Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Xu Kunlin, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jiangsu Provincial Committee and governor of Jiangsu province 

Mr. Ma Xin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jiangsu province 

Mr. Hu Guangjie, vice governor of Jiangsu province

Mr. Fang Wei, vice governor of Jiangsu province

Chairperson:

Mr. Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

April 2, 2024

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we are holding the fifth briefing in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today's theme is Jiangsu's new frontier: Prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced modernization. We have invited Mr. Xu Kunlin, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jiangsu Provincial Committee and governor of Jiangsu province to brief you on the relevant information, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Ma Xin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jiangsu province; Mr. Hu Guangjie, vice governor of Jiangsu province; and Mr. Fang Wei, vice governor of Jiangsu province.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Xu for his introduction. 

Xu Kunlin:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. It's a great pleasure to meet you here and answer your questions. First of all, on behalf of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and the Jiangsu Provincial Government, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your long-term interest in and support for Jiangsu's work.

On March 5, General Secretary Xi Jinping took part in a deliberation with the delegation of Jiangsu province at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and delivered an important speech. He emphasized the need to firmly focus on the primary task of high-quality development, and develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions. He expressed the hope that Jiangsu will have greater confidence, exert its utmost, and shoulder greater responsibilities to make even more contributions to the nation. The entire Jiangsu province is thoroughly studying and implementing the guidelines of the general secretary's important speech, earnestly executing the guidelines from the Central Economic Work Conference and the "two sessions," and pursuing substantive and solid results in all its work. Jiangsu is taking practical actions to uphold establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and resolutely uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. First, Jiangsu will consolidate and build momentum for economic recovery and growth. Seizing the opportunity presented by the new wave of large-scale equipment upgrading and trade-ins for consumer goods, the province will continuously expand investment with good returns, unlock consumption potential and strengthen dynamic foreign trade, thereby fulfilling the political duty of shouldering greater responsibilities. Second, Jiangsu will accelerate turning itself into an important front for developing new quality productive forces. It will fully cement basic research, effectively construct and utilize high-level innovation platforms such as Suzhou Lab and Purple Mountain Laboratories, and strive to build an industrial sci-tech innovation center with global influence. Third, Jiangsu will work hard to develop an advanced manufacturing base with international competitiveness. It will coordinate the upgrading of traditional industries, the expansion of emerging industries, and the nurturing of industries of the future. The province will foster 10 high-standard national advanced manufacturing clusters, and expedite the development of a modernized industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone. Fourth, Jiangsu will redouble its coordinated efforts to advance in-depth reform and high-level opening-up. It will focus on reforms in key areas such as market-oriented allocation of factors as well as investment and financing, and speed up the construction of a two-way opening-up hub with global appeal. Fifth, Jiangsu will make urban-rural and regional development more coordinated. It will promote the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta in a coordinated manner. Additionally, it will deepen construction of the "1+3" key functional zones, namely the Yangtze River city cluster and its coastal economic belt, the Yangtze River and Huaihe River ecological economic zone, and the Xuzhou city as a central city in the Huaihai economic zone, thereby enhancing their leading role while establishing a new development pattern. Sixth, Jiangsu will steadily guarantee people's well-being. It will make sure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, and ensure people's access to childcare, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance at a higher level, thus giving the people a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.

Jiangsu bears the earnest expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping. During every crucial period and at each key juncture, he provides guidance and points the direction for us, steering us on the right path. During his inspection visit to Jiangsu from Dec. 13 to 14 in 2014, the general secretary drew a great blueprint for developing a prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced new Jiangsu, providing guidance for Jiangsu's endeavor toward creating a moderately prosperous society in all respects and presenting a vision for the future of Jiangsu's modernization drive. In November 2020, he entrusted Jiangsu with the honorable mission of striving to become a model and leading the way by example. In March and July 2023, he urged Jiangsu to continue to lead high-quality development and Chinese modernization, respectively. The general secretary's demands for Jiangsu have been consistent and in line with the times, focusing on modernization and pointing to high-quality development, assigning it the responsibilities of leading the way and making greater contributions. People across the province are brimming with gratitude and are rallying their efforts to forge ahead, striving to translate the general framework of developing a prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced new Jiangsu into concrete efforts.

In terms of economic prosperity, Jiangsu's GDP has leapt by 6 trillion yuan over the past decade, soaring from 6.51 trillion yuan in 2014 to 12.82 trillion yuan in 2023. All of its 13 cities with subordinate districts have entered the nationwide top 100, with the total economic output of five cities exceeding 1 trillion yuan. As for people's prosperity, the per capita disposable income of residents has increased from 27,200 yuan to 52,700 yuan, and the urban-rural income gap ratio narrowed from 2.30:1 to 2.07:1, making Jiangsu one of the provinces with the narrowest urban-rural income gap. The average collective operating income per village exceeds 2.3 million yuan annually. Regarding beautiful environment, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have dropped by around 26.4% and 30.9%, respectively, while total economic output nearly doubled. The air quality in Jiangsu has met the Level II standard for three consecutive years, and the water quality of the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River has remained at Level II for six years in a row. Furthermore, Taihu Lake has been safe from pollution and damage for 16 consecutive years, with its water quality and algae situation reaching the best level in 16 years. As for advanced culture, all 13 prefecture-level cities have become "National Civilized Cities." The "Zhangjiagang Experience" in creating civilized cities and the "Mazhuang Experience" in promoting rural cultural-ethical progress have exerted widespread influence. The fruits of high-quality development have nurtured a flourishing civil society in Jiangsu.

Friends from the media, the quest for a prosperous, beautiful and culturally advanced new Jiangsu reflects General Secretary Xi's profound care and high hopes. It demonstrates the theoretical and practical strength of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will keep his instructions in mind, move forward with gratitude, and strive to be at the forefront of writing a new chapter of modernization in our quest for a modernized Jiangsu. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun: 

Thank you, Mr. Xu. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising your questions.