Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, chairs a symposium on advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and delivers an important speech in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday stressed efforts to make new major breakthroughs in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and enhance the region's leading and exemplary role in pursuing Chinese modernization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while chairing a symposium on advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

Xi underlined the importance of advancing the region's integrated development, improving its innovation capacity, industrial competitiveness and development quality, and forming a new pattern of higher-level reform and opening up. These are of great significance for China to build a new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and advance the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization, he said.

Xi said that it is necessary to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, focus on integration and high quality, establish a global vision and strategic thinking, unswervingly deepen reform and expand high-level opening up, and coordinate scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, hardware connectivity with mechanism coordination, and environmental protection with economic development, so as to make new major breakthroughs in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.

The overall strength and comprehensive competitiveness of the Yangtze River Delta continue to rank among the top in the country, Xi said.

Noting that major progress has been achieved since the strategy of the region's integrated development was put forward five years ago, Xi said that there are also some deep-seated problems to be solved.

Advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta is a major undertaking, and making steady progress and continuing the hard work are necessary to write new chapters of the region's integrated development, he said.

On future development, Xi stressed the need to strengthen cross-region collaboration in sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation.

Efforts should be made to generate new industries, business formats and models, and nurture new development momentum.

The region is urged to become a source of sci-tech innovation by integrating sci-tech innovation forces and advantageous resources across regions and departments, and participate in international sci-tech cooperation to create a globally competitive ecosystem for innovation.

He also underscored the importance of making institutional improvements for the region's integrated development.

Regional segmentation and administrative obstacles should be broken down at the institutional level so as to provide institutional guarantee for integrated development, while greater institutional innovation in key areas is to be made.

The synergy and collaboration among various reform measures should be strengthened, Xi said. Concerning basic public services, efforts should be made to promote the gradual alignment of relevant mechanisms, policies and standards and facilitate the accessibility and sharing of public services in different spheres.

On transport, Xi urged enhancing the alignment of the standards of transportation networks within the region to improve infrastructure connectivity.

He also called for efforts to accelerate the construction of a demonstration area in the Yangtze River Delta on integrated ecologically-friendly development, and promote industrial relocation and reasonable allocation of production elements across the region to turn the Yangtze River Delta into a community for shared regional development.

The region should vigorously promote high-level coordinated opening up, Xi noted.

He called on the region to push forward high-level opening up with an emphasis on institutional opening up, and strengthen mutual learning and promotion of related reform experience.

Xi urged efforts to expand the influence of the Hongqiao International Open Hub, vigorously implement the upgrading strategy of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), and promote the opening up of the Lingang new area of the Shanghai FTZ to a higher level.

The region's development should be well integrated with the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

Xi also stressed further improving the business environment for private companies to promote their sound and high-quality development.

More efforts should be made to strengthen joint protection and governance of the ecological environment, he said.

In this regard, Xi called for concerted efforts in the protection of key ecological barriers and corridors in the region as well as integrated prevention and control of air, water and soil pollution.

The region should go full steam ahead with clean production, facilitate energy conservation and decarbonization in key fields and sectors and pick up pace in fostering a sustainable production and lifestyle, he said.

A cross-region pollutant discharge rights trading mechanism needs to be established so as to make active yet prudent advancement in achieving the country's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, Xi said.

Xi also stressed the need to enhance the region's capability to coordinate development and security.

The region needs to pay attention to major infrastructure facilities as well as sci-tech, industrial and financial areas that are essential to national and regional security, and step up relevant risk prevention and control, Xi noted.

The region should also enhance industrial chain resilience and security, consolidate industrial collaboration with the central and western areas, expand the institutional opening up in the financial sector and facilitate cross-border investment and financing, he added.

The CPC's overall leadership must be upheld and strengthened in promoting the region's integrated development, Xi stressed.

Li Qiang delivered a speech at the symposium. He emphasized the need to consider the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta in the context of overall national development, and give full play to the region's roles as a growth pole, a development engine, and an experimental field for reform so as to better support and serve Chinese modernization.