.

Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Ms. Liang Huiling, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and governor of Heilongjiang province

Mr. Chen Shaobo, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Heilongjiang province

Mr. Yu Jian, vice governor of Heilongjiang province

Mr. Xu Xiangguo, vice governor of Heilongjiang province

Chairperson:

Mr. Xie Yingjun, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

April 26, 2024

Xie Yingjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 12th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Ms. Liang Huiling, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and governor of Heilongjiang province, to brief you on striving to break new ground in high-quality development and sustained revitalization of Heilongjiang, and then answer your questions. Also present today are Mr. Chen Shaobo, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Heilongjiang province; and Mr. Yu Jian and Mr. Xu Xiangguo, both vice governors of Heilongjiang province.

Now, I'll give the floor to Ms. Liang for her introduction.

Liang Huiling:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. First, on behalf of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee, the Provincial People's Government and the people of Heilongjiang province, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your long-term interest in and strong support for our province.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to the revitalization and development of Heilongjiang province, and he cares deeply about the people of the province. In September last year, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Northeast China revitalization strategy, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Heilongjiang again, delivering an important speech and giving important instructions. We bear in mind his instructions with gratitude, firmly grasp our strategic positioning in the overall national development, tightly focus on the primary task of high-quality development, and build and strengthen the province as an important national commodity grain production base and heavy equipment manufacturing base, an important energy and raw material supplier, a vital guardian of ecological security in northern China, and a pivotal gateway for the nation's northward opening-up. We are effectively safeguarding national defense, food, ecology, energy and industrial security, and making solid strides in high-quality development, presenting a vibrant scene in Heilongjiang.

First, we are ensuring that sci-tech innovation leads the overall industrial revitalization. Heilongjiang province is rich in scientific and educational resources, with 78 universities and 120 independent research institutes. We are harnessing the role of sci-tech innovation in increasing output, strengthening the use of national-level innovation platforms, and applying a number of major technological achievements to national strategic tasks such as manned spaceflight. The first large-scale scientific facility in China's aerospace field, constructed by the Harbin Institute of Technology, has been put into use. We are promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, propeling large-scale equipment renewals, and accelerating the transformation toward high-end, intelligent and green development. Daqing Oilfield is striving to be a model and flagship, with the aim of building a centennial oilfield. It has accumulated crude oil production of 2.53 billion metric tons, accounting for 36% of the national onshore crude oil production. Significant breakthroughs have been made in the exploration and development of continental shale oil. We are vigorously developing strategic emerging industries and future industries, creating industrial clusters in fields such as aerospace and high-end equipment, and accelerating the development of new quality productive forces. A number of national major projects in the new era demonstrate China's strength. For example, the hydrogenation reactor produced by China First Heavy Industries set a new world record, and the Baihetan hydropower station, independently developed by Harbin Electric Corporation, has the world's largest single-unit capacity of 1 million kilowatts for hydro-generating units. 

Second, we are firmly fulfilling our role as a "ballast" in ensuring national food security. Heilongjiang province, situated in one of the world's three major black soil belts, boasts a cultivated area of 258 million mu (about 17.2 million hectares), ranking first nationwide. We are committed to cultivating more high-quality crops, actively implementing plans to increase grain production by tens of millions of metric tons, and prioritizing substantial improvements in grain yield per unit area to enhance overall grain production capacity. Last year, grain output reached 155.76 billion jin (about 77.88 billion kilograms), accounting for 11.2% of the national total, and ranking first nationwide in total production, commercial quantity and outbound quantity. Our main focus is on developing modern large-scale agriculture, while simultaneously fostering the development of technology-driven agriculture, environmentally friendly practices, quality enhancement and branded agricultural products. We are dedicated to establishing modern agricultural bases, enterprises and industries, with top-tier standards in farmland management, organic food certification areas and comprehensive crop mechanization rates, all ranking first nationwide.

Third, we are committed to establishing a model region where "clear waters and green mountains are priceless assets, as are snow and ice." Our province boasts expansive forests, grasslands, wetlands, lakes, rivers and extensive snowscapes, serving as vital ecological buffers in the northern expanse of our nation. We have firmly embraced the notion that nurturing greenery equates to enhancing our strengths and safeguarding forests secures our prosperity. Committed to preserving lush mountains and lucid waters, we are charting a course of ecological conservation and green development. Last year, our region achieved an impressive 94.2% of days with excellent air quality, and our instituted systems of river and lake chiefs earned accolades from the State Council for four consecutive years, underlining the pivotal role of green initiatives in fostering high-quality development. We are actively promoting unique cultural tourism and making high-standard preparations for the 9th Asian Winter Games, aiming to cultivate new economic hubs in the ice and snow sectors. Heilongjiang's ice and snow tourism is experiencing a surge in popularity.

Fourth, we are accelerating the establishment of a pivotal gateway for the nation's northward opening-up. Heilongjiang is a crucial node in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), boasting 27 first-class ports with neighboring countries. We are intensifying efforts to enhance open channels, continuously improving port efficiency, and normalizing operations of key infrastructure such as the China-Russia Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye cross-border railway bridge and Heihe-Blagoveshchensk cross-border highway bridge. The international aviation hub functions of Harbin Airport have undergone comprehensive upgrades. We are also innovating the development of free trade zones, the Harbin New Area and other open platforms, actively expanding into diversified international markets, and constructing a comprehensive pattern of all-round opening-up. Last year, the province witnessed a 12.3% increase in total foreign trade volume. We are consistently enhancing the business environment, offering end-to-end policy support and services throughout the entire business lifecycle. Our approach ensures accessibility when needed and no unnecessary disruption, with a commitment to swift and efficient processing. Last year, the province witnessed a 14% increase in newly registered enterprises. According to a report by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce assessing the business environment of thousands of private enterprises nationwide, our province ranked among the top five provinces for most noticeable advancements.

Fifth, we are working hard to improve people's well-being. Last year, we effectively responded to local flood disasters, intensifying efforts to promote post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. We swiftly restored the order of production and daily life in the flood-affected regions, ensuring the safety and heating for residents impacted by the disaster. In addition, we conducted home visits to ensure that residents' heating needs were met. We promoted smart heating, increasing heating capacity to benefit more than 390,000 households and ensuring that people had a warm winter. We also focused on stabilizing employment. An increasing number of college graduates in the province found local jobs last year , registering the highest level in the past five years. Renovation projects for housing units in rundown urban areas, old residential compounds, and dilapidated houses in rural areas have benefited nearly 1 million people. In the first quarter, the growth rate of per capita disposable income for urban and rural residents ranked among the top in the country.

That is all from me for now. Next, my colleagues and I would like to answer your questions.

Thank you!