Zhinews of Shenzhen Satellite TV:

We have noticed that Hubei province has proposed establishing itself as an important node in the domestic economy and a crucial hub for the domestic economy and international engagement. What are the main measures being taken in this regard? Thank you.

Li Donghui:

Hubei province is a central transportation hub connecting the country's railway, sea, road, and air routes. In recent years, we have seized the strategic opportunity presented by the new pattern of development, coordinating domestic and international markets and resources more effectively. We have accelerated the transformation of our geographical advantages into developmental strengths, striving to build a transportation hub for the new era.

First, we are constructing three strategic hubs along the Silk Road, aiming to facilitate global connections. The Yangtze River waterway connects to the Maritime Silk Road, with large-tonnage vessels reaching Wuhan directly. We have opened 35 international and domestic container shipping routes, connecting Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and many other countries and regions. The China-Europe Railway Express (Wuhan) connects to the Land Silk Road, allowing goods from Japan and South Korea to be transported directly to Wuhan's Yangluo Port and then transferred to the China-Europe Railway Express, saving 55% in time and reducing costs by 15%. The Ezhou Huahu Airport is the hub for the Air Silk Road, with a peak of 120 daily freight flights. This is accelerating the formation of an air cargo transportation network that "transports and distributes nationwide and globally."

Second, we are building a modern logistics system for the supply chain, in a bid to accelerate integration into industrial chains both domestically and abroad. We have developed seven supply chain platforms, focusing on key areas such as bulk commodities, automobiles, and textiles. These efforts aim to promote the integrated development of upstream and downstream industrial chains, that of production, supply and marketing, as well as integrated development at home and abroad. Efforts have been made to advance the multimodal transportation system that involves railway, waterway, road, and air routes. We have launched 10 national demonstration projects for multimodal transportation. Last year, rail-water transportation in Hubei accounted for one-third of the Yangtze River trunk line. A digital platform for international trade has been built in Hubei to help enterprises collectively expand into overseas markets. In 2023, our exports of the "new three" products — new energy vehicles (NEVs), lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products — grew by 91%, with NEV exports ranking fifth nationwide.

Third, we are developing a new system of open economy and continue to expand win-win economic and trade cooperation. We remain committed to building the China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone with high standards. We have taken the lead in implementing reforms such as "export before customs clearance," with a total of 28 institutional innovations promoted across the country. We have deeply integrated into the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative. For example, Hubei's bridge construction companies have designed and built nearly 200 bridges in more than 30 countries, and more than half of the world's long-span bridges were made by Hubei's builders. Platforms for high-quality international economic and trade cooperation have been established, including the Fortune Global 500 Dialogue with Hubei, the Conference on Overseas Chinese Pioneering and Developing in China, and the Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair. The number of Fortune Global 500 companies investing in Hubei has reached 325. With such efforts, Hubei is moving quickly to become a new pacesetter for opening-up in China's interior. 

That is all from me for now. Thank you.