Speakers:
Mr. Li Lecheng, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Liaoning Provincial Committee and governor of Liaoning province
Mr. Wang Jian, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Liaoning province
Mr. Zhang Lilin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and vice governor of Liaoning province
Mr. Gao Tao, vice governor of Liaoning province
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
April 23, 2024
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 11th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Li Lecheng, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Liaoning Provincial Committee and governor of Liaoning province, to brief you on writing a new chapter in Liaoning's full revitalization with greater responsibilities and efforts, and then answer your questions. Also present today are Mr. Wang Jian, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Liaoning province; Mr. Zhang Lilin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and vice governor of Liaoning province; and Mr. Gao Tao, vice governor of Liaoning province.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Li for his introduction.
Li Lecheng:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. First, on behalf of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, the Provincial People's Government and the people of Liaoning province, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your long-term interest in and strong support for the full revitalization of Liaoning.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to the revitalization and development of Liaoning. He has visited the province multiple times to inspect progress, and presided over the symposiums on promoting the revitalization of Northeast China three times. This has helped outline a comprehensive revitalization strategy for Northeast China and Liaoning. We remain committed to his guidance, and fully, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy. We are focused on high-quality development and establishing a new development pattern as our primary strategic task. We firmly uphold our political responsibilities in safeguarding national defense, food, ecological, energy and industrial security. We are capitalizing on the crucial three-year period following the 14th Five-Year (2021-2025) Plan to vigorously drive the three-year action for full revitalization and new breakthroughs. In 2023, Liaoning's GDP grew by 5.3%, surpassing the national growth rate for the first time in a decade and reaching a total economic output of 3 trillion yuan. In the first quarter of this year, Liaoning's socioeconomic development continued its positive trend from the previous year, with the growth rate increasing to 5.4%, demonstrating enhanced resilience, vitality and creativity in high-quality development.
To thoroughly implement the strategic decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and accelerate the promotion of high-quality development, the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee has set the goal of establishing "six areas" in the new era. Through relentless effort, we aim to transform Liaoning into a major supporting area for national strategies, a key source of technological innovation, a competitive hub for advanced manufacturing industries, a pioneer in the development of modern agriculture, a demonstration area for the integrated development of high-quality culture, sports and tourism, and a core region for opening-up and cooperation in Northeast Asia. Standing at a new historical starting point, we are dedicated to making these plans a practical path to enhance high-quality development, reviving the esteemed legacy of the "eldest son" of the People's Republic of China, and propeling the old industrial base to greater heights.
First, we are courageously leading in the development of new quality productive forces. This year, at the Shenyang sub-venue of the Spring Festival TV Gala, representatives of Liaoning's industrial and technological sectors, including aircraft carriers, fighter jets, industrial robots, and chips, were showcased one by one. They demonstrated Liaoning's industrial strength and technological allure to the nation. Leveraging our scientific and educational resources, we are accelerating the establishment of a regional science and technology innovation center with national influence. We are focused on four trillion-yuan-level industrial bases, in advanced equipment manufacturing, petrochemical and fine chemicals, new metallurgical materials, and high-quality specialty consumer goods industries, and continue making structural adjustments. We have been working on "three major tasks": transforming and upgrading "time-honored brands," deeply developing "original brands" and nurturing and enhancing "new brands," to build a modern industrial system at a high level. We strive to turn sci-tech innovation from the "greatest variable" into the "greatest increase," promoting high-quality development.
Second, we aim to make breakthroughs in deepening reform and opening-up. We regard optimizing the business environment as the primary project to drive high-quality development and comprehensively deepen reforms. With the improving business environment in Liaoning, state-owned enterprises, private enterprises and foreign enterprises are actively establishing themselves in the province. Last year, the total investment in key central-local cooperation projects in Liaoning was 1.3 trillion yuan. The Huajin Aramco project, witnessed by the heads of state of China and Saudi Arabia, and the accelerated construction of the Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant, jointly witnessed by the heads of state of China and Russia, exemplify our efforts. Today, Liaoning's reform and opening-up will continue unabated. We welcome guests from all corners with more substantial strategies and sincere sentiments, ensuring that all business entities and the general public can truly feel that "Northeast China has immense potential for growth."
Third, we are strengthening our advantages by adhering to green development. We are steadfastly fighting the battle against pollution, defending ecological restoration and engaging in the prolonged battle for low-carbon transformation, while coordinating the management of mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland and desert ecosystems to make Liaoning's comprehensive ecological landscape even more splendid. The green, low-carbon and intelligent transformation of traditional industries is in full swing. This year, the proportion of installed non-fossil energy capacity will reach 50%. In the near future, clean energy will enter many more households all across Liaoning.
Fourth, we are actively working to enhance people's livelihoods and well-being. Last year, Liaoning ranked first nationally in the scale of old residential compound renovations. In the past three years, the number of pocket parks built in Liaoning ranked first in the country. We ensure that people experience small, tangible joys; we focus closely on the old and the young, and will progressively reduce the costs of education, healthcare and pensions for our citizens, enabling children to grow up healthy and the elderly to live long, healthy lives. Our cities are connected by high-speed rail, and our counties by expressways. On weekends, everyone can explore Liaoning's beauty. With the CBA playoffs underway, basketball fans can also come to Liaoning to experience the excitement of these events. In short, we treat "small matters of people's livelihoods" as "important matters," planning more projects to improve the livelihoods and well-being of the people in Liaoning, laying a solid foundation for their happiness and well-being.
That concludes my introduction. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Li. Now, the floor is open for questions. Please state the name of the media outlet you work for before asking your questions.
