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Speakers:

Mr. Lan Tianli, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee and chairman of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

Mr. Xu Yongke, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee and executive vice chairman of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

Mr. Bai Songtao, director of the Development and Reform Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Mr. Wang Yongchao, director of the Commission for Industry and Information Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Chairperson:

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

Date:

June 12, 2024

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 29th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Lan Tianli, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee and chairman of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to introduce Guangxi's accelerating efforts to build itself into a convenient hub for domestic and international businesses, and to build a splendid Guangxi in the new era, and take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Xu Yongke, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee and executive vice chairman of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region; Mr. Bai Songtao, director of the Development and Reform Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; and Mr. Wang Yongchao, director of the Commission for Industry and Information Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

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

Lan Tianli:

Good morning. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to you all on the high-quality development of Guangxi. Entrusted by Liu Ning, secretary of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and highest respect to all of you on behalf of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee, the government, and the region's more than 57 million people of all ethnic groups for your long-term care and support for Guangxi.

Those who visit Guangxi are always amazed by its wonderful beauty. Guangxi is indeed a thoroughly charming place. Here, I would like to introduce Guangxi to you using six key phrases. The first phrase is "picturesque landscapes." The Lijiang River is one of the world's 15 most beautiful rivers, and Detian Waterfall is the largest transnational waterfall in Asia. Wang Zhenggong, a poet in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), wrote the timeless line, "Guilin's scenery is the best under Heaven." Today, we can add another phrase: "Everywhere in Guangxi is like Guilin." It is a place of "poetry and distance" that people yearn for. The second phrase is "livability and longevity." Guangxi boasts beautiful ecology and long-living residents, being home to nearly 7,000 centenarians. Out of the 99 "longevity towns" in China, 37 are in Guangxi. The third phrase is "sweet business." Guangxi has been the nation's top sugar producer for 33 consecutive years, with two out of every three spoonfuls of sugar in China coming from Guangxi. Guangxi has also ranked No. 1 for fruit production in the nation for six consecutive years. Our mangoes, lychees, longans, kumquats, tangerines, passion fruits, dragon fruits, and Shatian pomelos are renowned nationwide. Guangxi serves as the "sugar bowl" and "fruit platter" of the nation. The fourth phrase is "national unity." Guangxi is the autonomous region with the largest population of ethnic minorities in China, where the sense of community for the Chinese nation is deeply ingrained in all ethnic groups. General Secretary Xi Jinping praised Guangxi as a national model area for ethnic unity and progress. The fifth phrase is "close to ASEAN." "Open the door and you are in Vietnam; take a few steps and you will enter ASEAN." Guangxi is the only province in China that is connected to ASEAN by both land and sea, making it the forefront and window of China's opening-up and cooperation with ASEAN. The sixth phrase is "prosperous canal." The Pinglu Canal, currently under construction in Guangxi, is the first river-to-sea canal project since the founding of the People's Republic of China and a flagship project on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Once completed, logistics between southwest and south-central China, the western regions, and ASEAN will become more convenient.

General Secretary Xi Jinping cares deeply about Guangxi's development and is concerned about the people of all ethnic groups in Guangxi. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the general secretary has visited Guangxi three times, delivering many important speeches and issuing important instructions on Guangxi's work. He encouraged us to "free our minds, pursue innovations for change, seek ocean-oriented development opportunities, and promote open development," which has laid out a grand blueprint and injected strong momentum for "making concerted efforts to build a splendid Guangxi in the new era and striving to write a chapter of Chinese modernization in Guangxi."

Guided by the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, we are determined to blaze new paths and make greater achievements in promoting high-quality development in border areas with mainly ethnic minority populations. The GDP increased from 1.13 trillion yuan in 2012 to 2.72 trillion yuan in 2023. We are committed to achieving excellence in developing strong industries. Focusing on industries with unique advantages as well as adapting to local conditions in order to develop new quality productive forces, Guangxi has cultivated ten industrial sectors and six specialty agricultural sectors, each with an annual output value of the whole industrial chain exceeding 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars). This includes the metallurgical industry, automobiles, sugar and fruit. The number of industrial enterprises above designated size has exceeded 10,000 while the foundation for high-quality development has been continuously consolidated. We have continued to open wider to the outside world. For the last 20 years, we have hosted the China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. ASEAN has been Guangxi's largest trading partner for 24 consecutive years. The position and role of Guangxi in the overall structure of national opening up have both become increasingly prominent. We have made every effort to build a major ecological barrier in the southern region of the country. Upholding the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, we are dedicated to improving the protection of mountains and rivers of Guangxi. Guangxi's ecological environment has continued to improve, ranking in the forefront of the country. The province's mangrove forest ranks second in the country while the richness of our biodiversity ranks third in the country. New progress has been made in green development. We have continued to improve people's well-being. About 80% of the fiscal expenditure is used to improve people's livelihoods and projects are implemented every year to address people's practical concerns. We have continued to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty-alleviation and have taken solid steps in promoting all-around rural revitalization, so that the lives of people in Guangxi have become more prosperous.

On this new journey, we will take high-quality development as the top priority, strive to promote the construction of "one zone, two areas, one park and one corridor" and make great efforts to write a Guangxi chapter of Chinese Modernization. "One zone" refers to building a demonstration zone for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. We must continue to take a pioneering role in promoting ethnic unity and progress by playing an exemplary role. One of the "two areas" refers to building a convenient place for business operation and the dual circulation of both domestic and international markets. Leveraging the unique geographical advantage of a gateway to ASEAN countries, as well as constructive interactions with the east, central and west regions, we have continued to improve the level of facilitation in investment, trade and other aspects. The other of the "two areas" refers to building an important strategic hinterland for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We fully integrate into the innovative, industrial, supply, capital and talent chains of the Greater Bay Area. "One park" refers to building an industrial park along border and port areas. We are systematically undertaking industrial transfer, accelerating the establishment of secure and stable cross-border and cross-regional industrial and supply chains. "One corridor" refers to jointly building the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor at a high standard. We have constructed the Pinglu Canal with high standards and high quality, accelerated the construction of the railway from Huangtong to Baise, built the international gateway port of Beibu Gulfand havesped up the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, connecting ASEAN countries with the shortest time, the best service and the best price.

That's all for my introduction. My colleagues and I will now answer questions from journalists. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

You are now welcome to raise questions. Please identify the news organization you represent before asking your questions.