He Guoqiang, a senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), toured Beijing on Tuesday, calling for improved technological innovation and industrial competitiveness in a bid to boost the city's development.
He, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, visited companies in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) in south Beijing, urging greater efforts to restructure the city's economy and transform its economic development pattern.
Over the last two decades, the BDA has grown from a plot of sleepy farmland into a vibrant economic forefront. It is home to more than 5,000 enterprises from around 40 countries and regions.
"The establishment of the area has effectively adjusted Beijing's economic structure, enhanced its industrial competitiveness and boosted development in the city's southern region," said He, who is also head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
He encouraged the BDA to pour greater efforts into attracting, cultivating and supporting high-tech firms with independent intellectual property rights and great market potential, as well as boost the development of emerging and competitive industries.
He said governments at all levels should work to attract overseas Chinese students back to China to start businesses using the skills and knowledge they have acquired abroad.
He was also debriefed on the work accomplished by the city government in recent years. He urged officials to break new ground in the city's economic and social development ahead of the upcoming 18th National Congress of the CPC.
Beijing has a population of more than 20 million. Its per capita gross domestic product reached 80,394 yuan (12,700 U.S. dollars) last year.
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