Speakers:
Mr. Wang Zhonglin, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hubei Provincial Committee and governor of Hubei province
Mr. Shao Xinyu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Hubei province
Mr. Wei Shengbin, vice governor of Hubei province and secretary-general of the Hubei provincial government
Mr. Li Donghui, director of the Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission
Chairperson:
Mr. Xie Yingjun, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
May 7, 2024
Xie Yingjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 14th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we are very glad to be joined by Mr. Wang Zhonglin, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hubei Provincial Committee and governor of Hubei province, who will brief you on advancing Hubei's efforts in Chinese modernization and building Hubei into a strategic stronghold for the rise of Central China, and then take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Shao Xinyu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Hubei province; Mr. Wei Shengbin, vice governor of Hubei province and secretary-general of the Hubei provincial government; and Mr. Li Donghui, director of the Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Wang Zhonglin.
Wang Zhonglin:
Thank you, Mr. Xie. Good morning. It is my pleasure to have this opportunity today to brief you on Hubei's high-quality development. First, on behalf of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and the Hubei provincial government, I would like to extend my deep appreciation for your long-standing interest in and support for Hubei's development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to Hubei's development, and has conducted five inspection tours in the province since the 18th CPC National Congress, providing stewardship for its growth. Over the years, we have kept in mind expectations, forged ahead with gratitude and made solid advances in promoting Hubei's high-quality development.
First, focusing on boosting the province's overall strength, Hubei has seen a promising development trajectory. Always taking development as the top priority, Hubei has strived to cope with changing circumstances, to ensure stable growth and to enhance the quality of development. As a result, the province has achieved steady progress. In recent years, despite being hit hard by the pandemic, Hubei has particularly withstood pressures and sustained the momentum of recovery. In 2020, facing a sharp decline of 39.2% in GDP in the first quarter, Hubei managed to persevere thanks to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the staunch support from multiple ministries, commissions and sister provinces. By the end of 2020, the province's GDP recovered to 95.6% of the year before. In 2021, we made all-out efforts to make up for the loss caused by the pandemic and regained positive growth. The GDP in 2021 grew by 12.9% year on year, surpassing the five-trillion-yuan threshold. In 2022, we effectively responded to the prolonged impact of the pandemic and other unexpected factors. The province's economic output in 2022 was the 7th largest domestically, realizing a robust recovery as economic growth was back on track. In 2023, the recovery momentum continued to prevail, with each quarter showing faster economic growth. The GDP grew by 6% annually, ranking among the top in the country. In the first quarter of this year, Hubei's GDP saw a year on year increase of 6.1%, indicating a robust start for 2024 and promising economic performance. Through relentless efforts, we have fulfilled the earnest expectations put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection tour to Hubei in March 2020 to guide the fight against the pandemic. Specifically, he hoped that Hubei would achieve complete victory against the pandemic, would rise from the ashes, and would make even greater achievements in the new era. In this sense, Hubei's development has reached a higher starting point.
Second, through supporting industrial innovation by achieving advancements in science and technology, Hubei has broken into a sprint with high-quality development. Taking sci-tech self-reliance as our mission, we have strengthened the deeper integration between sci-tech and industrial innovation, further expediting the cultivation and thriving of new quality productive forces. The province's sci-tech innovation has gained momentum and achieved breakthroughs. Wuhan's domestically influential sci-tech innovation center has sped up its construction. The province's sci-tech cluster is also taking shape at an accelerated pace with a national lab, 10 provincial labs, eight big science facilities, 163 national-level innovation platforms and 477 new R&D institutions. Notable progress has also been made in 29 key core technology projects, including world-leading breakthroughs seen in flash memory chips, brain-computer interface (BCI) and myocardial rotational excision surgery. The volume of contracted technology transactions in 2023 grew 59.8% year on year to 486 billion yuan (about $67.2 billion), ranking the third highest nationwide. Hubei's industrial transformation is also accelerating with the rapid emergence of a modern industrial cluster, which features five pillar industries each worth a trillion yuan, 10 competitive industries each worth 500 billion yuan, and another 20 distinctive industries each worth 100 billion yuan. The output of Hubei's industries related to optical communication, chips, new display screens, smart terminals, and the internet is expected to reach the one-trillion-yuan threshold this year. The local auto manufacturing and service industry, as well as the big health industry, are also expected to see similar development. The development of our innovative entities are also thriving, with the number of high-tech enterprises reaching 25,000 and small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises (SMEs) reaching 35,000, both doubling in just two years.
Third, Hubei has accelerated its efforts to build itself into a "thoroughfare to the whole country" in the new era and reshaped its advantage as a pivot connecting the Land Silk Road, Maritime Silk Road and Air Silk Road. Remaining committed to laying the foundation and shoring up the weak links for long-term planning, we have enhanced major infrastructure construction, expediting Hubei's transition from a "thoroughfare to nine provinces" to a "thoroughfare to the whole country." In Hubei, the high-speed rail network has formed, with the super high-speed rail network spanning 12 directions taking shape more quickly, enabling access to 80% of the nation's major cities within four hours. With the golden waterway of the Yangtze River leading to other rivers and seas, vessels carrying tens of thousands of tons can navigate directly to Wuhan. Here, Wuhan Port boasts the highest container throughput in the river's upper and middle reaches. Additionally, the Air Silk Road provides a global reach. For example, Ezhou Huahu Airport, Asia's largest specialized cargo airport, has been completed and is now operational. It currently serves 64 international and domestic cargo routes, and its cargo throughput is projected to exceed 1.2 million tons this year, ranking fourth nationwide.
Fourth, Hubei is firmly committed to promoting green and low-carbon development, crafting a picturesque landscape of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. By thoroughly implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, we have made solid progress in advancing comprehensive basin management, ensuring that the Yangtze River flows clearly eastward and that the lucid waters are effectively channeled northward from the Danjiangkou Reservoir. The quality of the environment has steadily improved. More than 90% of the state-monitored surface water sections have maintained excellent or good quality. Additionally, the water quality of the Yangtze River's main channel and the Danjiangkou Reservoir has consistently exceeded Class II standards. The "smiling angel," the Yangtze finless porpoise, once on the brink of extinction and a public concern, has seen its population rebound to 1,249 after years of ecological conservation efforts. The serene sight of "lucid waters, lush shores, and playful finless porpoises" has become a common sight. The green transition has seen improvements in both quality and effectiveness, expediting the development of green industries and clean energy systems. With green electricity accounting for 65% of installed capacity, Hubei has achieved the seventh-highest economic output nationwide while ranking 22nd in energy consumption per unit of GDP.
Fifth, Hubei is committed to elevating the quality of life for its people with heartfelt sincerity, making warm and substantial contributions to improving well-being. Through grassroots initiatives, we have attentively observed the needs of our residents and addressed their concerns to warm their hearts, aiming to ensure that more people benefit from developmental outcomes. Tangible benefits have been delivered as we thoroughly implement a variety of projects in education, healthcare, and eldercare every year. Last year, we completed 46 projects across 10 categories related to people's well-being. This year, we will continue these efforts with 52 projects in 10 categories, ensuring residents enjoy more tangible benefits. Residents' income has increased steadily, seeing an average annual growth rate of 6.8% over the past three years, surpassing the economic growth rate. Each year, more than 900,000 new urban jobs are created, attracting over 400,000 college graduates to obtain employment or start businesses. Public services have been constantly optimized. For instance, 66% of primary and secondary schools have been incorporated into county-level collaborative development alliances for basic education, and 72% of counties now have third-grade hospitals, the highest level in China's three-tier hospital grading system. Additionally, 12-minute emergency treatment circles in urban areas and 15-minute medical service circles in rural areas have essentially been established.
On the new journey of the new era, we will firmly implement the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the work in Hubei. We will thoroughly explore practical ways to create a modernized Hubei with Chinese characteristics by implementing five relevant initiatives, including the one that relies on comprehensive basin management to coordinate and promote high-standard conservation and high-quality development, with the aim to make new and greater contributions to building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation.
That concludes my introduction. My colleagues and I are ready to answer your questions. Thank you.
Xie Yingjun:
Thank you, Mr. Wang. Now, the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking your question.
