Speakers:
Mr. Ren Zhenhe, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Gansu Provincial Committee and governor of Gansu province
Mr. Cheng Xiaobo, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Gansu province
Mr. Zhang Jingang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and vice governor of Gansu province
Mr. Lei Siwei, vice governor of Gansu province
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
June 13, 2024
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 30th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Ren Zhenhe, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Gansu Provincial Committee and governor of Gansu province, to brief you on accelerating the construction of a happy and beautiful Gansu and creating new development prospects for Gansu, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Cheng Xiaobo, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Gansu province; Mr. Zhang Jingang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and vice governor of Gansu province; and Mr. Lei Siwei, vice governor of Gansu province. Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Ren for his introduction.
Ren Zhenhe:
Thank you, Ms. Shou. Good morning. It's a great pleasure to brief you on Gansu's development. First, on behalf of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee, the Gansu provincial government, and our 25 million residents, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the media and all sectors of society for your long-term interest in and support for Gansu's economic and social development.
When one mentions Gansu, Dunhuang often comes to mind. The city is not only an emblem of Gansu but also a source of national pride. Reflecting on its thousands of years of history, Dunhuang witnessed the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road. Today, it stands as a testament to Gansu's dynamic development in the new era. Gansu, a land rich in cultural heritage, imbued with revolutionary spirit and full of unique allure, is now bursting with vitality and showing broad prospects on the grand path toward Chinese modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping holds Gansu and its people close to his heart. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, he has visited Gansu twice, encouraging us to accelerate the development of a happy new Gansu featuring a thriving economy, beautiful landscapes, ethnic unity and social harmony. Over the years, we have kept General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions in mind and forged ahead. Building on our victory in the critical battle against poverty, we have focused on addressing the province's "three imbalances" in urban-rural development, regional development and industrial development. By firmly committing to high-quality development as the top priority in the new era, we are striving to write a remarkable chapter of prosperity and revitalization in Gansu.
In recent years, we have been dedicated to promoting economic development, with our pace of progress accelerating. In 2021, Gansu's economic output exceeded 1 trillion yuan, and since 2022, Gansu's growth rate has remained among the top nationwide for seven consecutive quarters. Our old industrial bases are being rejuvenated, with traditional industries such as petrochemicals, nonferrous metallurgy and equipment manufacturing undergoing transformation and upgrading. Emerging industries like new energy, new materials, biomedicine and data information are flourishing. Lanzhou New Area has ranked among the top 19 national-level new areas in terms of economic growth rate for seven consecutive years. Infrastructure weaknesses in sectors such as transportation and water conservancy are being addressed at a faster pace. Construction of the Pingliang-Qingyang railway, long-awaited by the people of the old revolutionary base areas in Gansu, has begun. The project of diverting water from the Taohe River to central Gansu has enabled a quarter of Gansu's population to move past the era of relying solely on the weather for water.
Over the years, we have been committed to enhancing the natural beauty of our landscapes, with the vibrant scenery growing more resplendent. The philosophy of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has deeply resonated with us. Notably, the Gansu section of the Yellow River now sends clear water downstream, and substantial progress has been made in ecological conservation in the Qilian Mountains, leading to a remarkable green transformation. Over the past three years, we have completed 29.52 million mu (approximately 1.97 million hectares) of afforestation, ranking second nationwide in greening area in both 2022 and 2023. It was once feared that Minqin county, located in the Hexi Corridor and surrounded by the Tengger and Badain Jaran deserts on its east, west and north sides, would become the next Lop Nur. However, the people of Minqin have upheld the spirit of not bowing down to difficulties and daring to transform deserts into oases. Year after year, generation after generation, they have created a miracle of desert control and afforestation, transforming the situation from "sand encroaching, people retreating" to "green advancing, sand receding." The once dry Qingtu Lake, parched for over half a century, has now become a shimmering gem in the desert, where waves ripple peacefully and waterbirds flock gracefully.
In recent years, we have been committed to ethnic unity and have made notable progress in common development. Gansu is a multi-ethnic province, with the Dongxiang, Baoan and Yugur ethnic groups being ethnic minorities that are unique to Gansu. We have focused on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and speeding up the development of ethnic minority areas. The people of all ethnic groups in the province are tightly held together like pomegranate seeds, and are jointly embarking on a new journey of modernization. For example, Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, the first ethnic minority autonomous county in China, is known for its stunning eco-environment with green mountains and clear waters. Over the past three years, its economic growth rate has exceeded 8.6%, ranking among the top ethnic autonomous counties in the country.
In recent years, we have been committed to enhancing social harmony and as a result our people are enjoying a greater sense of happiness. About 80% of our fiscal funds are dedicated to improving people's living standards. Every year, we implement numerous livelihood projects in areas such as education, employment, elderly care and public health, ensuring they are tangible and accessible to the public. In 2023, the average disposable income of our residents increased by 7.5%, ranking second in the country. Officials at the provincial, municipal, county and township levels have paired up with orphans, severely disabled individuals and families in extreme poverty as part of the "Paired Assistance: Love in Gansu" initiative to provide them with care and support. Given the fragile ecology and frequent geological disasters, we launched a relocation project for people living in six types of areas prone to ecological and geological hazards. So far, 78,600 households, totaling 280,000 people, have been safely relocated from dangerous areas to secure and happy environments.
On this new journey, we will continue to follow the directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, focusing on the central task of economic development and the primary goal of high-quality growth. We will seize the strategic opportunities to promote the development of the western region in the new era, work diligently and pragmatically as well as make step-by-step efforts to transform Gansu's grand blueprint for Chinese modernization into a beautiful reality.
That's all for my opening introduction. Thank you!
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Ren, for your introduction. We now move to the Q&A session. Please identify the media organization you represent before raising your questions.
