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Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has rolled out major regional development strategies, such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt. May I ask what role the implementation of these major development strategies played in promoting coordinated regional development? And what are the considerations for promoting coordinated regional development in the next step? Thank you.

Ou Hong:

Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has looked beyond the horizon, coordinated the overall situation, and accurately grasped the overriding trends at home and abroad. He has personally planned, deployed, and promoted a series of major regional development strategies, such as the coordinated regional development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze Economic Belt, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and ecological conservation and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin. These efforts have led to historic changes and achievements in China's regional development.

First, a driving force to drive China's high-quality development has been cultivated and formed. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has firmly relieved Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital, promoting regional coordinated development. The construction of Xiongan New Area promotes high standards and quality requirements, and the area is filled with tower cranes and construction is in full swing. Many central government enterprises have started building their new headquarters in Xiongan New Area. The construction of major projects in Beijing's sub-center has achieved remarkable results. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has taken further steps to deepen cooperation. In 2021, the total GDP of Guangdong province's nine cities situated in the GBA exceeded 10 trillion yuan. The vitality of innovation and development in the Yangtze River Delta continues to increase. Meanwhile, the construction of a demonstration zone for integrated ecological and green development in the Yangtze River Delta region and the new area of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone has also yielded impressive results.

Second, China has embarked on the regional development path which prioritizes ecological conservation and green development. Efforts to protect and restore the Yangtze Economic Belt's ecological environment are progressing steadily. For example, the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River has been fully implemented. Moreover, the Yangtze River Protection Law, the first river basin law in China, was promulgated and implemented. The flood prevention system in the Yellow River Basin has been continuously improved, and the excessive water consumption growth has been effectively contained. The mainstream of the Yellow River has constantly flowed for more than 20 consecutive years.

Third, we have built a regional economic layout featuring mutual complementarity and high-quality development. Under the general requirement of "to make use of the water and mountain resources, grow crops, and develop agriculture, industry or business where conditions permit," all regions have taken the road defined by rational division of labor and optimized development in accordance with their own conditions. The carrying capacity of central cities, city clusters and other advantageous areas for economic development has been further enhanced. The supporting capacity of major agricultural production zones, key ecosystem service zones, energy and resource-rich areas, and border areas has been further improved. New steps have been taken to revitalize and develop regions with unique features. Moreover, recent achievements have been made in the development of the marine economy.

We will further implement major regional strategies for the next step and promote coordinated regional development. First, we will relieve Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as China's capital, develop the Xiongan New Area with high standards and high quality, and bring the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to a higher level. Second, we will step up the conservation of the Yangtze River and stop its over-development. We will continuously strengthen the protection and restoration of ecological and environmental systems and strive to build the Yangtze River Economic Belt into the main battlefield for green development by prioritizing ecological protection. We will turn it into the artery for smooth domestic and international dual circulation and the main force leading the high-quality development of the economy. Third, we will actively advance the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in a steady manner, integrate Hong Kong and Macao into the country's overall development, and build a world-class Bay Area and city clusters full of vitality and international competitiveness. Fourth, we will bring the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta to a higher level and strive to make breakthroughs in several key areas. Fifth, we will promote the ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin and conduct the conservation of mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland, and desert ecosystems and address their degradation at the source in a coordinated way, to fundamentally improve the ecological and environmental quality of the Yellow River Basin.