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Heilongjiang province to fire up industries

By Liu Mingtai (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-13 14:31

The coal and electricity industries in eastern Heilongjiang province are set to fire up rapidly.

Ji Bingxuan, Party secretary of Heilongjiang province, recently inspected the construction of coal and electricity facilities in Jixi city and emphasized that scientific development must be implemented.

In recent years, economic development in the province has achieved much with a double-digit growth rate in the annual GDP and grain output of more than 35 billion kg, while foreign trade reached the highest level in the western region.

But the whole country is developing rapidly, so a gap remains. People in the province have the same wish of better and faster development, Ji said.

"We have such foundation and capability," he said. "So we must enhance the sense of urgency, the sense of pressure and responsibility to focus our mind on development, inspiring activity and creativity to overcome countless difficulties and promote a better and faster development of our economy and society."

He stressed construction of the eastern coal and electricity base must be accelerated. "The key point is to move as soon as possible to reach the effect while improving practices."

He said that the projects, especially big ones that accelerate economic development, will be implemented as rapidly as possible.

New facilities will center on processing coal and gas, power development and power grid construction.

Heilongjiang also has to do everything possible to develop high technology and value-added industries, and seek new growth points, including tourism, he said.

A backward industrial structure and lack of modern industrial projects have limited the province's growth, he said, noting infrastructure should be improved to create conditions for faster development.

Ji said the city must also improve infrastructure to attract talent, capital and technology. The most important improvement is in transportation, including railways, highways and aviation.

"We should optimize the investment environment including good policies, the legal framework, social order and effectiveness," Ji said. "We must emancipate our minds, change fixed concepts and learn how to use economic instruments and market mechanisms to resolve our problems in development."

The Party chief stressed that everybody must implement the idea of people-oriented development and ensuring safe production.

Ji said investment in safety should increase and the focus be put on prevention and building protection measures.

Finally, he said importance should be attached to environmental protection. "Pollution is strictly forbidden, and the environment of green mountains, clear water and blue sky must be guarded carefully," Ji said.