Chen Wenjun: 

Due to time constraints, one last question.

Cover News:

Last month, a delegation of Jiangxi's CPC and government officials visited Shanghai and Anhui to intensify communication and cooperation with the Yangtze River Delta region. As an important province in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, what will Jiangxi do to meet the requirements proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping to promote well-coordinated environmental conservation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and participate in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region? Thank you. 

Liu Qi:

Thank you for your question. I will answer that. As one of the most economically dynamic, open and creative areas in China, the Yangtze River Delta region has played an essential role in the national development paradigm. Jiangxi is an important pivot to connect eastern and western China, and the upstream and downstream of the Yangtze River. It is also an important ecological protective screen for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as Hukou county of Jiangxi province is the dividing point of the two reaches. It is our great responsibility to protect the ecology of the Yangtze River. It is also our great opportunity to dovetail with the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region. Sticking to the strategic guideline of promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoiding excessive development, we will promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, participate in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, and better embrace the region's influence and support, so as to inject strong momentum into Jiangxi's development. 

We will regard well-coordinated environmental conservation as our fundamental premise. The restoration of the Yangtze River's ecological environment will be our top priority. We will press ahead with critical action to coordinate environmental conservation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and enhance the conservation of the water system in Jiangxi, including the Poyang Lake, the Jiangxi section of the Yangtze River, the Xiu River, the Gan River, the Fu River, the Rao River, and the Xin River. With its special location, Jiangxi's water system is like a hand. The five rivers that originate from Jiangxi all converge into the Poyang Lake, and flow into the Yangtze River via the lake's mouth. We must ensure that the water flowing into the Yangtze River is of good quality, and must conserve the five rivers as a whole. That's why we introduced a plan to conserve the whole water system. Meanwhile, we must integrate the restoration and protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and consolidate the achievements of the fishing ban and the project of moving fishermen ashore in key areas of the Yangtze River and the Poyang Lake, thus constantly improving the ecological environment of the Yangtze River. In recent years, the total number of finless porpoises in the Yangtze River have seen steady growth. The finless porpoises, often dubbed "smiling angels," are said to be able to sense people's affections, and will jump out of the water to welcome people. Friends from the media, you are welcome to come and have a look at the Poyang Lake. Among the 1,000-odd finless porpoises found nationwide, nearly 500 are in the Poyang Lake. Now, finless porpoises are also seen frequently in the Gan River in downtown Nanchang. This is proof that the ecological environment of the Yangtze River has been steadily improving. 

Infrastructure connectivity will be our starting point. Efforts will be made to speed up building the channel for openness to firmly support the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region. Mr. Yi has introduced the issue just now, so I will not repeat it. 

We will put our focus on the cross-regional application of innovation results. We will promote schools run jointly by universities in the Yangtze River Delta region and Jiangxi province, invite scientific research institutes to establish branches in Jiangxi, and enhance communication with experts and scholars, so as to encourage the flexible flow of talent within the region. We will also promote the joint research and development of generic and key technologies, and further coordinate the innovation efforts of enterprises, universities, research institutes and applicators, thus building a base to promote the application of advances in science and technology in the Yangtze River Delta region.

We will regard industrial relocation as our key task. We will integrate ourselves into the industrial division of labor and the market system of the Yangtze River Delta region, and enjoy the benefits of the spillover effect of the region's industries. We will accelerate the building of platforms of "parks in parks" and "jointly-built parks," and push forward the building of the demonstration zone on the border of Jiangxi and Zhejiang. We will also promote the orderly relocation of strategic emerging industries and modern service industries from the Yangtze River Delta region to Jiangxi, and strive to build Jiangxi into an important base to receive the industries relocated from the Yangtze River Delta region. For example, in the tourism industry, we will build a national coordinated ecological tourism region with Zhejiang, Anhui and Fujian provinces. We will build a "Garden Union" that includes Quzhou in Zhejiang, Huangshan in Anhui, Nanping in Fujian and Shangrao in Jiangxi, and make great efforts to build world-class tourist attractions and holiday resorts. The northeastern part of Jiangxi is close to the Yangtze River Delta region, and the southern part is near the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. During an inspection tour in Jiangxi, General Secretary Xi Jinping said that Jiangxi is surrounded by opportunities. We will engage in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and strive to become its functional area and backyard garden. 

Time flies and this is our last question. The time for the press conference is limited, but our friendship is endless. On this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee for giving us an opportunity to present Jiangxi to more people. Also, I would like to thank all friends from the media for participating in the press conference, because your attendance is the best support and encouragement for us. Jiangxi is a revolutionary base of China. It also boasts a good ecological environment with unique scenery and robust development. Just as martyr Fang Zhimin predicted in his essay "Lovely China" more than eight decades ago, in today's Jiangxi, "innovation is everywhere, and changes are taking place every day." We sincerely welcome friends from the media to visit Jiangxi, and you will know more about the revolutionary land and its development. I and the more than 45 million people of Jiangxi are waiting for your arrival. Thank you all!

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Liu, Mr. Yi and Mr. Shi. Thank you, friends of the media. Today's press conference ends here.

Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Huang Shan, Zhu Bochen, Liu Qiang, Li Xiao, Wang Yanfang, Wang Mengru, Wang Wei, Gong Yingchun, Zhang Junmian, Xiang Bin, Fan Junmei, Xu Xiaoxuan, Li Huiru, Zhang Jiaqi, Zhou Jing, Liu Jianing, Chen Xia, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.