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Speakers:

Mr. Li Xiaopeng, minister of transport

Mr. Xu Chengguang, vice minister of transport

Chairperson:

Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

Feb. 23, 2023

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the third briefing in the series "Embarking on the New Journey — A Government Perspective." Today, we are joined by Mr. Li Xiaopeng, minister of transport, and Mr. Xu Chengguang, vice minister of transport. They will brief you on the efforts being made in moving faster to boost China's strength in transportation and striving to make transportation development a pioneer in China's modernization drive, and then take your questions.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Li Xiaopeng for a brief introduction.

Li Xiaopeng:

Thank you, Ms. Xing. Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to attend this press conference and meet with you. On behalf of the Ministry of Transport (MOT), I would like to express to you my heartfelt gratitude for your long-standing interest in, support and help for, as well as supervision of China's transportation development.

In 2022, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the transportation sector earnestly implemented the requirements to ensure effective COVID-19 containment, economic stability and safe development. It worked to prevent and control the pandemic in a targeted and well-conceived manner, and spared no efforts to ensure unimpeded transportation and safe production. It also worked to scale-up effective investment and solve difficulties facing businesses. As a result, the transportation sector has completed all tasks involved in its annual targets and achieved a good performance.

This year marks the first year of implementing the guiding principles from the 20th CPC National Congress. The transportation sector will earnestly act on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, making both as our primary political tasks and long-term strategic missions, and implementing the guiding principles with determination.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the development of transportation. He has pointed out that since the founding of the People's Republic of China, generations of Chinese people have worked in the spirit of building roads through mountains and putting bridges over rivers, and turned China into a country with vast transportation infrastructure. Today, we are redoubling our efforts to build a country with great transportation strength. Transportation development has become a pioneer in China's modernization drive. He also fully recognized the hard work, the sense of responsibility and commitment, and the significant contributions of officials and staff in the sector. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions have charted the course for the transportation sector and provided fundamental principles for our work. We will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and continue implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on transportation development. We will also work hard, shoulder our responsibilities and devote ourselves to expediting the building of a nation strong in transportation. The transportation sector will strive to be a pioneer in China's modernization drive, and make persistent efforts and new contributions toward building China into a great modern socialist country.

This year, we will formulate and roll out a five-year action plan to expedite China's transformation into a transportation powerhouse (2023-2027). We will work to prevent and control the pandemic in the transportation sector in a targeted and well-conceived manner, and ramp up efforts to ensure unimpeded transportation and safe production. We will advance the construction of integrated multidimensional transportation networks , expand effective investment in the field, improve transportation service and support capacity, and further adjust and optimize the nation's transportation structure and foster its green and low-carbon transformation. We will also expedite the building of a unified and open transportation market and promote global cooperation in the transportation sector. We will resolutely exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance, strengthen Party building, improve conduct, build integrity and combat corruption. In the coming period, we will also work to ensure sound transportation services and support for the annual sessions of China's top legislature and political advisory body.

In short, we will make concerted efforts and strive to accomplish all tasks this year, so as to live up to the expectations of the Party and the people. That concludes my introduction. Next, Mr. Xu and I will take your questions. Thank you.