be created to further strengthen and expand the real economy. Enterprises should be where most sci-tech advances are applied to improve the rate of such application. Proactive efforts are required of the province to align its development with the national industrial and supply chains, and do a good job in developing its competitive industries and its niche areas in certain industries so that its economy will better integrate with the unified national market and play a bigger role in fostering interplay between domestic and international economic flows. The province is urged to adhere to green development by strengthening the innovation in green development technologies so as to establish a green, low-carbon, circular economy.

Xi stressed that Heilongjiang should serve as the ballast of national food security. It is necessary for the province to develop modern large-scale agriculture, accelerate the development of large agricultural bases, big corporations and industries, and take the lead in achieving modernization in agricultural equipment, science and technology, operation and management, widely applying information technology and realizing the sustainable use of resources. It is vital to strengthen the application of digital and biological technologies. Priority should be given to turning the black soil into high-standard farmland, and at the same time, work must be done to protect such soil. Greater importance must be attached to the development of science and technology in agriculture so as to advance the development of high-tech agriculture, green agriculture and quality and brand-based agriculture in a coordinated manner. It is important to promote the project of upgrading modern seed industry and wide application of the advanced and applicable science and technology as well as high-end agricultural equipment in a bid to develop the circular economy in agriculture. Agricultural operation models should be innovated while scale operation and commercial agricultural services should be developed. Food and fodder industrial clusters should be created to improve the overall efficacy of grain production. Work should be done to accelerate the revitalization of rural areas so as to provide modern living and working conditions for rural residents.

Xi called for great efforts to develop cultural tourism with distinctive features in the province. It is essential to consider ice and snow economy as a new growth point so as to promote the development of the whole industrial chain involving winter sports and culture, snow-and-ice equipment and tourism. Efforts should also be made to protect the ecological landscape such as forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands and snow and ice. It is essential to improve the infrastructure and develop tourism along the border areas so as to bring prosperity to people in these areas and maintain stability there. The province is urged to develop cultural undertakings and industries, promote cultural-ethical progress in both urban and rural areas, and advance public cultural services, so as to foster new customs and present new images.

Xi stressed the importance of developing a new gateway for northward opening up. It is imperative to better coordinate trade, investment, channels and platforms, and take bold steps in such areas as market access, flows of factors, and institutional opening up, so as to create a new paradigm for opening up on all fronts. Construction of key land routes, river and sea lanes, and energy pipelines should be accelerated to optimize transportation networks open to Northeast Asia. The province is urged to develop free trade zones and comprehensive bonded zones to better integrate with the Belt and Road Initiative and play an active part in regional cooperation. It is imperative to prevent and defuse risks in key areas, and make those in charge of workplace safety accountable to prevent the occurrence of severe and major accidents.

As the first round of the education campaign has ended, Xi noted, work must be done to make rectifications and formulate regulations, so as to turn what have proved effective in the program into long-term methods. It is necessary to develop long-term mechanisms to promote theoretical study, fact-finding missions, high-quality development, close contact with the people, and prevent pointless formalities and bureaucratism, and build on the outcomes of the theoretical study program. Since the second round of the education campaign has commenced, those in charge in all localities should plan and arrange the program in a reasonable and coordinated way, and provide targeted guidance to ensure solid outcomes.

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.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, and leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments were on the inspection tour. Officials in charge of the fourth guiding group of the CPC Central Committee for the education campaign attended the meeting.