Xi stresses striving for full revitalization of Northeast China

HARBIN -- President Xi Jinping has stressed "writing a new chapter" in striving for the full revitalization of Northeast China as he convened a key meeting in Heilongjiang province earlier this week.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the meeting held in the provincial capital Harbin on Thursday afternoon.

To revitalize Northeast China in the new era, the president called for both increasing support and stimulating self-motivation. He emphasized the need to blaze a path of high-quality and sustainable development with more courage and concrete actions.

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, and Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, attended the meeting.

Xi noted that the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region have made new progress in revitalizing Northeast China following a relevant meeting in 2018.

Noting that Northeast China boasts rich resources, solid industrial foundations, favorable geological locations, and significant development potential, Xi pointed out that the region is now faced with new and great opportunities.

It is important for the region to push for industrial innovation via scientific and technological innovation and accelerate the modernization of its distinctive industrial system, said Xi.

To push for the full revitalization of Northeast China, the real economy is the foundation, sci-tech innovation is the key, and industrial upgrading is the direction, he added.

It is also important to promote the digital and intelligent transformation of traditional industries and make them more internet-based, Xi said, calling for fostering sound industrial chains and clusters.

He stressed the importance of cultivating emerging strategic industries, including new energy, new materials, advanced manufacturing, and electronic information, and accelerating the development of clean energy such as wind power, photovoltaic power, and nuclear power.

Xi called on the region to accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, saying that Northeast China shoulders the main responsibility for ensuring stable production and supply of grain in the country.

It is imperative to ensure that grain production and supply are abundant at regular times and reliable during extreme circumstances, said Xi.

Xi stressed advancing opening up and cooperation internally and externally, and called on the Northeastern region to integrate closely into Belt and Road cooperation and play a bigger role in facilitating domestic economic flows and linking domestic circulation and international circulation.