Xi urges Hubei to write its own chapter in Chinese modernization

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the need for Hubei Province to thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He was on an inspection tour in the province. He stressed the importance for the province to uphold the principle of pursuing development while ensuring stability, and have a clear understanding of its mission and task in forging the new development paradigm. Hubei was urged to leverage its local strengths, and work diligently, ambitiously, continuously and effectively to pioneer high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, work faster to build itself into a strategic fulcrum for the rise of the central region, and write its own chapter in Chinese modernization. 

From Nov 4 to 6, accompanied by Secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee Wang Menghui and Governor Wang Zhonglin, Xi conducted fact-finding missions in the cities of Xiaogan, Xianning, and Wuhan, where he visited a number of sites, including a museum, a village, and a platform for scientific, and technological and industrial innovations. 

On the afternoon of Nov 4, Xi visited the Yunmeng County Museum in Xiaogan to view an exhibition of unearthed bamboo slips dating back to Qin and Han dynasties. The display of eighteen types of Qin laws indicates that over 2,200 years ago, ancient China's legal system had already been systematically established. Xi listened to detailed presentations on what the bamboo slips are about, their historical and cultural values, and how they have been preserved and studied. He pointed out that China should continue to strengthen archaeological research, and improve the protection of cultural artifacts, so as to provide solid support for carrying forward the best of traditional Chinese culture and boosting cultural confidence. Only in this way will the treasures of Chinese civilization be well preserved to benefit future generations, and inspire people to constantly enhance national pride and self-confidence. 

On the morning of Nov 5, Xi went to Jiayu County in Xianning City, where he visited the Shili vegetable corridor in Panjiawan Town. It was late autumn, but before people's eyes greens are everywhere and full of vibrancy. Xi went into the field to inspect the growth of vegetables and asked about vegetable varieties, planting techniques and sales in detail. He stressed that countryside is a vast world and much can be accomplished for agriculture. To develop modern agriculture and build a strong agricultural sector, continuous advancement of science and technology is a must, and a good job must be done to make it possible for scientific and technological progress to advance agricultural modernization, Xi said. He encouraged local officials and residents to apply science and technology, enhance product quality, and build reputable brands, and do an even better job in planting vegetables which can directly benefit residents, so as to increase income for more people. 

Xi then visited Siyi Village in Panjiawan. He visited the village's elderly care service station and the service center for Party and public affairs, inspecting the elderly-care facilities, local amenities and services, and learning about the operation of the village-level organizations and their efforts in tackling pointless formalities and reducing burdens on primary-level officials. He said that the role of Party building should be played better to promote work in other sectors, and taking good care of elderly people and children should be the focus, so as to address people's concerns and difficulties in a targeted and effective manner. He also called for efforts to continuously reduce burdens on grassroots officials, to ensure that they can better spend their time and energy on serving the people. 

At the home of villager Xiong Chenglong, Xi carefully looked at the family's living environment, sat with them, and asked about their production, the employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the younger generation, their income, and the elderly-care and healthcare services. He was pleased to know that the basic public service system in both urban and rural areas has been continuously improved over recent years, and that farmers’ living standards and their access to cultural services are constantly improving. He expressed the hope that the family will continue their efforts to manage their production and family life well, nurture their children well, and live an even better life. 

When Xi was leaving, villagers warmly bid farewell to the general secretary. Xi told them that to advance Chinese modernization, it is a must to accelerate rural revitalization, with a primary focus on developing industries that can increase the people's income. Xi expressed his hope that, under the leadership of the Party organization, villagers will work together diligently to make their specialty industries more profitable, build their village even more beautiful, and collectively create a happy and prosperous life. 

On the afternoon of Nov 5, Xi visited the Wuhan Institute of Industrial Innovation and Development to examine demonstrations of the technology innovation supply chain platform and its achievements. He learned about the measures adopted to promote technological innovation and had in-depth discussions with researchers and enterprise leaders. He emphasized that achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and developing new quality productive forces have entailed urgent demands for the integration of technological and industrial innovations. He called on scientific and technological workers and entrepreneurs to boost their confidence, aim high, and make new progress in raising the overall efficiency of the innovation system and building a modern industrial system. 

On the morning of Nov 6, Xi listened to work reports from the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and provincial government. He commended what the province has achieved in various aspects of its work and put forward clear requirements for the work in the future. 

Xi noted that Hubei has prominent strengths in science and education talents and a relatively strong capability for sci-tech innovation. It is therefore imperative for the province to strive forward in terms of sci-tech and industrial innovation. He called on Hubei to integrate into the national innovation chain, work hard to create a sci-tech innovation center with national influence, and better play its role as a hub in this regard. Xi also said that Hubei should strengthen the integration of innovation, industrial, capital and talent chains with a focus on key industries, achieve more breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, build a mechanism to promote collaborative innovation in large, medium and small-sized enterprises, and promote the application of scientific and technological advances. It is imperative for the province to take simultaneous steps to upgrade and transform traditional industries while fostering and boosting emerging and future-oriented industries, said Xi, who also called on Hubei to develop new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions and create more renowned brands. He urged the province to prioritize the work to restore the ecosystem in the Yangtze River, build a modern water network that is safe and resilient, push forward comprehensive governance in the Yangtze River basin and take solid steps to enforce the ten-year fishing ban on the river. 

Xi stressed that Hubei should be bold to make explorations in comprehensively deepening reform and expanding high-level opening up. It is imperative to deliver good results in reform in key sectors and links, integrate into the building of a unified national market, and build a market that is more fair and vigorous. According to Xi, it is imperative for the province to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector, and promote the common development of enterprises under diverse forms of ownership. He also called for Hubei to open up to both the domestic and international markets, forge an inland highland for opening up, deepen regional cooperation, and optimize the industrial layout in an orderly manner. He called on the province to deepen the integrated reform in domestic and foreign trade, actively participate in high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and systematically enhance its function as a hub for opening up. 

Xi urged Hubei to proactively advance integrated urban-rural development and all-around rural revitalization. With Wuhan metropolitan area as the center, the province was urged to promote the development of city clusters along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Xi called for strengthened efforts to promote the new-type urbanization with a focus on county towns, and develop county economies based on their unique characteristics. He called on Hubei to keep in mind its responsibilities concerning grain production, and make solid efforts to secure output and ensure supply of key farm produce, as well as improve the agricultural sector’s development quality and benefits by tapping into the potential of specialty industries and developing a diversified rural economy. Xi underlined the efforts to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation, and speed up the revitalization and development of old revolutionary base areas. The province was urged to promote the development of the system for guaranteeing basic public services and advance primary-level governance in a integrated manner, and make solid efforts in ensuring people's livelihoods. He also called for extensive public participation activities for cultural and ethical progress, as well as further transformation of outmoded habits and customs.

Highlighting Hubei's profound historical and cultural heritage and rich revolutionary resources, Xi urged the province to proactively strengthen conservation of cultural resources and promote innovative development of the cultural sector. Hubei was urged to systematically advance the protection, inheritance, and proactive application of historical and cultural heritage, and strengthen research into the origins of the Yangtze River civilization and the efforts to promote this culture. Xi called on the province to vigorously promote the spirit of Dabie Mountains, the spirit of flood relief, and great spirit of combating the COVID-19 epidemic, and widely apply the core socialist values. Hubei should implement cultural projects for the people, and actively develop new forms of cultural industry, so as to provide more high-quality cultural products and services to the people. Xi called on the province to develop premium cultural tourism brands and routes, cultivating the cultural tourism sector into a pillar industry.

Xi pointed out that Hubei should strengthen Party building by focusing on promoting development through reform, and work should be done to boost the morale and entrepreneurial spirit of Party members and officials, who should be courageous enough to pioneer and innovate, and at the same time persevere in implementing relevant policies and plans. They should make bold moves in their work and know how to collaborate with others, so as to make achievements that can stand the test of time and practice, as well as gain the approval of the people. The province was urged to strengthen the building of primary level Party organizations and forge a strong bastion to ensure the implementation of the Party's policies. Xi called for efforts to make the study of Party discipline regular and effective, to unremittingly improve Party conduct, enforce Party discipline and combat corruption, and continuously consolidate and develop a clean and upright political ecology.

Xi stressed that there were less than two months this year, and all work, especially economic work, should be further strengthened and implemented to achieve the economic and social development goals for the whole year.

He Lifeng and leading officials of relevant central Party and state departments were also on the inspection tour.