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Speakers:

Mr. Wu Xiaojun, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Qinghai Provincial Committee and governor of Qinghai province

Mr. Wang Linhu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Qinghai province

Mr. Liu Tao, vice governor of Qinghai province

Mr. Yang Zhiwen, vice governor of Qinghai province

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

May 24, 2024

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we are holding the 23rd press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." We are very pleased to have invited Mr. Wu Xiaojun, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Qinghai Provincial Committee and governor of Qinghai, to brief you on unswervingly being the guardian of "China's Water Tower" and pursuing high-quality development in Qinghai, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Wang Linhu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Qinghai province; Mr. Liu Tao, vice governor of Qinghai province; and Mr. Yang Zhiwen, vice governor of Qinghai province. 

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

Wu Xiaojun:

Friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I'm very pleased to meet you all here, and introduce the situation regarding Qinghai's high-quality development. First, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to friends from the media and people from all walks of life for your long-term care and support for our work in Qinghai. 

Known as the "Origin of the Three Major Rivers" and "China's Water Tower," Qinghai province is rich in resources and holds strategic importance. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has twice embarked on inspection tours across the Qinghai plateau, and twice participated in the deliberations of the Qinghai delegation to the National People's Congress. He has clearly stated that "Qinghai's greatest value lies in ecology, its greatest responsibility lies in ecology and its greatest potential also lies in ecology" and stressed Qinghai's significant role in the country's security in ecological, homeland, and resources and energy spheres when implementing the new development philosophy and creating the new development pattern in the new development stage. He encouraged us to safeguard China's Water Tower and discover a distinct path for the high-quality development of Qinghai. We have borne the general secretary's words in mind and feel grateful, striving to realize the blueprint he has drawn, taking solid steps to promote ecological conservation and high-quality development, and making new progress and breaking new ground to build a new, modern Qinghai. 

Through our collective efforts, we have promoted ecological progress, cementing the ecological conservation role of China's Water Tower and ensuring ample water resources. Qinghai is one of the best examples of biodiversity. It is also a sensitive area and an important trigger point in terms of climate change for Asia, the Northern Hemisphere, and even the entire globe. Every year, 60 billion cubic meters to 90 billion cubic meters of water flows from its river sources to lower reaches. We firmly shoulder the important responsibility of safeguarding China's Water Tower, leading the nation in terms of national park construction. The Three-River-Source National Park was one of the first national parks established in China and covers the largest area. We are also moving quickly to establish the Qilian Mountain National Park and the Qinghai Lake National Park. Qinghai is China's only provincial region that is developing three national parks at the same time. Currently, the Three-River-Source area has resumed its picturesque scenery made up of thousands of lakes. The population of Tibetan antelopes, which is a topic of great concern, has grown to more than 70,000 from fewer than 20,000 in the 20th century. As the flagship species of the plateau, more than 1,200 snow leopards are being monitored. More than 600,000 birds of different species now call Qinghai Lake their home. The stock of scaleless carp in Qinghai Lake stood at over 2,500 metric tons in 2002 when we initiated protection of the species, but has now rebounded to more than 120,000 metric tons. If visitors go to Qinghai Lake now, they can watch the migration of tens of thousands of scaleless carp, filling half of the water with swimming fish, which is a real spectacle. 

Through our collective efforts, we have constructed a green and low-carbon modern industrial system, continuously strengthening growth drivers and development vitality. Qinghai has abundant resources. Its reserves of potassium salt, magnesium salt and lithium salt account for more than 80% of the national total. Our potential hydroenergy resources rank fifth nationwide. The annual total solar radiation ranks second across the country. Home to the fourth largest wind farm in China, Qinghai is reputed as one of four least polluted areas on earth. To promote high-quality development, we keep in mind the dos and don'ts, fostering new drivers for high-quality development by leveraging the unique features and advantages of resources and energy of the plateau. We focused on creating a world-class salt industry base, a national hub for clean energy industries, and an eco-tourism destination attracting international visitors, as well as exporting green, organic agricultural and animal husbandry products, making new breakthroughs and taking strides forward. In 2023, the regional GDP rose 5.3%, general public budget revenue grew 15.9%, and disposable income per capita increased 5.9%. Of the "new trio" of foreign trade products, exports of solar cells and lithium-ion batteries grew by 2 times and 3.6 times, respectively. Nowadays, Qinghai has shown a clear trend of transformation-oriented development, increasingly expanding the methods of high-quality development. 

Through our collective efforts, we have made achievements in building the province into an excellent example for promoting ethnic unity and progress in the country, making firm efforts to boost common prosperity. Qinghai is home to many ethnic groups and a diverse mix of cultures. There are currently 54 ethnic groups in the province, with ethnic minorities accounting for 49.74% of the total population, the highest proportion nationwide. Qinghai has also allocated the largest area for regional ethnic autonomy in comparison to other provinces. We have always maintained a people-centered approach, prioritizing the work in forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. More than 75% of fiscal expenditure has been used for improving people's livelihoods. A large number of policies, measures and projects have been effectively implemented to benefit the public. The growth rate of per capita income of farmers and herdsmen in the province is above the national average. National demonstration zones for ethnic unity and progress have been established in all prefecture-level administrative regions and 93% of counties in Qinghai. People from different ethnic groups help one another and live harmoniously together, embracing each other like the seeds of the pomegranate, with the aim of creating better lives. 

On the new journey, we will insist on promoting high-quality development in the new era as our top priority. We will work hard to write a new chapter for Qinghai in pursuing Chinese modernization, with the aim of making contributions to celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We welcome journalists to come explore Qinghai and help make its beauty even more well known. 

That is all for my introduction. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Wu, for your introduction. Now, the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking your question.