Speakers:
Mr. Hu Yuting, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jilin Provincial Committee and governor of Jilin province
Mr. Cai Dong, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jilin province
Mr. Li Guoqiang, vice governor of Jilin province
Ms. Yang Andi, vice governor of Jilin province
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
April 22, 2024
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 10th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we are very pleased to be joined by Mr. Hu Yuting, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jilin Provincial Committee and governor of Jilin province, who will brief you on striving for new breakthroughs to revitalize Jilin in the new era and then take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Cai Dong, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jilin province, as well as two vice governors of the province, Mr. Li Guoqiang and Ms. Yang Andi.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Hu Yuting.
Hu Yuting:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I would like to start by extending my deep appreciation for your long-standing interest in and support for the revitalization and development of Jilin. It is also my pleasure to have the opportunity to brief you on this topic.
General Secretary Xi Jinping holds high expectations for the revitalization and development of Jilin. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, he has conducted three inspection tours in the province and put forward the important requirements for us to "shoulder new responsibilities, achieve new breakthroughs and make new accomplishments." This has drawn up a blueprint for Jilin's comprehensive revitalization, and injected strong impetus into the endeavor.
Bearing in mind such expectations, we have resolutely shouldered the important mission of safeguarding the nation's security in food, industry, energy, eco-system and national defense, ushering in a phase of accelerated revitalization and development. In 2023, Jilin's GDP saw year-on-year growth of 6.3%, outpacing the national GDP by 1.1 percentage points. In the first quarter of this year, the province's GDP growth rate hit 6.5%, again surpassing the national economic growth by 1.2 percentage points. With the growth rates of its multiple economic indicators ranking among the top in the country, Jilin has maintained a sound momentum of achieving stable growth while making further progress.
Jilin is not only a key industrial base in the country, but also a major farming province and one rich in ecological resources. Its industrialization started early, and it served as the cradle of the country's auto, chemical and film industries. Jilin has achieved numerous unprecedented national milestones and made key historic contributions to the nation.
On the new journey in the new era, we have kept this historical heritage in mind, carried forward our diligent traditions, and spared no effort to shore up weak links and embrace new challenges. We are poised to achieve new breakthroughs in Jilin's comprehensive revitalization.
Jilin's biggest advantage lies in its agricultural sector. Located within one of the world's three major chernozem soil regions, Jilin leads the nation in large-scale farming and agricultural mechanization. Its annual grain output has exceeded 40 billion kilograms for three consecutive years, and its pioneering role in advancing modern agriculture has been further consolidated.
Jilin's primary strength stems from its manufacturing industry. "Made-in-Jilin" products like vehicles from FAW Group , high-speed trains from CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles, and satellites from Chang Guang Satellite Technology are well-recognized across the country. Notably, the world's first hydrogen-powered urban train completed its test run here. The Jilin-1 satellites have become the world's largest sub-meter-level commercial remote sensing satellite constellation.
Jilin's innovation strength comes from its edge in science, education and humanities. It is home to 66 colleges and universities, 106 research institutes, and numerous national strategic sci-tech facilities. It ranks fifth nationwide in terms of the scientific research material conditions index , and boasts huge potential for innovation-driven development.
Jilin has made "green" a defining feature of its ecological environment. It boasts not only lucid waters and lush mountains, but also abundant ice and snow resources. Jilin ranks top in the country in the comprehensive evaluation of forest resources. In addition, it is rich in wind and photovoltaic power, and also enjoys a vast expanse of land, providing a unique advantage for the development of new energy industries.
On the new journey in the new era, we will seize the opportunities and work to the best of our abilities. There is much that we can do in achieving new breakthroughs in Jilin's comprehensive revitalization. Specifically, we aim to make breakthroughs in the following fields:
First, we will spur industrial innovation by making sci-tech innovations, and develop new quality productive forces in accordance with Jilin's local conditions. We will implement a sci-tech innovation mechanism, making organized efforts to achieve sci-tech breakthroughs and foster their applications. By doing so, we will address the needs of the industrial sector, further pool strength to make sci-tech breakthroughs in this regard, and expedite their application. We will ramp up efforts to develop the "four key clusters": big agriculture , big equipment , big tourism and big data. We will bolster the "six emerging industries": new energy, new materials, new medicine, new healthcare, new services and new e-commerce. In addition, we will enhance the construction of "new facilities in four categories": new infrastructure, new environment, new lifestyle and new consumption pattern. With such efforts, we aim to develop a high-quality development system and a high-level living system.
Second, we will focus on the development of modern agriculture and expedite efforts to enhance Jilin's agricultural capabilities. We will prioritize the nation's food security and adopt an all-encompassing approach to agriculture and food . In accordance with Jilin's advantages in natural resources, we will strengthen chernozem soil protection and improve saline-alkali land. In addition, we will promote the application of smart agricultural machinery and bio-breeding technologies, foster the production of green and organic food, and develop a modern agriculture industry with a value surpassing the 1-trillion-yuan ($138 billion) mark.
Third, we prioritize ecological progress, insist on green development, and pioneer in building a beautiful China. We will view lush mountains and lucid waters as invaluable assets and firmly safeguard ecological security, better preserving the eco-environment by developing eco-tourism and vice versa. We plan to create world-class ice and snow brands and tourism attractions for both winter and summer. By 2027, tourism revenue is expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan. We will proactively develop the clean energy industry and accelerate efforts to forge a "green hydrogen+" industrial cluster with global competitiveness.
Fourth, we have comprehensively deepened reforms, and elevated the level of opening-up and cooperation. We will work unswervingly both to consolidate and develop the public sector and to encourage, support, and guide development of the non-public sector. We will empower development and increase efficiency by lifting restrictions and unleashing people's ingenuity. While deepening and improving reforms of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), we will also vigorously develop the private sector. We will continue to improve the business environment, increasingly conduct approval procedures online, and make "getting things done without having to rely on personal connections" the standard practice. We aim to deeply involve ourselves in the Belt and Road Initiative and build Jilin into an important gateway for China's opening-up in the north and a hub for cooperation among northeastern Asian countries.
Fifth, we are promoting the high-quality development of the population and enhancing talent support. We will comprehensively improve the quality of the population, create more favorable conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship, offer more support for talent, and expand employment opportunities in various industries. Our goal is to attract more than 60% of college graduates to stay in Jilin for work, thus cementing the positive trend of a net inflow of talent and population into the province.
We have experienced a lot and are now facing a new horizon. It's time for Jilin to realize comprehensive revitalization in the new era. This is highly anticipated. We welcome our friends from the media to visit Jilin again and continue to support this northeastern province.
That's all from me for now. Thank you all.
