Xi stresses ecological conservation on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, high-quality development

BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, Chinese president, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that Qinghai Province should conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and fully and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts. He was on an inspection tour in the province. Xi said that Qinghai should have a clear understanding of its strategic positioning in the overall development of the country, fully leverage its own advantages, firmly deepen reform, expand opening up, prioritize ecological conservation and pursue green development. He urged the province to uphold ethnic unity and seek common prosperity, and make greater progress in promoting eco-environmental protection and high-quality development on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, so as to write its own chapter in advancing Chinese modernization.

From June 18 to 19, Xi visited a middle school and a religious venue in the provincial capital Xining, accompanied by Chen Gang, secretary of CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, and Wu Xiaojun, provincial governor.

On the afternoon of June 18, Xi first came to Golog Xining Ethnic Middle School. It is a boarding school that was funded and built with assistance from Shanghai and is attached to Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Xi was briefed on how Shanghai and other eastern regions have assisted Qinghai's education work and school construction, asked in detail about the composition of students, school's curriculum, students' physical exercise, putonghua proficiency and other information. He walked into the canteen and dormitory building to inspect the students' dining and accommodation conditions, and told the canteen staff to ensure that students are provided with safe, nutritious and tasty food.

After that, Xi came to the classroom of Class 1 of grade 1 of high school to observe the ideological and political class themed "New Era, New Hometown." Xi was very happy to learn that the school has integrated ideological and political lessons into its daily teaching, listen to the students talking about the gratifying changes in their hometown in the new era, and see the students' paintings. Xi said that the collaboration between the country's eastern and western regions as well as paired assistance, particularly in education, has yielded remarkable results. This fully showcases the strengths of the CPC's leadership and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, as well as the support for each other among members of the big family of the Chinese nation, Xi said.

Xi stressed the need to make it a key task of school ideological and political lessons to foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, tell well the story of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics, the story of comprehensively promoting the building of a strong country and the realization of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization in the new era, and the story of the community for the Chinese nation as well as ethnic unity and progress, so that the sense of community for the Chinese nation can be implanted in the hearts of children since childhood.

On the square in front of the classroom building, Xi was surrounded by the faculty and students who greeted him loudly. Xi said, "I come to visit you teachers and students at my first stop in Xining." He emphasized the achievements and importance of the school, which was built with fund and assistance from Shanghai and accommodates ethnic minority students from the pastoral areas of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He expressed the hope that the students will cherish the favorable conditions of the school, be grateful, study hard, and develop sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. They should aspire to become successors to and builders of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, striving to create opportunities for developing a distinguished career. Xi also wished them success in their study and healthy growth.

Then, Xi arrived at Hongjue Temple in downtown Xining. In the front courtyard, chief of the democratic management committee of the temple presented Xi with a Khata, a ceremonial white scarf symbolizing goodwill and blessings, and monks greeted him holding incense burners and parasols. Xi visited an exhibition by the provincial educational base for ethnic unity and progress. He learned about the temple's history and was briefed on how veteran revolutionaries cared about ethnic and religious affairs. He walked into the main hall and was briefed on the temple's efforts to strengthen daily management and promote ethnic unity and progress. Xi pointed out that the centuries-old Hongjue Temple had played an important role as a bridge in strengthening the bond between the central government and Tibetan Buddhism over generations. It is essential to protect this precious historical and cultural heritage and make further contributions to forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and promoting ethnic unity and progress. He noted the need to learn from veteran revolutionaries and do a better job in the Party's united front, ethnic and religious work in the new era. Xi stressed that to build a strong country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups around the country including religious believers should strive in unity. He expressed the hope that the Tibetan Buddhist circle in the province should carry forward the fine traditions of patriotism and religious piety, help promote religious, social and ethnic harmony, and play a positive role in advancing Chinese modernization.

On the morning of June 19, Xi was briefed on the work of the province by the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee and the provincial government, and he affirmed what the province has achieved in various aspects of its work.

Xi noted that Qinghai shoulders the important mission of safeguarding the country's ecological security, and as far as industrial development is concerned, the province must do what it should and never do what it should not, so as to build a modern industrial system that reflects Qinghai's characteristics and advantages. The province is urged to effectively pool resources to speed up building itself into a world-class salt lake industrial base, a national highland for clean energy industry, a destination for international ecological tourism, and a supplier of green and organic agricultural and livestock products. The province should attach equal importance to scientific and technological research and development and the application of sci-tech achievements. New technologies should be applied extensively, traditional industries transformed and upgraded according to local conditions, and emerging strategic industries developed to foster new quality productive forces. Further efforts are required to deepen reform on all fronts and expand opening up and optimize the business environment. The province should also align its development with that of major strategies such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt and promote the development of the green Silk Road. Qinghai should coordinate regional development within the province, give full play to the supportive role of Xining, Haidong and Haixi, and develop county economies and industries with local features according to local conditions.

Xi stressed it as the region's major task to strengthen ecological conservation and environmental protection and maximize its ecological functions since the ecosystem of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is diverse yet fragile. It is imperative for the province to prioritize eco-environmental protection, advance green development, conscientiously execute the law concerning ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and implement on all fronts the plans and requirements entailed by its principal zone function so as to build the plateau into a hub for ecological conservation. It is imperative for the province to persist with a holistic and systematic approach to conserving and improving mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland, and desert ecosystems. Efforts should be made to accelerate the implementation of major projects for the conserving and restoring of key ecosystems, and consolidate and enhance what has been achieved in ecological conservation and environmental protection. The utmost priority is to conserve the source region of three major rivers, also known as "the water tower of China," protect biodiversity, and boost water conservation capacity. Efforts should also be made to strengthen the establishment of a nature reserve system with national parks as the mainstay and build exemplary nature reserves with national characteristics and global influence. It is necessary to promote energy conservation and carbon reduction in key sectors in an orderly manner, develop eco-friendly industries, and accelerate the development of a new energy system.

Xi noted that concrete measures must be taken to ensure and improve people's well-being. The province is urged to do everything within its capacities, make concrete efforts to meet people's needs, deliver real benefits to the people, and win their approval, and take solid steps to resolve the pressing difficulties and problems that concern people most. It is also a must to coordinate and plan the layout of basic public service facilities and put more efforts into making public services more balanced and accessible. Rural revitalization should focus on increasing the income of farmers and herdsmen, and efforts should be accelerated to invigorate characteristic seed industries of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, develop green and organic agricultural and animal husbandry, and promote native product brands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. It is also necessary to advance the construction of beautiful rural areas on the Plateau and promote the transformation of outdated rural customs. Monitoring and assistance mechanisms should be implemented to prevent those lifted out of poverty from falling back to poverty, and see that no large number of people become poverty-stricken again. It is imperative for the province to continue to do a good job in the post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction of Jishishan and improve disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief capabilities.

Xi stressed that Qinghai is a province with concentrated ethnic minority groups, and it is essential to keep doing a good job in the work concerning ethnic and religious affairs. The province should fully implement the Party's major principles and policies for ethnic affairs in the new era, make it a main task to consolidate the sense of community for the Chinese nation, make efforts to promote ethnic unity and progress, and facilitate all-round integration and extensive exchanges and interactions among all ethnic groups. It is necessary for the province to fully implement the theories, principles and policies of the Party's religious work in the new era, uphold the principle of developing religions in the Chinese context, and strengthen the administration of religious affairs, especially the administration of religious venues, in accordance with the law.

Xi pointed out that the campaign to study the Party discipline across the entire Party is on-going, and the campaign must be carried out in earnest so that real outcome can be achieved. It is a must for the Party discipline to be enforced and abided by to the letter when the campaign has brought home its importance. It is essential to vigorously carry forward the zeitgeist with reform and innovation at its core and the spirit of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, so as to inspire Party members and officials to further emancipate their minds and update their thinking, as well as take firm steps and shoulder responsibilities. Concerted work must be done to enhance Party consciousness, improve Party conduct, and tighten Party discipline, and endeavors in this regard should facilitate fight against corruption. Work on improving Party conduct must continue permanently and further fight against pointless formalities so as to reduce burden on primary-level officials. Coordinated steps should be taken to see that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to be corrupt so that a wholesome political atmosphere will help create a positive and upright social environment.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, and leading officials from relevant Party and state departments accompanied Xi on the inspection tour.