Beijing Youth Daily:
"Born for and thriving on China's reform and opening-up" has always been Pudong's motto. In June 2005, the State Council designated Pudong as a pilot area in its national comprehensive reform strategy. In September 2013, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), the country's first FTZ, was officially unveiled in Pudong. In the process of building Pudong into a pioneer area for socialist modernization, what new standards and requirements have been selected for the reform and opening-up? Thank you.
Cong Liang:
Thank you for your question. Reform and opening-up is a significant feature of contemporary China. Over more than 30 years, Pudong has been at?the forefront?of China's reform and opening-up, creating many "national firsts": the first finance and trade zone, first bonded area, first pilot free trade zone, new Linggang area and so on. The development of Pudong has provided the most vivid portrayal of China's reform and opening-up and the course of socialist modernization. As we have entered the new stage of development, reform and opening-up stands at a new historical juncture with more arduous tasks and more severe challenges. It requires us to be more courageous and take more measures to remove barriers on the path to development, in a bid to strengthen the momentum and vigor for development. The high-level reform and opening-up of Pudong New Area supported by the CPC Central Committee requires Pudong to remain a pioneer in China's new reform drive, be sensitive to changes, respond to them with well-judged actions, be ready to adjust the approach when necessary, so as to enrich China's reform and opening-up in practice and further deepen reform and expand opening-up on a higher level.
Regarding the aspect of reform, we will focus on reinforcing system integration and synergistic efficiency. Pudong will take the lead and provide experience for the rest of the country. We will design the reform measures based on the overall processes of the development of things, the whole chains of industrial development and the lifecycle of the development of enterprises, enhance consistency among multiple reform measures, and amplify the comprehensive effects of reform.
Regarding the aspect of opening-up, we will focus on making new ground in pursuing opening-up on all fronts, employ the highest standards, and expand openness from the factor level to the system level of rules, regulations, managements and standards, so as to provide high-level systems, high-quality products and high-efficiency funds, and take a lead in establishing a new system for an open economy that is compatible with international rules.
In a bid to achieve these goals, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made clear requirements for the central and state organs to make concrete plans in support of the high-level reform and opening-up in Pudong. Regarding the aspect of deepening reform, the guideline calls for a range of fundamental measures aimed at leading reform efforts. It also urges innovation in the methods of government services, easing of market access, deepening the reform of "one integrated license," and giving Pudong greater power in compiling resources. According to the guideline, we should explore a new management mode for the total area of construction land, in combination with the territorial spatial planning. In terms of the use of energy, we should carry out an energy consumption intensity-oriented system with moderate flexibility in total energy consumption. Regarding high-level opening-up, the guideline says that we should build a special economic function zone covering the whole of Pudong New Area, strengthen stress tests for the open economy, accelerate the construction of special customs supervision zones, upgrade regulatory and monitoring arrangements, and allow qualified enterprises to enjoy the preferential custom policies such as those of Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Area. We should also provide support in the fields of tax arrangements, cross-border services, high-end talent introduction, financial opening-up and so on. At the same time, the guideline requires us to improve the system of legal protections so that Pudong will be supported to find solutions through trials and breakthroughs when facing up to new challenges. At the 29th session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, which concluded on June 10, the committee adopted a decision authorizing Shanghai Municipal People's Congress and its standing committee to formulate regulations concerning the Pudong New Area based on the practical needs for reform and innovation in Pudong. Such regulations must abide by the Constitution, as well as the basic principles of the laws and the administrative regulations.
It should be emphasized that, instead of making Pudong a "land of preferential policies," the government's supportive measures will give Pudong greater say in reform and development and help build it into a powerful "propeller" for high-level reform and development. Thank you.
