.
Read in Chinese
Speakers:
Mr. Zhou Naixiang, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Shandong Provincial Committee and governor of Shandong province
Mr. Fan Bo, vice governor of Shandong province
Mr. Song Junji, vice governor of Shandong province
Mr. Sun Aijun, director of the Shandong Development and Reform Commission
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
April 10, 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 eighth briefing in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." We have invited Mr. Zhou Naixiang, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shandong Provincial Committee and governor of Shandong province, to brief you on Shandong's practice in green, low-carbon and high-quality development, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Fan Bo, vice governor of Shandong province; Mr. Song Junji, vice governor of Shandong province; and Mr. Sun Aijun, director of the Shandong Development and Reform Commission.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Zhou for his introduction.
Zhou Naixiang:
Good morning, everyone. It's a great pleasure to brief you on Shandong's high-quality development. First of all, on behalf of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, the Shandong provincial government and the more than 100 million Shandong residents, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to people from all walks of life for their long-term interest in and support for Shandong's development.
Shandong is a major province in terms of population, culture, resources and economy. It bears the significant responsibility entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to build a pilot zone for green, low-carbon and high-quality development.
Showing great care and high expectations for Shandong, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made inspection visits to the province on multiple occasions, providing guidance and charting the course for us and requiring us to lead the way and break new ground. We have kept in mind the general secretary's expectations, shouldered our missions and forged ahead, making solid progress in promoting high-quality development and fostering a strong, modern province.
The economy has improved in both quantity and quality. Shandong's GDP has grown by an average of over 6% annually, reaching 9.2 trillion yuan ($1.27 trillion) last year, with three cities surpassing the 1-trillion-yuan mark. The output of high-tech industries has accounted for over 51% of the total industrial output of enterprises above designated size, an increase of over 3 percentage points year on year, and the number of market entities in high-tech industries has reached 14.74 million. The major national strategy for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin has been thoroughly implemented. Approval has been given to develop the metropolitan areas of Jinan and Qingdao.
Abundant results have been achieved in scientific and technological innovation. R&D spending across Shandong has maintained a growth of over 12% in the past three years. With construction of Laoshan Laboratory initiated, Shandong now boasts 21 key national laboratories. The world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant, China's Shidaowan high temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant, has gone into commercial operation. The Oriental Maritime Space Port has sent 57 satellites into space through sea launches. The world's first high-speed maglev transportation system with a speed of 600 kilometers per hour has rolled off the assembly line. The province owned 240,000 invention patents by the end of last year, up 26.5% year on year.
Industrial upgrading has been accelerated. The value added of industries above designated size has maintained an average growth rate of 7.4% over the past two years. A total of 11 flagship industrial chains have been cultivated at a faster pace. Shandong is now home to more than 200 manufacturing enterprises that are champions in their individual categories, 1,032 "little giant" companies (novel and elite small and medium-sized enterprises that specialize in a niche market, boast cutting-edge technologies, and show great potential), and over 45,000 small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises. Shandong also boasts 47 national industrial internet platforms, with its industrial digitalization index ranking among the top in the country.
Breakthroughs have been made in infrastructure building. The length of in-service high-speed railways in Shandong has reached 2,810 kilometers, ranking first nationwide. Construction of the Tianjin-Weifang and Weifang-Suqian high-speed railways — two sections of the second Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway — as well as the Shandong section of the Xiong'an-Shangqiu high-speed railway has been expedited. The length of expressways has exceeded 8,400 kilometers. Significant progress has been made in building the modern water network. Over 200,000 5G base stations have been put into operation.
The ecological environment has continued to improve. Energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP has decreased by 15.8% over the past three years. The installed capacity of new energy and renewable energy has exceeded 97 million kilowatts. The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has dropped by 19% over the past three years, and 83.7% of surface water sections monitored by the state have been rated either good or excellent for quality.
The people's well-being has improved. Government spending for people's well-being has remained at around 80% of the total amount. Over 1.2 million urban jobs were added annually, and public services and social security have continuously improved.
On the new journey, we will implement the general secretary's important instructions and requirements on Shandong's development, making solid efforts to write a new chapter of Chinese modernization in Shandong. We will take concrete actions to resolutely advocate the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and 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 authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership. This year, we will make efforts to ensure GDP growth reaches more than 5% and the per capita disposable income of residents increases by around 5.5%.
First, we will make solid efforts to nurture and develop new quality productive forces. We will implement the three-year action plan for developing new quality productive forces, enhancing scientific and technological innovation, and reinforcing the principal role of enterprises. A total of 100 major programs targeting sci-tech innovation will be carried out in the integrated circuit industry and machine tool industry. We will advance industrial upgrading and seize significant opportunities to promote large-scale equipment updates and consumer goods trade-ins. We will intensify our efforts to build a modern industrial system, which will support the development of six traditional industries, nine competitive industries, nine emerging industries, and seven future industries. We will also ramp up efforts to attract and cultivate talent by enhancing our initiatives to attract and retain top talent, our programs to cultivate and support exceptional scientific and technological talent, and the Taishan talent programs. By doing so, we aim to facilitate a mutually reinforcing interaction among science, education and talent.
Second, we will remain committed to building Shandong into a model of rural revitalization. We will intensify our efforts to build a beautiful and harmonious countryside, making it an attractive place to live and work. We will also continue to advance the construction of the "Granary of Shandong." We will ensure that annual grain production remains stable above 110 billion kilograms and that the output of vegetables, fruits, aquatic products, meat, eggs, and milk remains among the highest in the country. Moreover, we will make sure our total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries continues to lead the country.
Third, we will ramp up efforts to achieve new heights of opening-up. We will promote the development of national-level opening-up platforms, including the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA), the Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation, and the pilot free trade zone. We will make greater efforts to attract high-quality investment and consolidate and improve foreign trade and investment. We will further boost the quality and efficiency of government services, and cultivate a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment.
Fourth, we will make solid efforts to build Shandong into a maritime province. We are committed to building world-class port clusters and supporting the development of competitive industrial clusters, such as offshore engineering equipment and marine biomedicine. We also aim to increase the cargo throughput of Shandong's coastal ports to over 2 billion tons and ensure that at least 95.6% of our coastal waters maintain good water quality.
Fifth, we will intensify efforts to build a beautiful Shandong. Efforts will be made to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, and expand green development. We will also accelerate the construction of five major clean energy bases, such as nuclear and offshore wind power bases, enabling more cities to use the energy generated by nuclear power. We are committed to creating beautiful national-level rivers, lakes, and bays to make Shandong a place where waters are cleaner and mountains are greener.
Sixth, we will ensure and improve people's well-being. This year, we aim to create more than 1.1 million urban jobs and 100,000 new urban public welfare jobs. Additionally, we plan to renovate and upgrade 560,000 old urban residential communities and 10,000 village medical clinics. We will devote greater efforts to key areas of people's livelihoods, including education, healthcare, social security, elderly care, and cultural activities, all aimed at improving the quality of people's lives.
That's all for my introduction. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Zhou. Now, the floor is open for questions. Please identify the news agency you represent before asking your questions.
CCTV:
I've learned that Shandong's first local regulation for the protection of the Yellow River will take effect on July 1 this year. Given that Shandong province serves as an important area for the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, what achievements has the province made in implementing this major national strategy? Additionally, what new efforts will be made in this regard? Thank you.
Zhou Naixiang:
I'll answer this question. The Yellow River meanders for thousands of miles and flows into the sea in Dongying, Shandong province.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has always kept the development of the Yellow River in mind and has required Shandong to "take the lead in advancing the ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin."
We have comprehensively implemented policies, focused on effective implementation, and made significant progress.
Here, I would like to use a few figures to illustrate this progress:
The first is 373. This refers to the number of bird species currently inhabiting the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, which is twice as high as the number during its early construction. Over the years, we have restored more than 300,000 mu (20,000 hectares) of wetlands in total. With flocks of birds flying along the river and inhabiting its surrounding area, this major nature reserve is brimming with vibrant vitality. We welcome you to visit the Yellow River Estuary National Park.
The second is 600,000, which represents the number of residents relocated from the Yellow River floodplain and those whose houses were fortified. We have adopted multiple measures, such as relocating people to more hospitable areas, building elevated foundations in nearby neighborhoods, and providing follow-up support, allowing residents in the river's floodplain to break free from the threat of flood disasters and live in peace.
The third is 8 million mu, representing the amount of land nationwide dedicated to new varieties of salt-tolerant and alkali-resisting crops cultivated in Shandong. We have established the National Saline-alkali Land Comprehensive Utilization Technology Innovation Center and successfully cultivated 37 new varieties of salt-tolerant and alkali-resisting crops, such as soybeans, rice and potatoes. These efforts have filled multiple gaps, ensuring the application of salt-tolerance technology, also referred to as the "salt-tolerance chip," in grain planting in China.
The last figure is 37 million metric tons. It refers to the overall reduced production capacity in steelmaking, aluminum electrolysis, and oil refining by the nine cities along the Yellow River. We have established 370 green factories and 38 green industrial parks, all above the provincial level. This is part of our efforts to transform our industries toward green and upgraded development.
There are still more aspects of our work, which I will not list individually.
Going forward, to make the Yellow River a river of happiness that brings benefits to the people, we will make steadfast and persistent efforts focusing on three main aspects:
First, we will work to ensure the long-term stability of the Yellow River.
We will implement the flood control project for the lower reaches of the Yellow River as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. A total of 24 riverways will be renovated, and 10 diversion culverts and sluices will be rebuilt. Particular efforts will be put into improving the security level of Dongping Lake's flood storage and detention area, which is the only vital flood storage and detention area in the Yellow River Basin. Once completed, it will greatly enhance the flood control capacity in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. We are steadily advancing this project.
Second, we will strengthen ecological conservation and governance.
We will accelerate our efforts to protect the ecological corridors along the Yellow River, create a high-quality Yellow River Estuary National Park, strengthen the comprehensive management of rural nonpoint source pollution, and carry out the action plan on biodiversity conservation. With these efforts, we will strive to make the Yellow River Delta more beautiful and charming.
Third, we will promote high-quality transformation and upgrading across the Yellow River region.
The integrated development of the nine cities along the Yellow River will be advanced, and a great sci-tech innovation corridor will be created in the region. We will also further develop our competitive industries, such as high-end equipment, the green chemical industry, and modern agriculture. Additionally, we plan to build an integrated 10-gigawatt wind power and solar energy storage and transmission base on the salt and alkali mudflats in north Shandong.
Moreover, we will build a high-quality Shandong section of the Yellow River National Cultural Park, strengthen our calling card — the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations — and create an internationally influential Yellow River cultural experience corridor. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Phoenix Satellite Television:
As we know, Shandong boasts well-developed traditional industries. Could you please elaborate on what plans Shandong has to advance new-type industrialization and future-oriented industries that are suited to its local characteristics? Thank you.
Fan Bo:
Thank you. I'm glad to answer your question. Shandong is a major economically developed province, and also an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse. The province boasts large-scale industries with complete supply systems. We are making rapid progress in replacing old growth drivers with new ones. The province has also effectively integrated the application of information technology with industrialization, resulting in sound industrial development momentum. Shandong boasts all 41 major industrial categories, 197 intermediate categories out of 207, and 603 of 666 small categories. In 2023, the industrial value-added of the province reached 2.92 trillion yuan, and investment in the "four new" economies — comprising new technologies, industries, business forms and models — grew by 11.1%. Additionally, Shandong ranks among the highest in the country in terms of the number of national-level industrial internet platforms, the industrial digitization index, and the digital transformation index for the manufacturing industry. In the first two months of this year, our growth rate of the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size was 9.4%, 2.4 percentage points higher than the national level.
We will prioritize the development of the industrial sector, focusing on high-end, smart, green and clustered development. We aim to explore new approaches and assume greater responsibility for driving new industrialization forward.
We will make every effort to promote high-end sectors.
We will optimize traditional industries in a coordinated manner, boost emerging industries, and plan the development of future-oriented industries. We will promote industrial innovation through technological innovation, develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions and circumstances, and build a modern industrial system underpinned by advanced manufacturing. By doing so, we aim for high-tech industries to contribute around 52% of the total output value this year from industrial enterprises above designated size.
We will spare no effort to foster new growth engines featuring intelligent technologies.
The digital industry will be advanced alongside the digital transformation of traditional industries. The province will speed up the upgrading of enterprises with smart, digital and IT technologies, turning digitalization into a powerful engine for new industrialization.
This year, the digital coverage of industrial enterprises above designated size will increase to around 90%, which is 2 to 3 percentage points higher than in 2023.
We will spare no effort to promote the transition to green development.
We will intensify our efforts to advance energy conservation and carbon and pollution reduction initiatives to build a comprehensive green industrial system. This year, we aim to ensure that energy consumption per unit of added value for industrial enterprises above designated size decreases by more than 4%.
We will spare no effort to build industrial clusters.
Our integrated approach will support enterprises of all sizes, strengthen key industrial chains, and develop high-quality advanced manufacturing clusters, industrial parks and development zones.
In 2024, we will aim to establish about 5,000 new industrial enterprises above designated size. Additionally, around 20 enterprises will increase their annual revenue to 10 billion yuan and approximately 10 will increase their annual revenue to 50 billion yuan. We will also work to nurture about 1,000 innovative SMEs that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products.
Future-oriented industries are an important area of new industrialization. Shandong has proactively adopted development plans in 24 key areas, including blockchain technology and virtual reality (VR). With a focus on seven future-oriented industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology and deep sea and aerospace exploration, we will intensify efforts to build several pioneering zones and specialized industrial parks to accelerate the creation of new strengths for new industrialization. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
ITAR-TASS:
I noticed that last year, Shandong's imports and exports increased by 1.7% year on year. In particular, its trade with Russia grew by 27.6%. What are the reasons behind the fast growth of Shandong's imports and exports? What measures will you take to further enhance its foreign trade? Thank you.
Song Junji:
Thank you for your questions. As you mentioned, last year, Shandong's imports and exports maintained good momentum for growth, with the total value reaching 3.26 trillion yuan. The province has led the country in agricultural exports for 25 consecutive years and engages in trade with over 230 countries and regions. Russia is also an important cooperation partner. As one of the leading provinces in opening-up and trade, Shandong has given full play to its role and taken on significant responsibilities.
These achievements are mainly due to our integrated efforts in policymaking, market expansion and service improvement. Meanwhile, we have ensured traditional growth drivers like general trade and new ones like cross-border e-commerce develop concurrently. For example, in terms of policymaking, the province issued seven documents last year and 153 policies and measures related to commerce. In terms of market expansion, we have implemented a plan to organize local companies to participate in exhibitions held overseas. Local foreign trade companies attended more than 540 overseas exhibitions last year. In terms of service improvement, we have improved mechanisms such as "Commerce Plus Port," "Commerce Plus Finance," and "Commerce Plus Customs," providing over 641 billion yuan in credit for commercial and trade enterprises in 2023. All these efforts have provided solid support for stabilizing and growing foreign trade in Shandong.
This year, we will prioritize cultivating new momentum in foreign trade as a key focus of opening up wider to the world, strive to leverage strengths and address weaknesses, promote stability and improve quality in foreign trade, and focus on achieving the "four news."
First, we will introduce "new policies." Since the beginning of this year, in order to promote exports of the "new trio" (electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products), build leading supply chain enterprises and promote the development of cross-border e-commerce, four documents and 37 policies and measures have been released.
Next, we will focus on areas such as intermediate trade, market procurement trade and overseas warehouse construction, continue to optimize a series of policies and measures, expand the scale of credit support such as "Shandong Trade Loan" and "Tariff Insurance," provide precision support for foreign trade enterprises, and continuously stabilize market expectations.
Second, we will explore "new markets." There is a common saying in the foreign trade industry: "After a thousand emails, we still need to meet in person." Therefore, Shandong province launched the "Remarkable Shandong for Worldwide Trade" market expansion campaign this year. We plan to hold and participate in 263 exhibitions and 10 themed matchmaking events overseas this year, support enterprises in "going out" to expand markets, and help more and more high-quality products from Shandong go overseas.
Third, we will foster "new products." We will actively leverage the RCEP agreement, deepen economic and trade connections with key ASEAN markets, consolidate and expand the export scale of intermediate goods and green, low-carbon products, actively integrate into regional industrial chains, and better transform Shandong's industrial advantages into trade advantages.
Finally, we will develop "new business models." We will implement the Cross-border E-commerce Leap Development Action, cultivate 50 new well-known cross-border e-commerce brands and 10 cross-border e-commerce trading platforms this year, and promote the growth and strength of cross-border e-commerce.
At the same time, we will optimize market procurement trade, provide precision support to enterprises in areas such as exhibition and sales platforms, overseas marketing promotion and mutual market development, continuously foster new foreign trade growth, and strive to deliver a "report card" showing stable quantity and quality improvement in imports and exports. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Beijing Youth Daily:
I noticed that netizens have recently given Shandong a new title, calling it the "First Province of High-speed Rail in China." The reason is that as the governor mentioned, the length of in-service high-speed railways in Shandong has reached 2,810 kilometers, ranking first in the country. As the gateway to the outside world in the Yellow River Basin, how will Shandong expand and strengthen its transportation advantages and better play a leading role? Thank you.
Zhou Naixiang:
Thank you. I'll answer this question.
With strong transportation, all industries thrive. Shandong is the first province in the country to build a strong transportation demonstration zone with relevant ministries. In recent years, we have accelerated the construction of a modern, comprehensive, multidimensional transportation network and achieved positive results.
In terms of railways, the construction of "Shandong on the tracks" has been accelerated.
Within the province, the high-speed rail network continues to expand, with five new high-speed rail lines completed in the past three years. A total of 145 trains per day operate on the Jinan-Qingdao high-speed rail line, achieving "bus-like" operations.
Outside the province, there are now four high-speed rail corridors connecting Shandong to other provinces. Currently, there are seven high-speed rail lines under construction. Once completed, the total length of high-speed railways in Shandong will exceed 4,300 kilometers, realizing high-speed rail access to every city and seven corridors reaching other provinces.
In terms of freight railways, the backbone freight railway network of "Four Verticals and Four Horizontals" continues to improve, with a total length of 5,018 kilometers, and all main lines have been electrified.
Regarding highways, the urban and rural road networks are becoming increasingly dense.
In the past two years, 14 expressways have been completed and opened to traffic, and 33 are under construction. The total length of expressways in operation has exceeded 8,400 kilometers, 36.6% of which are composed of six or more lanes.
The nation's first zero-carbon smart highway, the Jinan-Weifang Expressway, has been completed and opened to traffic. The scale of rural road networks has reached 264,000 kilometers, achieving the goal of "every village connected by asphalt road, every household connected by hardened road."
In terms of airports, solid progress has been made in constructing airport clusters.
The 4F-class Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport has been completed and put into operation. The second construction phase of Yantai Airport has been finished, while Jining Da'an Airport has been relocated and is now operational. The second construction phase of Jinan Airport has also been accelerated.
Moving forward, we will continue to expedite the development of transportation infrastructure, with a planned investment of 325 billion yuan in transportation this year.
First, we will accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive transportation network. Situated in proximity to Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei in the north, connected to the Yangtze River Delta in the south, neighboring Japan and South Korea in the east, and linked to the Belt and Road in the west, Shandong possesses natural advantages for constructing an interconnected transportation network. Following the strategy of ensuring smooth channels, weaving dense networks, strengthening hubs, and promoting improvement and upgrades, we will actively construct 10 major transport infrastructure channels featuring four horizontal and five vertical routes, stretching along the Yellow River and connecting with the sea. We will also expedite the construction of world-class port clusters.
We will accelerate the planning and construction of the Laiwu-Linyi high-speed railway. Upon completion, the railway will unleash tremendous potential in the hinterland of Shandong, including the Yimeng Mountain area.
Second, we will speed up efforts to improve the efficiency of transportation services. The freight logistics system will be optimized, further promoting road-to-rail and road-to-waterway transfer and the vigorous development of multimodal and sea-rail intermodal transport. More than 2,300 China-Europe freight trains departing from Shandong will be operated this year. We will implement freight railway network coordination, expansion, and enhancement projects, with nine renovated railway projects, including the line from Dongjiakou to Yishui.
We will promote comprehensive transport services with a single ticket system, a single document system, and a single container system, facilitating the seamless movement of people and goods.
Third, we will accelerate the development of new business forms in smart transportation. By incorporating intelligent technologies into Shandong's transportation infrastructure, we will actively develop replicable and applicable applications, such as autonomous driving and fully automated port operations. This will empower transportation development with smart technologies.
In conclusion, we will fully leverage the pioneering role of transportation to explore new paths and contribute to boosting China's strength in transportation from Shandong. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Economic Daily:
I've noticed that in 2023, the digital economy's proportion of Shandong province's GDP exceeded 47%. What measures will be taken in the future to promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy to further drive the high-quality development of the digital economy? Thank you.
Sun Aijun:
Thank you for your concern. The digital economy is key to winning future competition. We have accelerated efforts to build Shandong into a digital powerhouse in recent years. Last year, the value-added of the digital economy reached 4.3 trillion yuan, accounting for 47% of the province's GDP, which is nearly 8 percentage points higher than the proportion of the secondary industry. It can be said that the digital economy has contributed almost half of Shandong's GDP. In particular, as a major manufacturing province, we have made great efforts to promote the integration of the digital economy and the real economy. Shandong ranks among the top in the country for its industrial digitalization index, with 47 national-level industrial internet platforms and 35 national-level smart factories, the most in the country.
Last year, the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPC and the Shandong Provincial People's Government held a conference on the high-quality development of the digital economy. It established a special fund of 10 billion yuan, with increasingly strong support. We will seek breakthroughs in three major areas, leading economic and social transformation in all aspects with digital transformation.
First, we will strengthen the digital industry, which is our key focus. After years of cultivation, we have built a sound foundation. Shandong province's big data industry accounts for one-eighth of the country's total, and the integrated circuit industry now has a complete industrial chain. Shandong company Inspur's shipments of general servers rank first in the country, and Goertek's virtual reality headsets account for 80% of the global medium- and high-end market. Based on these, we have planned and implemented 10 major projects, such as "Strong Chip" in integrated circuits and "Solid Link" in advanced computing, while launching 100 leading projects each year. We have formulated supporting policies in taxation, finance, and land use, provided targeted one-on-one support, and promoted the information technology industry's revenue to maintain double-digit growth, aiming to exceed 2.4 trillion yuan by the end of next year.
Second, we will deepen digital development. Approximately 20% of the province's efforts will be dedicated to digital industrialization, while the majority, around 80%, will be allocated to industrial digitalization. With a solid industrial foundation, Shandong has a high demand for smart transformation and various digital scenarios. Currently, we are implementing eight major actions to promote industrial digitalization, with 32 "industrial brains" supporting the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. Over the next two years, we plan to establish more than 500 bases for smart agricultural applications and 10 platform economy clusters. By focusing on these areas, the province aims to tap into the huge market of industrial digitalization.
Third, we will enhance digital infrastructure. To develop the digital economy, the construction of new infrastructure is essential. We have two national internet backbone access points in Jinan and Qingdao, making us the first province in the country with "dual hubs." Shandong also has the largest number of Internet of Things terminals, totaling 220 million. We are committed to expanding these efforts. This year, all 16 cities in Shandong province will meet the gigabit city standard. In addition, we aim to build and put into operation another 70,000 5G base stations by the end of next year, bringing the total number to over 270,000. These efforts are aimed at further intensifying the digital infrastructure network and boosting the development of the digital economy. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Xinhua News Agency:
Shandong boasts a diverse range of agricultural products with distinctive characteristics, including Zhangqiu scallions, Laiyang pears, and Weixian radishes, which have become well-known Shandong brands. What are the next steps for Shandong to leverage its advantage as a major agricultural province and drive progress in rural revitalization?
Sun Aijun:
Thank you for your question. As you mentioned, Shandong is a major agricultural province. With 6% of China's arable land and 1% of its freshwater resources, Shandong contributes 8% of the nation's grain, 10% of its meat, eggs and milk, 11% of its vegetables, 12% of its fruits, and 13% of its aquatic products. In 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping assigned Shandong the crucial task of developing a model for rural revitalization. Over the past six years, with the general secretary's directive in mind, the whole province has made significant progress in accelerating rural revitalization and establishing itself as a major agricultural province.
In terms of industrial development, its total output value of the farming, forestry, livestock, and fishing industries reached 1.25 trillion yuan last year, ranking first in the nation. Shandong is the only province with over 10,000 agricultural product processing enterprises above designated size. Moreover, the province has surpassed 110 billion jin in total grain output for three consecutive years. Shandong has successfully cultivated five out of the top 10 wheat varieties promoted nationwide, playing a significant role in ensuring China's overall food supply.
In terms of increasing farmers' income, rural residents' income reached 23,776 yuan, 1.6 times that of 2017.
In pursuing rural development initiatives, we have achieved the harmless treatment of almost all domestic waste in rural areas. Moreover, optical fiber broadband now covers all villages in the province. These efforts have led to significant improvements in the rural environment and have made the daily lives of farmers much more convenient.
From this new starting point, we will deliver a solid performance in rural revitalization and further improve the quality and effectiveness of the Shandong model.
Our top priority is to safeguard food security. We have built more than 76 million mu of high-standard farmland. This year and next, we will build another 1.47 million mu and upgrade 6.13 million mu. Our goal is to create more high-stable-yield farmland capable of irrigation during droughts and drainage during floods. Efforts will be made to ensure that grain output remains stable at over 110 billion jin, fulfilling our commitment to ensuring food security.
The key is to accelerate the development of the entire agricultural industrial chain. We will focus on cultivating 100-billion-yuan industry clusters such as Shouguang vegetables, Yantai apples, and Yanhuang beef cattle, with the aim of bringing more high-quality agricultural products to people's kitchen tables across the nation. In addition, we will intensify efforts to promote the integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries. For example, Zhongyu Group in Binzhou city is a company that focuses on the deep processing of wheat. The company can produce over 600 kinds of products from 1 ton of wheat, generating a value 2.5 times higher than typical processing enterprises. Sanjianxi village in Zhangqiu district of Jinan city has increased its collective revenue by nearly 10 million yuan over the past five years by developing characteristic industries, such as ancient village clusters rich in folk culture. Numerous examples exist in sectors like deep processing of agricultural products, pre-made dishes, and rural tourism, all of which boast huge market potential. Therefore, we will make every effort to expand and strengthen these sectors.
The key to rural revitalization lies in improving the quality of life of farmers. Following an approach of contiguous development, we will strategically establish a batch of exemplary demonstration areas for rural revitalization in Shandong every year. Each demonstration area will receive a maximum subsidy of 50 million yuan, which will primarily be used for environmental governance and infrastructure construction, and aimed at enhancing the livability and suitability for both residence and employment in rural areas. Shandong has over 2.7 million practical professionals in rural areas, and we will leverage the driving force of this group to develop more industries that can bring prosperity to the countryside. By further expanding channels for increasing farmers' incomes, we aim to ensure that the over 40 million rural residents can share benefits created in pursuing rural revitalization.
That's all from me. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
China Arab TV:
In 2023, Shandong's domestic invention patents increased by 26.5% compared to the previous year, indicating an accelerating pace of innovation and development in the province. How will Shandong promote industrial innovation and develop new quality productive forces through sci-tech innovation? Thank you.
Song Junji:
Thank you for your attention. Shandong is a major province for sci-tech and innovation. With a large talent pool, solid industrial foundation and strong innovation capabilities, Shandong possesses favorable conditions and a good foundation for developing new quality productive forces.
In terms of investment, provincial-level funding for sci-tech innovation has exceeded 14.5 billion yuan for two consecutive years, leading to a 12.1% increase in R&D investment across the entire province.
In terms of achievements, significant breakthroughs have been made in domestic alternatives such as machines tools, carbon fiber and synthetic rubber. Additionally, the world's first fourth-generation high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear power plant has been put into commercial operation.
In terms of talent, there are over 7,400 national-level leading talents with expertise of strategic importance in the province, and the average annual influx of university graduates has reached 818,000 since 2020, representing a 43% increase compared to 2019.
In terms of industries, last year, economic investment in the "four news," represented by new technologies, new models, new formats and new industries, accounted for over 57% of total investment. The proportion of high-tech industries in the overall industrial output value reached 51.35%, an increase of 3.1 percentage points. The number of small and medium sci-tech enterprises has surpassed 45,000.
Sci-tech innovation is a core element in developing new quality productive forces. Going forward, we will firmly grasp innovation as a key factor and promote the deep integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation. In this regard, there are four key aspects:
First, we will lead through integrated policy planning and guidance.
We are currently researching and formulating documents such as a three-year action plan for cultivating new quality productive forces, which will be issued and implemented in the near future.
Simultaneously, we will focus on the transformation of traditional industries, the cultivation of emerging industries and the layout of future industries. We will promote the integrated development of talent chains, education chains, industry chains and innovation chains, with the aim of concentrating innovation resources in new quality productive forces.
Second, we will leverage the role of enterprises as the main drivers of innovation.
This year, we plan to implement 100 major provincial-level sci-tech projects, of which no less than 90% will be led and undertaken by enterprises.
Additionally, we aim to restructure over 200 provincial key laboratories, with the proportion of work taken on by enterprises reaching approximately 75%. This will truly empower enterprises to take center stage and play a leading role in sci-tech innovation.
Third, we will promote achievements into the market.
We will carry out regular selection and release of "Shandong Excellent Achievements" for the market. Approximately five major innovative achievements will be selected and released each month. We will organize a matchmaking roadshow event every quarter, and select around 10 landmark achievements each year. These efforts aim to facilitate the transition of more promising achievements from the laboratory to the production line.
Fourth, we will create a first-class innovation and industrial ecosystem.
We will deepen the national reform pilot projects in sci-tech rewards, talent classification evaluation and achievement evaluation. This will accelerate the establishment of a talent evaluation system that is guided by innovation value, capabilities and contributions.
We will enhance scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges, promoting the construction of the Shandong branch of the Hong Kong Science Park. This year, we aim to secure 500 technology cooperation projects.
We will further implement the Taishan talent project and leading talent attraction plan. Additionally, we will host the third talent development conference, so that more outstanding individuals can thrive in Shandong. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
The Poster News APP:
Shandong has nearly one-sixth of the country's coastline. Could you please elaborate on the measures taken to make Shandong a competitive maritime province? Additionally, what are the next steps in this regard? Thank you.
Fan Bo:
Thank you for your concern and attention to Shandong province's marine work.
Focusing on implementing the arrangements to "pay more attention to managing the seas and oceans" and "build world-class ports," we have continuously innovated our ideas and measures, deepened reforms in key fields, adhered to land-sea coordination, and strived vigorously for our maritime strength. Solid steps have been taken in building a competitive maritime province, mainly reflected in the following "four accelerations":
We have accelerated the development of the marine economy. The province's gross ocean product exceeded 1.7 trillion yuan in 2023, maintaining the second position nationwide.
We have accelerated breakthroughs in the marine science and technology. Laoshan Laboratory, the only national laboratory in the marine field, has been put into operation. Shandong province has gathered 46 national marine scientific research platforms and has had 16 projects winning the National Science and Technology Awards in recent years, ranking first in the country.
We have accelerated the construction of ports. Shandong province has 29 large berths of 200,000 tons and above, enabling the accommodation of the world's largest ships. In 2023, the cargo throughput reached 1.97 billion tons, maintaining the first position in the country.
We have accelerated the improvement of ocean ecology. Last year, the proportion of excellent quality water in the nearshore areas was 95.6%, ranking third in the country.
Next, we will continue to promote three major actions, namely, the construction of ports, industries, and ecology.
The first action is to focus on building a world-class port cluster.
Leveraging our ports as the province's greatest advantage in opening-up, we will work with provinces along the Yellow River basin to build a corridor connecting land and sea. We will advance the formation of an opening-up pattern that integrates land-sea coordination, intermodal transportation at home and abroad, and mutual assistance between the eastern and western regions. We will strive to achieve a cargo throughput of over 2 billion tons and a container throughput of over 40 million TEUs, allowing more cargo to reach the sea and the world through Shandong's ports.
The second action is to gather efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces in the marine field.
We will focus on new technology breakthroughs. We will make an all-out effort to provide service and support, ensuring the standardized operation of Laoshan Laboratory. Aiming to address bottlenecks, we will advance the implementation of 44 major marine sci-tech innovation projects and two demonstration projects.
We will concentrate on advancing new manufacturing. We will nurture and expand industrial clusters, including high-end marine vessels and engineering equipment, marine biomedicine, and marine new energy and materials. We will build three world-leading bases for the research, development and manufacturing of marine engineering equipment, the marine biomedicine industry, and offshore wind power with a capacity of tens of millions of kilowatts.
We will focus on cultivating new business formats. We will vigorously develop marine ranching complexes, marine big data, artificial intelligence, and other forms, and build and improve a modern marine industrial system. By 2025, the annual average growth rate of the province's gross ocean product will be 6%, accounting for more than 18% of the region's GDP.
The third action is to focus on painting a new picture of harmony between humanity and the ocean.
We will build the Yellow River Estuary National Park and Changdao (Marine) National Park with high standards and implement ecosystem protection and restoration projects for seas, islands, bays, shorelines, beaches, and coastal wetlands to make the province's sea clearer, water more lucid, and beaches cleaner. We will create high-quality cities such as Qingdao, the "Vibrant Ocean Capital," Yantai, the "Fairyland Coast of Prestige," Weihai, the leisurely land of "Thousand-mile Mountains and Seas," and Rizhao, the "Sunny Coast of Vibrancy." The 3,505-kilometer coastline will become more colorful, fully displaying the province's beauty of nature, ecology and humanity. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Science and Technology Daily:
The province of Shandong has traditionally been a major energy producer and consumer in China and faces the critical task of reducing coal consumption and controlling energy consumption. How will Shandong achieve green and low-carbon transformation? What measures will be taken to expand the development and use of new energy? Thank you.
Sun Aijun:
Thank you for your questions. As you mentioned, Shandong has traditionally been a major energy producer and consumer in China and has long played an important role in ensuring national energy security. In recent years, based on the actual situation of our own industry and energy structure, we have seized the major opportunity of building a green, low-carbon, and high-quality development pilot zone and accelerated energy transformation in two areas.
On the one hand, we have continued ramping up efforts to conserve energy. Just as Mr. Zhou Naixiang mentioned, in the first three years of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Shandong's energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP dropped by 15.8%, while the economy grew at an average annual rate of 6%. This means we have achieved economic growth at a medium-to-high-speed with less energy consumption, which is not easy. Next, we will focus on key industries such as chemicals, steel, and electrolytic aluminum, exerting greater effort to improve corporate energy efficiency and meet the dual energy consumption control targets in the 14th Five-Year Plan.
On the other hand, the energy structure has been continuously adjusted and optimized. We have sped up the construction of a new energy system. As of the end of March this year, new energy and renewable energy sources account for 45% of the province's total installed power capacity, increasing by 15 percentage points from 2020. The proportion of coal-fired power generation has dropped to less than half of the total installed capacity, significantly reducing its dominance in our energy and electricity consumption.
Building on this basis, we will further accelerate the development of new energy and renewable energy. In this regard, Shandong is endowed with unique natural resources and favorable locational conditions. We have planned and constructed five major clean energy bases, including offshore wind farms, offshore photovoltaic projects, and the Jiaodong Peninsula Nuclear Power Base. Together with onshore wind farms and county-wide distributed photovoltaic projects, the total installed capacity will reach 240 million kilowatts, and the total project investment will exceed 2 trillion yuan, which can drive industrial investment of more than 860 billion yuan.
In terms of nuclear power, the CAP1400 unit will be completed and go into commercial operation this year. In June, the first phase of an expansion of Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant will start. In addition, several projects, such as the first phase of the Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant, are accelerating preliminary work. By the end of 2025, the scale of nuclear power in operation and under construction in the province is expected to reach 19.7 million kilowatts. Shandong will become a leading province in nuclear power generation.
In terms of wind power, there are currently 4.81 million kilowatts of installed capacity offshore in operation, ranking third in the country. This year, we will focus on advancing provincial-administrated offshore projects to open and integrate as much as possible. Onshore, we launched the first group of centralized wind power projects last year, totaling over 8.7 million kilowatts. These projects have started one after another. The development of the second batch of projects will be launched soon.
In terms of photovoltaics, Shandong's installed capacity ranks first nationwide. This year, we will accelerate the development of Lubei Base project and fully connect the 10-million-kilowatt projects included in the country's third batch of large-scale wind and solar bases to the grid. At the same time, on the consumption side, we are accelerating the development of new types of energy storage. This year, the total energy storage capacity will exceed 5 million kilowatts and continue to top the whole country. Through these measures, green power supply capacity will be greatly improved. By the end of 2025, the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption in the province will increase by more than 2.5%, making greater breakthroughs in energy transformation and low-carbon development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Chen Wenjun:
Due to time constraints, this will be the last question.
China Daily:
I've noticed that in recent years, Shandong has introduced a series of policies and measures, such as streamlining procedures for starting businesses, among others. How will you further create a more favorable environment for enterprises, allowing them to invest and develop in Shandong with confidence and assurance? Thank you.
Zhou Naixiang:
Thank you for the question. I'll take this one. A good business environment, especially top-notch government services, is the "golden signboard" for economic and social development.
The CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the provincial government place high importance on the business environment, vigorously implementing actions to innovate and enhance the business environment. Shandong is continuously advancing the "Double Full Lifecycle and Double Hundred Services" project to streamline government services. Focusing on the "full life cycles" of both enterprises and individuals, over 100 high-frequency service items have been identified and published. Efforts have been made to achieve simplified, integrated, and comprehensive processing, with significant reductions in the number of procedural steps, application materials, and processing time compared to before the reforms. Shandong has taken the lead in carrying out the "No-Certificate Province" initiative nationwide. To date, 1,098 items have been canceled or shifted to a notification and commitment system for certificates and business licenses, and electronic documentation has been used over 700 million times.
Since last year, we have established a regular mechanism for communication between government and businesses. Leading officials at all levels take the initiative to engage with entrepreneurs through various means, such as visits to enterprises, setting up entrepreneur reception rooms, and face-to-face meetings at chambers of commerce or business associations. At the same time, we have opened a direct hotline to the governor for entrepreneurs, the public number "96178," and established the "2115" rapid-response mechanism for enterprise appeals. Upon receiving an appeal, we ensure on-site arrival or contact within two hours, propose handling suggestions within one working day, and resolve issues or confirm services within 15 working days.
These measures have achieved great results. According to the survey "Business Environment Evaluation by Ten Thousand Private Enterprises," conducted by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), Shandong has been consistently ranked as one of the provinces with the best business environment in the country for four consecutive years.
Going forward, we will actively serve and integrate into the unified national market, promoting an interplay between a well-functioning government and an efficient market. We will strengthen the construction of a rule of law government, effectively address the appeals and issues of enterprises, and enable various types of businesses to invest, innovate and thrive in Shandong.
Dear journalists, Shandong is currently experiencing a convergence of strategic opportunities, solid development foundations, and prominent comparative advantages. Across the province, there is a high spirit of ambition, practical action, and entrepreneurial enthusiasm that continues to soar.
We will place greater emphasis on innovation-driven development, vigorously cultivating and developing new quality productive forces. We will prioritize ecological preservation, firmly following the path of green, low-carbon, and high-quality development. We will focus more on improving the business environment, enabling various businesses to thrive in Shandong. Furthermore, we will pay more attention to benefiting the people, striving to make the lives of those in Shandong more prosperous and fulfilling.
We sincerely invite everyone to visit Shandong to explore and experience "Friendly Shandong, Remarkable Shandong." We welcome your valuable opinions and suggestions on our work. Let us join hands to create a better tomorrow for Shandong together. Thank you all!
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Governor Zhou and all the speakers, and thank you to all the journalists present here. This concludes our press conference. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Wei, Gong Yingchun, Ma Yujia, Zhou Jing, Yuan Fang, Li Xiao, Zhang Junmian, Mi Xingang, Wang Qian, Liu Jianing, Huang Shan, Cui Can, Liu Caiyi, Wang Yanfang, Wang Ziteng, Zhang Rui, Yan Bin, Li Huiru, Liu Qiang, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Rochelle Beiersdorfer. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
