Northeast region charts new course to revitalization(3)

Modern agriculture

Northeast China accounts for more than one-fifth of the country's grain output, and Heilongjiang should serve as a "ballast" to ensure national food security, the central government stressed.

The province has been urged to prioritize developing modern agriculture and lead the modernization of agricultural equipment, science and technology, as well as operations and management.

Research and application of digital technology and biotechnology should be reinforced, and agriculture-related science and technology should be given greater prominence. More efforts should be made to create new types of agricultural operations, forge industrial clusters, and accelerate rural revitalization to ensure modern production and living conditions are accessible to rural residents.

Heilongjiang, as well as the rest of the region, must adhere to green development and establish a sound economic system that facilitates green, low-carbon, and circular development.

Local governments should vigorously develop tourism with distinctive cultural features and foster the winter economy as a new source of growth, promoting the overall development of sports, culture, equipment, and tourism related to ice and snow.

Talent is key

Northeast China boasts dozens of prestigious universities, institutes, and research laboratories, including the Harbin Institute of Technology, Jilin University, Harbin Engineering University, and Dalian University of Technology. The central government has significantly increased its investment in these institutions in recent years. They have been encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to further strengthen the construction of first-class academic disciplines and create national talent centers, science and technology centers, and innovation hubs to make greater contributions to the revitalization of Northeast China and the rest of the country.

During his inspection tour of Harbin Engineering University in September last year, President Xi Jinping underscored the importance of education, science and technology, and talent, and called for more accomplishments in transforming China into a leading nation in these areas.

Xi noted that sci-tech innovation should lead the overall industrial revitalization, and urged concrete efforts to promote the high-quality development of advanced manufacturing, accelerate the upgrading of traditional manufacturing, and improve primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in all respects.

Sci-tech innovation resources should be integrated to spearhead strategic emerging industries and future industries, Xi added, stating that the province should enhance the core competitiveness of State-owned enterprises and guide the sound development of private enterprises.

Northeast China should leverage its strengths to create new development momentum and strengthen itself as an important national commodity grain production base, a heavy equipment manufacturing base, a vital energy and raw material supplier, a crucial guardian of ecological security in China's north, and a pivotal gateway for the nation's northward opening-up, Xi said.

The region was also encouraged to improve its talent policies, promote the deep integration of talents and industry, focus on national strategic needs, and adapt to the direction of industrial transformation and upgrading.

Guo Hai, Party chief of Northeastern University China, said the revitalization of higher education in the region requires new ideas and greater input. He said universities in the region should focus more on national strategic needs, strengthen advantageous disciplines, and optimize the structure of disciplines to improve their ability to support the high-quality development of the region and the country.