.
Read in Chinese
Speakers:
Mr. Wang Zhengpu, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hebei Provincial Committee and governor of Hebei province
Mr. Zhang Chengzhong, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Hebei province
Ms. Jin Hui, vice governor of Hebei province
Mr. Zhao Dachun, vice governor of Hebei province
Chairperson:
Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
April 29, 2024
Xing Huina:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we are holding the 13th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." We have invited Mr. Wang Zhengpu, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hebei Provincial Committee and governor of Hebei province, to brief you on forging ahead on a journey of high-quality development in the new era, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Zhang Chengzhong, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Hebei province; Ms. Jin Hui, vice governor of Hebei province; and Mr. Zhao Dachun, vice governor of Hebei province.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Wang for his introduction.
Wang Zhengpu:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It's a great pleasure to meet you all. First of all, on behalf of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and Hebei provincial government, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your long-term interest in and support for Hebei's development.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has paid 11 visits to Hebei, where he delivered important speeches and issued vital instructions. Firmly implementing the guiding principles of the instructions, the entire province has focused on the primary task of promoting high-quality development and the strategic task of creating a new development pattern. We have fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy on all fronts, and accelerated efforts to foster an economically prosperous and beautiful province. The province's GDP increased by 5.5% in 2023 and by 5.6% in the first quarter of this year. Major indicators have shown a steady increase, maintaining a favorable momentum.
Now, I'll offer a brief overview from five aspects:
First, we have emphasized innovation, striving to blaze new trails in advancing innovation-driven development. Taking scientific and technological innovation as a core factor in developing new quality productive forces, we have reinforced the principal role of enterprises in innovation, and worked to ensure policies such as additional tax deductions for R&D expenses benefit all eligible enterprises in Hebei, igniting a strong sense of innovation among them. We have established specialized teams to serve the "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). The proportion of industrial equipment connected to cloud platforms and the comprehensive computing index in Hebei rank among the top nationwide. Traditional industries such as steel and equipment manufacturing have made improvements in both quality and effectiveness, emerging industries like biomedicine and digital information have continued to grow, and future industries including aerospace information and satellite internet have been deployed rapidly, contributing to the rapid construction of a modern industrial system. Overall, Hebei is not giving up on traditional industries in its pursuit of innovative development. Meanwhile, it is also endeavoring to catch up in emerging and future industries.
Second, we have highlighted coordination, redoubling efforts to shoulder new responsibilities in promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and building Xiong'an New Area according to high standards and quality requirements. With coordinated development deepening, the three regions have established a regular consultation mechanism, forming a tighter collaborative pattern. We have partnered with Beijing and Tianjin to develop six key industrial chains, including new energy and intelligent connected vehicles, as well as robots. More than 40,000 enterprises have transferred from Beijing and Tianjin, settling in Hebei. Last year, the volume of contracted technology transactions absorbed by Hebei from Beijing and Tianjin more than doubled, and a historic breakthrough was achieved in attracting second- and third-level subsidiaries of centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs). As we all know, this year marks the 10th anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping proposing the strategy of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. During the past decade, we have fully implemented a package of special support policies introduced by the central government and secured extraordinary achievements, with the Xiong'an New Area experiencing thriving growth. Construction has been expedited for headquarters of the first batch of relocated central SOEs, namely China Satellite Network Group, Sinochem Holdings, China Huaneng Group and Sinomine Resource Group, as well as Xiong'an campuses of the four universities of Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University and the China University of Geosciences (Beijing). The Xiong'an branches of Beihai Kindergarten, Beijing Shijia Primary School, Beijing No. 4 High School and Beijing-based Xuanwu Hospital under Capital Medical University, all supported by Beijing, have entered into operation. The Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun (ZGC) Science Park has been inaugurated, and noticeable results have been yielded with the series of visits to Xiong'an by a thousand ZGC enterprises, a hundred research institutes, a hundred renowned universities, and ten thousand university students in the capital. As a result, the popularity of Xiong'an is steadily increasing.
Third, we have pursued green development, endeavoring to achieve new breakthroughs in advancing the green transition in all respects. We have worked to make solid gains in the battle against pollution, and air quality has continued to improve. The water quality of Baiyangdian Lake has remained stable at Level III according to China's five-tier water assessment system, hastening the recovery of its crucial role as the "Kidney of North China." Strong efforts have been made to achieve Grade A environmental performance in key industries, with the number of steel enterprises in Hebei achieving Grade A for environmental performance ranking first nationwide, reaching 37. Integrated development of culture and tourism has been deepened, with total trips by tourists reaching 840 million last year. "So Close, So Beautiful, Spend Your Weekends in Hebei" has become a slogan for the province.
Fourth, we have enhanced opening-up, redoubling efforts to foster new advantages in deepening reform and opening-up. We have been committed to promoting development by prioritizing the improvement of the business environment, and have mobilized and made deployments for the province's "first meeting of the New Year" themed on business environment for two consecutive years. All enterprise- and people's wellbeing-related items subject to approval can now be handled in government service halls, while the 12345 hotline for government services has reached a stable connection rate of over 98%. Additionally, we have implemented "double-blind" (the information of both evaluation experts and bidders is not disclosed) evaluation reform in public bidding, enabling both SOEs and private businesses to enjoy the same treatment and engage in fair competition. The integration and upgrading of port resources has been promoted, with port cargo throughput surpassing 1.3 billion metric tons last year. The number of China-Europe freight trains has continued to rise.
Fifth, we have strived for shared benefits and made more efforts to achieve new progress in promoting common prosperity. Last year, we promptly relocated affected people when facing historically severe floods. We devoted maximum efforts to disaster rescue and relief, effectively protecting the lives and properties of our residents. We also made all-out efforts to focus on reconstruction after the disaster. We allocated compensation, rescue, and insurance funds in advance, ensuring those affected lived and worked in safe and warm places during the winter. Last year, our total grain output reached 76.2 billion jin (38.1 million metric tons), exceeding the target set by the country. Moreover, we have implemented rolling plans for projects related to people's livelihoods to raise public service standards in education, social security, elderly care, and healthcare. Nearly 900,000 urban jobs were added last year. Doing so has ensured our people feel a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.
Going forward, Hebei will thoroughly implement the important guiding principles set by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection of the province. We will work with solid steps to do a good job in each field, accelerate high-quality development, and strive for a new chapter for Hebei in pursuing Chinese modernization.
That is my brief introduction. Next, Zhang Chengzhong, Jin Hui, and Zhao Dachun, the three vice governors of Hebei, and I will answer your questions. Thank you, everyone.
Xing Huina:
Thank you for your introduction, Mr. Wang. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media agency you work for before asking your question.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
People.cn:
I'd like to ask about the Xiong'an New Area. This year marks the seventh year since the establishment of the new area. Can you give an introduction about its development over the past seven years? Going forward, what important plans will you focus on? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
I will answer your questions, which are very important and meaningful to Hebei's development. The development of Xiong'an New Area is a major national strategy that was planned, deployed, and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping. During each important period and at every critical moment, he has pointed the direction and guided the way for us. Over the past seven years, Xiong'an New Area has emerged from a blueprint into a lively area. With solid steps and steady progress, we are working hard to develop the area into a high-standard, modernized city. Next, I will briefly introduce four aspects of the area's development.
First, the top-level design of the area has basically been completed. We have adhered to a global vision and international standards to develop the area into a place with distinctive Chinese characteristics and future-oriented goals. We formulated a planning system that sets the Plan for Xiong'an New Area in Hebei as the overarching guide. It focuses on the general plan for Xiong'an New Area, the regulatory plan for the Initial Development Zone, the detailed regulatory plan for the Pilot Area, and the governance and conservation plan for Baiyangdian Lake. Special plans for fields such as comprehensive transportation, ecological conservation, and flood control also support the system. The province has implemented the central leadership's Guidelines on Supporting Xiong'an New Area in Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Opening up, and rolled out plans to back up the implementation of relevant financial, fiscal, tax, approval, and other policies, providing important support and guarantees for the construction of the new area.
Second, the new area is taking shape comprehensively as a city. The main road network of the Pilot Area is fully open to traffic. The construction of major municipal infrastructure and a group of landmark projects, such as the Xiong'an Sports Center, has been basically completed. The internet industrial park, science park, headquarters area, and four comprehensive residential areas are all taking shape. In the Initial Development Zone, we have begun the construction of the main road network and accelerated the construction of utility tunnels in the northern section of the fifth borough and other infrastructure. The construction of major projects, including the Xiong'an-Shangqiu High-Speed Railway and the Xiong'an-Xinzhou High-Speed Railway, has also accelerated. Overall, we have developed a total area of 184.5 square kilometers in the new area, involving a total floor area of more than 43 million square meters and over 4,000 buildings.
Third, innovation has enjoyed a more favorable environment. Supported by four relocated universities from Beijing, colleges within Hebei province, and some enterprises, the Xiong'an University Collaborative Innovation Alliance has been formed. We have also accelerated the building of the China Aerospace Information and Satellite Internet Innovation Alliance, and a batch of industrial chain enterprises have been launched in the new area, including China Xingwang Digital Technology Co., Ltd. and PIESAT International Information Technology Limited. With a focus on talent, opening-up, and other institutional innovations, 16 policy measures have been introduced to attract top scientists, young talented people, master craftspeople and other talented people. These 16 items of Xiong'an's talent policies have gained wide attention across society. Moreover, we have launched a scenario collection and display project named "Collection of Future City in Xiong'an" and have also bolstered the rapid development of technological innovation platforms such as the pilot base of the Xiong'an Science and Technology Innovation Center. The new area has become a hub hosting an increasing number of innovations.
Fourth, people's wellbeing has evidently improved. The administrative division code, postal code, and vehicle license plates beginning with "冀X" have been officially put into use in the new area. Enterprises based in Beijing can relocate to Xiong'an through convenient online procedures instead of on-site applications. The social security card is applicable in both Beijing and Xiong'an. A total of 107 services can be accessed through integrated city services. A housing system has been formed in the new area, which ensures supply from multiple sources, provides housing support through multiple channels, and encourages both house purchases and rental. Under this system, more than 120,000 residents have moved into their new homes. We have also stepped up our efforts in forest conservation. The forest coverage rate was 11% before the new area was established and has since risen to 34.7%. We can again enjoy the beautiful scenery of blooming lotuses and lush reeds across Baiyangdian Lake, which has become a paradise for various bird species. The new area is becoming an amazing city that people look forward to visiting and living in
Next, we will firmly adhere to the original mission of the new area, focusing on creating a city of innovation, charm, and the future. First, we will promote relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital. We will accelerate the construction of the first batch of relocation projects, coordinate and enact the second batch of relocation plans, and ensure the implementation of landmark projects. In summary, in the construction of Xiong'an New Area, we will prioritize relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital. Second, we will focus on construction. We will promote the construction of major areas and key projects in an orderly way, improve supporting facilities, and build a modern urban landscape. Third, we will encourage innovation. We will expand the Scenario Pool of Xiong'an Future City innovative platform, promote the introduction of innovative resources through platforms such as the scientific and technological innovation center, and continue to host the "Xiong'an Trip" series of activities. Fourth, we will create a better environment. We will coordinate the ecological governance of Baiyangdian, focus on the construction and management of the "Thousand-Year Forests Project," and create a model city for green development.
Seeing is believing. I extend a warm welcome to all the journalists present. Please take some time to visit Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province and experience firsthand its development and innovative atmosphere. Thank you, everyone!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Economic Daily:
The results of the 2023 Annual Survey on Business Environment for 100,000 Private Enterprises released by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce show that Hebei is one of the top five provinces in the country with the most evident progress. My question is, in terms of optimizing the business environment, what specific measures has Hebei province implemented? What are the new priorities for this year? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your question. This question will be answered by Zhao Dachun, vice governor of Hebei province.
Zhao Dachun:
Thank you for your interest and attention regarding the business environment in Hebei. Since the beginning of this year, our efforts to optimize the business environment have been ongoing, focusing on the general objective of creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, governed by the rule of law, and internationalized. We have continuously improved efficiency, pursued reforms, and strengthened regulation.
First, we aim to make public services more convenient. We have set the goal of "four conveniences": simplifying procedures, providing smart services, ensuring immediate processing, and delivering satisfactory outcomes. All approval procedures related to enterprises and people's livelihoods have been centralized at local government service halls. Additionally, we have launched a province-wide integrated online service platform to facilitate "single-window" services and "online access for all." We have integrated all provincial hotlines into a single, unified number, "12345." This makes it convenient for the public to contact us and enables us to proactively detect problems through data analysis and promptly address them. In addition, we can provide real-time supervision and objective evaluation of departmental work, ensuring satisfactory outcomes. We have also innovatively created the "Policy Portal for Enterprise and People's Benefit," transforming the approach from "people seeking policies" to "policies reaching people." This platform ensures that policies are promptly and comprehensively enjoyed. Furthermore, governments at all levels have regularly conducted on-site work to promptly address practical issues. Overall, business confidence in Hebei has generally increased, with an average net increase of over 700 companies per day last year.
Second, we strive to ensure fairer market competition. We treat all entities equally. On the one hand, we have implemented "double-blind" reforms in bidding and tendering processes to achieve full online processing, blind selection of evaluation experts, blind evaluation without the bidders' information, and "decentralized" evaluation with physical isolation, eliminating any possibility of opaque operations. On the other hand, we have thoroughly reviewed and cleared standards and subsidies linked to the nature of enterprises, decisively dismantling "hidden barriers" and delegating more opportunities to the market and enterprises. Since June of last year, the percentage of private enterprises winning bids by volume has increased from 39% to 56%, and the percentage of private enterprises winning bids by number has risen from 73% to 84%. The total revenue and assets of the "Top 100 Private Enterprises in Hebei Province in 2023" increased by 16.43% and 27.28% year on year, respectively.
Third, we are enhancing integrity building. We are urging governments at all levels to protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises in accordance with the law, ensuring minimal interference and prompt responses to their needs. We also encourage enterprises to uphold honesty, trustworthiness, and contract compliance. In the National Urban Credit Monitoring Rankings released in February of this year, Shijiazhuang city in Hebei ranked 10th out of 36 cities, including provincial capitals and those at and above the sub-provincial level. Notably, the number of county- and prefecture-level cities that entered the top 20 in their respective categories ranked first and second among all provinces nationwide. This progress is indeed remarkable.
Optimizing the business environment is an ongoing, perpetual process. This year, we will vigorously promote one-stop government services to further enhance the sense of accomplishment for enterprises. We will also continue to improve the level of factor support, ensuring smoother financing channels, more flexible land supply methods, and lower logistics costs, especially for new elements such as computing power and data. Additionally, we will carry out actions to enhance the quality of law enforcement, providing both standards and warmth in enforcement and effectively implementing the rule of law to safeguard the interests of business entities. Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Hebei Radio and TV Station:
The provincial governor just mentioned that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the significant national strategy for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital is an important task assigned to Hebei by the CPC Central Committee. My question is, how should Hebei seize this opportunity to accelerate its own development while aligning with and serving Beijing and Tianjin? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your question. This question will be answered by Zhang Chengzhong, vice governor of Hebei province.
Zhang Chengzhong:
Thank you for your question. I will answer it. The coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is a significant national strategy. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital city is a priority and urged Hebei to accelerate its development while aligning with and serving Beijing and Tianjin. We will bear in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions, seize this significant historic opportunity, and comprehensively integrate and undertake the tasks. The coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has achieved remarkable results, entering a stage of all-round, high-quality, and deepened advancement.
First, we will continue to boost efforts to ensure the transfer of functions nonessential to the capital. A key platform system will take shape, where Xiong'an New Area, serving as a major recipient of functions relieved from Beijing, will play the major role. Moreover, supporting platforms, including those promoting cooperation and providing specialized, professional, and customized services, will serve to continually enhance our comprehensive capability in ensuring the transfer of non-capital functions. The development of Xiong'an New Area, serving as a major recipient of functions relieved from Beijing, has entered a phase when the same importance must be attached to both its large-scale construction and its purpose to relieve Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the national capital. The focus has shifted to high-quality construction, high-level management and high-quality development of relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the national capital. As such, the role of Xiong'an New Area as a major recipient of functions relieved from Beijing that are nonessential to its role as China's capital has become more evident. Caofeidian district of Tangshan city is positioned with a port, vast tracts of land, and ample potential for development. At the same time, Beijing boasts a wealth of resources in science and technology, education, and talent. As many as 247 industrial projects worth more than 100 million yuan have been transferred from Beijing to Caofeidian, and the latter has invested over 177 billion yuan. Caofeidian is working with Beijing and Tianjin to create new sources of growth for high-quality development in the Bohai Sea region. Around 43,000 companies have moved from Beijing and Tianjin to Hebei province. We will continue to provide good services and support to ensure that the transferred projects can come, stay, and thrive. We will ensure substantial achievements in major areas. Over the past 10 years, the rail network connecting Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei has been quickly taking shape. Moreover, joint efforts to prevent and control environmental pollution have been continuously strengthened, and air quality has been significantly improved. Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin have made new progress in promoting coordinated innovation, sharing scientific and technological resources, and applying achievements in science and technology research. In 2023, the volume of contracted technology transactions introduced to Hebei province from Beijing and Tianjin reached 81 billion yuan, 12 times that of 2014. To achieve new breakthroughs, we will intensify collaboration with Beijing and Tianjin in such key areas, working together to ensure cleaner air and water, faster traffic, and more dynamic development for the three regions.
Second, we will continue to push forward the integrated development of key regions. Efforts will be intensified to build the demonstration zone for high-quality and integrated development in Tongzhou district and the three northern counties of Langfang city (Sanhe, Dachang, and Xianghe). In the regions along the banks of the Chaobai River, we will promote the integrated development of industrial, supply, and innovation chains. We will continue to hold promotional campaigns for various projects and introduce more projects to cultivate new quality productive forces. Furthermore, we will advance the construction of the Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone, continuously optimize the management system, and explore new approaches for cross-regional integrated development.
Last but not least, we will ensure everyone can enjoy the benefits brought about by the coordinated development. The integration of social security cards in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei has enabled people to access services across multiple fields, including government services, social security, and healthcare. As such, it is fair to say that one card takes care of everything. We will continue to accelerate the integration of government services. A total of 203 government service items are now handled according to consistent standards across Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, and all business-related government services are now provided on a cross-provincial basis. Take Tongzhou district and the three northern counties of Langfang as an example; in the past, business-related services could only be handled in local areas. However, now, self-service terminals for government services in Tongzhou district enable enterprises to access government service centers in the three northern counties of Langfang without traveling far. Moreover, Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei have worked together to establish 40 medical treatment partnerships to promote effective cooperation and coordination between different types of medical institutions, and such services have been made available for all cities with subordinate districts in Hebei province. Going forward, we will accelerate the improvement and sharing of public services and ensure that people in the three regions enjoy the dividends of coordinated development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Phoenix TV:
We noticed that Hebei has implemented 20 livelihood projects in recent years. Could you please introduce more details in this regard? What are the key areas of work going forward? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you. I'd like to invite Ms. Jin to answer your questions.
Jin Hui:
Thank you for your questions. The CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and the Hebei provincial government have firmly adhered to the people-centered development philosophy. As the journalist mentioned, we have implemented 20 livelihood projects for years. We have delivered on our promises to the public through the timely completion of all these tasks. For example, since 2008, we have included rebuilding housing units in run-down urban areas and renovating old residential communities and urban villages as part of our livelihood programs. This has resulted in the reconstruction of 796,000 housing units and the renovation of 13,463 old residential communities and 1,341 urban villages. Such efforts allow residents to transition from old, decayed, and cramped housing units into new apartment buildings. We've also implemented a project to switch rural drinking water sources to river water delivered by the South-North Water Diversion Project. This program has provided nearly 30 million rural residents with access to river water. Hebei was also the first in the country to introduce a program of free genetic screening for pregnant women, which has significantly reduced the birth rates of children with intellectual disabilities and hearing and speech impairments.
A new batch of livelihood projects will be launched in three areas this year. First, stepped-up efforts will be made to improve people's living environment in urban and rural areas. We will complete the task of restoring and rebuilding disaster-damaged rural housing, ensuring all disaster-affected residents can live in safe and secure homes. We are implementing the "pocket park" program to create or upgrade a batch of standardized and small-scale sports themed parks, providing residents with new options for recreation and enjoyment. We will also renovate a batch of toilets in rural areas to help improve the rural living environment. Second, we will focus on strengthening infrastructure in urban and rural areas. We will further elevate the quality of public services, making continued efforts to construct and renovate roads in rural areas, build and expand a group of compulsory education schools, and increase compulsory public education enrollment. We will implement comprehensive scoliosis screenings for all primary and secondary school students across the province, aiming to establish the "Hebei model" for preventing and controlling scoliosis in children and adolescents. In response to families' difficulties in childcare, we will extend the coverage of public childcare services. Third, we will strive to strengthen the social security system. We will make every effort to assist unemployed individuals in finding employment or starting businesses, and support families with elderly members facing special difficulties in renovating their homes to make them more age-friendly. We'll also provide a targeted meal assistance program, meeting the most urgent and pressing needs of people with disabilities. Moreover, we will improve the quality and efficiency of social assistance to ensure people's well-being. So far, all these livelihood projects are being implemented in a smooth and orderly manner. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Xinhua News Agency:
Transforming saline-alkaline land into high-yield plots is a major highlight of the work in Hebei. What has Hebei done in treating saline-alkaline land? And what measures will it take this year? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you to the journalist from Xinhua. Saline-alkaline land is an important aspect of the agricultural work for Hebei. Treating and utilizing saline-alkali land is of great importance to China's national food security. Hebei has a large area of saline-alkaline land. In 2011, Hebei had 10.68 million mu of such land, accounting for 12% of its total farmland. Through our treatment work over more than a decade with measures such as irrigation and water conservancy as well as biological treatment, the area of saline-alkaline land has continued to decrease, demonstrating the great achievements made by Hebei in treating and utilizing saline-alkaline land.
During his inspection tour of Cangzhou in May last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions, requiring us to make great efforts to develop agriculture featuring saline-alkaline land. Hebei province has resolutely implemented the instructions and taken measures in five aspects in the past year. First, we collected information through technical means and field surveys to determine the quantity, types and distribution of saline-alkaline land. According to our findings, there is currently 5.83 million mu of saline-alkaline land, mainly distributed in Cangzhou, Zhangjiakou and Tangshan. Second, we relied on scientific support. We formed a team of experts to tackle technical challenges, with the aim of making improvements through a combination of water management and soil treatment. Last year, we completed transformation of 180,000 mu of saline-alkaline land. Third, we promoted high-quality crop varieties. We adhere to the principle of developing new varieties suitable for saline-alkaline land and continuing development of facilities for irrigation and water conservancy to reduce salinity and alkalinity. Last year, Huanghua's drought and saline-alkaline-tolerant wheat was listed on the national list of local specialties by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Fourth, we conducted pilot demonstration programs. We carried out 13 pilot projects tailored to local conditions to explore different industry models and planting patterns. Last year, Hebei province was included in the national pilot program for comprehensive utilization of saline-alkaline land. Fifth, we explored roads to prosperity. We guided leading enterprises in developing deep-processing industries, nurtured well-known brands, promoted the development of industrial chains, and achieved a triple win scenario — whereby farmers earn income, companies gain profit and the market accepts the products. Hebei's saline-alkaline land has produced many distinctive agricultural products, turning what was once a disadvantage into an advantage. These products are of high-quality and suitable for people to eat, making their way into major supermarkets in Beijing and Tianjin. For example, colorful steamed buns from Tangshan and Cangzhou, a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage, are made of drought-tolerant wheat from Cangzhou, and have received widespread acclaim from consumers.
Moving forward, Hebei will vigorously implement a strategy of sustainable farmland use and the innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity. We will focus on key tasks such as the development and promotion of saline-alkaline tolerant crop varieties, soil improvement, specialty industry zone construction, large-scale development and industrialized management. A series of supporting policies and measures will be implemented to tap into the potential of saline-alkaline land development and utilization, maximizing the value of saline-alkaline land through special agriculture. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Red Star News:
Last year, Hebei experienced extremely heavy rainfall and flooding. Hebei authorities pledged to complete post-disaster reconstruction within two years. Could you provide us with an update on the progress and outcomes of the restoration efforts? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your question. I'd like to invite Mr. Zhang to answer.
Zhang Chengzhong:
Thank you for your concern about Hebei's post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. After the massive flooding in July 2023, we resolutely implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, united as one, overcame difficulties and achieved a decisive victory in disaster relief. We have made significant progress in post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. First, we united and worked tirelessly to rebuild a better home. Last year, we repaired, reinforced and built over 165,000 rural houses, while construction of over 21,600 new rural houses will be completed before this winter. We ensured that every household in the affected areas had heating facilities in place to ensure a safe and warm winter. Infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads, gas, communication and sewage treatment was fully restored. All students returned to school on time in the fall of last year. We improved the urban and rural environments, and significantly changed the look of flood-affected areas. Second, the production and living order in the disaster areas have been fully restored. We pre-allocated subsidies and relief funds, pre-compensated insurance funds, and carefully handled the compensation for flood retention areas, providing reassurance to the affected population. We implemented policies to alleviate difficulties and provide assistance, such as rent reductions and loan interest subsidies, allowing market entities to quickly resume normal operations. We restored damaged farmland and agricultural facilities, working to minimize losses from the disaster. In Zhuozhou, one of the hardest-hit areas, some disaster-affected communities established canteens to ensure residents have food, and replanting was carried out in damaged farmland and greenhouses with expert assistance. Finally, we ensured timely and high-quality post-disaster reconstruction. All water-damaged flood control projects should be fully restored by June 30. Over 90% of damaged schools, health centers and nursing homes have been repaired or rebuilt, with full completion expected by the end of this year. In summary, we can fully complete the post-disaster reconstruction work within two years.
In terms of building up capacity for disaster prevention, reduction and relief, we have seized major opportunities presented by the additional issuance of government bonds and have coordinated the planning and implementation of 1,210 projects for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction as well as the improvement of capacity for disaster prevention and relief. Once completed, the projects will greatly enhance Hebei's flood prevention and disaster resilience. In January this year, we issued Regulations on the Transfer of Personnel for Flood Control and Hazardous Relief of Hebei Province, standardizing the entire process of transfer for flood control and hazard evasion and providing legal protection for the transfer of people. In February this year, we cooperated with the People's Insurance Company Group of China (PICC) and other insurance institutions to take the lead in creating comprehensive catastrophe insurance across the country, covering all types of disasters and insured more than 74 million residents in the province with comprehensive catastrophe insurance. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Science and Technology Daily:
Data indicates that in the first quarter of this year, investment in Hebei's high-tech industries increased by 45.1%, demonstrating a strong momentum with growth. What experience does Hebei have in promoting technological innovation? What are the next steps in this field? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your questions. I'll invite Mr. Zhao Dachun to answer these questions.
Zhao Dachun:
Thank you for your questions. I'll offer you a brief introduction on scientific and technological innovation in Hebei.
In recent years, we have deeply implemented the strategy of innovation-driven development and striven to turn the key variable of scientific and technological innovation into the maximum increment of high-quality development. Hebei's research and development (R&D) funding growth rate ranks sixth in the country and has maintained double-digit growth for six consecutive years.
First, we let enterprises be the main players. We earnestly execute policies such as additional deductions for corporate R&D expenses and subsidies after R&D investments to make sure enterprises enjoy all the benefit they deserve. At the same time, in order to meet the actual needs of enterprises, we have selected 318 sci-tech special missions to provide one-on-one assistance to "little giant" firms to carry out technological research. Simultaneously, we have also implemented a special initiative to increase R&D investments in SOEs in three years and to strengthen in five years, which has greatly improved the R&D capabilities of provincial SOEs. In the past two years, the R&D investment of Hebei's SOEs has led the nation. The "technology gene" of our enterprises has been significantly enriched.
The second is to empower industrial transformation with technology. We have aimed for high-end, intelligent and green development and to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Especially, we have built high-energy innovation platforms with a focus on Hebei's leading industries and conquer key common technologies. For example, the Hebei Iron and Steel Laboratory has gathered eight academician teams to carry out whole-chain innovation from materials and technology to products. The world's first 1.2 million-tonne hydrogen metallurgy demonstration project at Xuanhua Iron and Steel Group Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of our provincial enterprise HBIS Group Co. Ltd, was officially put into operation last year, marking an important milestone in the transformation from traditional carbon metallurgy to new hydrogen metallurgy in China's and even the world's iron and steel industries. At the same time, we have deepened cooperation with research institutes and universities to cultivate and expand strategic emerging industries such as integrated circuits, electronic power equipment and biomedicine. In the first quarter of this year, our high-tech industry investment growth rate was 33.7 percentage points higher than the national average. We have proactively laid out future industries such as aerospace information, advanced computing power and green hydrogen energy. We have built 29 data centers in Zhangjiakou city and several intelligent computing centers in Langfang city. Hebei province ranks fourth in the country in terms of comprehensive computing power index. At the same time, we have also creatively implemented the Science and Technology Innovation Leap Plan at the county level, and the innovation capabilities of Hebei counties have been greatly improved.
Third, we solidly promote the development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as a collaborative innovation community. We are committed to building a leading area for innovation-driven development in Xiong'an New Area, launching 18 solid incentive policies and building seven innovation ecosystems including satellite internet, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and intelligent connectivity, making Xiong'an full with an innovative atmosphere. In addition, we focus on solving the "leapfrog" phenomenon of scientific and technological achievements in Beijing and Tianjin, strive to facilitate the channel for commercializing R&D results from these cities in Hebei, implement special projects for basic research cooperation jointly with Beijing and Tianjin, build a network for the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, set up two sub-centers of the Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation, build up a long-term mechanism for matching the supply and demand of scientific and technological achievements, continue to expand the brand connotation of "So close, so beautiful, spend your weekends in Hebei" and promote the commercialization of technological achievements from Beijing and Tianjin in Hebei, a province with both a beautiful natural environment and a favorable business environment. Last year, we attracted 81 billion yuan in technology contract transactions from Beijing and Tianjin, doubling the amount year-on-year. The siphoning effect of Beijing and Tianjin is acceleratingly transforming into a radiating and driving effect, and this change is quite evident.
Next, we will first seize major national strategic opportunities, give full play to Hebei's geographical position, further deepen collaborative innovation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, leverage the role of Xiong'an New Area as an innovation hub and speed up the accumulation of innovative resources and the commercialization of innovation results. Second, we will continue to build a high-level innovation platform, attract high-level innovation teams, create a first-class innovation ecosystem and further enhance the innovation vitality of the province. Third, we will implement the three-year action plan of innovative application scenarios to promote the in-depth integration between industries, universities, research institutes, and end-users, create a number of new industries, new models and new momentum, accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces in Hebei and further promote high-quality development to break new ground.
That's all for my introduction. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
People's Pictorial:
The slogan "So close, so beautiful, spend your weekends in Hebei" has already become a well-known catchphrase for Hebei. What high-quality cultural and tourism resources can Hebei recommend to tourists for the upcoming May Day holiday? What measures will be taken to improve the quality of tourism services and the tourist experience? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your questions. I would like to invite Ms. Jin to answer.
Jin Hui:
Thank you for your questions. By creating the cultural tourism brand "Spend Your Weekends in Beautiful Hebei," the province not only actively promotes the high-quality development of the cultural tourism industry, but also has accomplished a significant achievement in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Hebei is so close and so beautiful. It is so close that a one-hour transportation circle has been formed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This region is characterized by the presence of a world-class airport cluster and the three major ports of Qinhuangdao, Tangshan and Cangzhou. The convenient transportation infrastructure facilitates travel in all directions and connects the region to the world. Hebei is also very beautiful, boasting rich historical and cultural heritage, magnificent natural landscape, and warm and genuine hospitality. Hebei is home to 12 5A-level scenic spots and four world cultural heritage sites. It ranks among the top in the country in terms of the number of national key cultural relics protection units and national intangible cultural heritage items.
In recent years, we moved quickly to forge a tourism development paradigm that integrates tourism with culture and promotes wholistic tourism in different seasons. When you come to Hebei, you can visit Yesanpo and Baishi Mountain in Baoding and the Xingtai Great Canyon to experience the majestic mountains, clear waters, marvelous canyons and unique rock formations of the Taihang Mountains. You can also explore historical and cultural cities and towns such as the Zhengding ancient city and numerous traditional cultural villages, tracing the roots of historical culture. You can drive along the Grassland Highway and experience the charm of the summer grasslands. In Chongli, the Winter Olympic town, you can fully enjoy the speed and excitement of world-class ski resorts. Additionally, you are welcome to visit Xiong'an, the City of the Future, and feel the vibrant growth. Explore the beautiful Baiyangdian Lake, known as the Pearl of North China, and experience the charm of northern water towns. The Chengde Mountain Resort, Jinshanling Great Wall and other historical and cultural sites are captivating destinations that never cease to amaze visitors. You can also visit Xibaipo, a sacred site in China's revolutionary history, to witness the profound changes of history and reflect upon the passage of time.
In recent years, we have focused on meeting the demands for high-quality cultural tourism products, emphasizing the integration of culture and travel, and developing wellness tourism. This has made tourism an integral part of people's high-quality lives. Destinations like the Aranya's Lonely Library in Qinhuangdao have become popular attractions for photo enthusiasts. The Unique Dream of Red Mansions theatrical complex in Langfang vividly portrays the timeless story of the novel "The Dream of Red Mansions." The Fantawild Legend Kingdom theme park in Handan has become a preferred destination for educational tourism. Furthermore, the revitalization of intangible cultural heritage items, such as martial arts in Cangzhou, acrobatics in Wuqiao and paper-cutting in Yuxian, allows visitors to immerse themselves in diverse folk customs and traditions.
Next, we will continue to strengthen resource sharing with Beijing and Tianjin, and work together to build the Beijing-Zhangjiakou sports and cultural tourism belt, Great Wall cultural tourism belt and Grand Canal cultural tourism belt. We will make good use of the Winter Olympics legacy, cultivate new forms of tourism, and launch a selection of curated travel routes. We will continue implementing policies such as free passage for tourist charter buses and managing the mini app for travel and tourism in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, vigorously supporting travel agencies in bringing visitors to Hebei.
"Spend Your Weekends in Beautiful Hebei." With the May Day holiday fast approaching, we sincerely invite everyone to visit Hebei, explore its beauty, and experience the warm hospitality of its people. Thank you.
Xing Huina:
Due to time constraints, we will take the final two questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
China Daily:
In recent years, Hebei has accelerated its pace of transformation, with rapid development in industries such as biomedicine and electronic information. What plans are in place for fostering emerging and future industries? What adjustments will be made in the future to deal with the current situation of an imbalanced industrial structure? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you to the journalist from China Daily. I would like to invite Mr. Zhang to answer them.
Zhang Chengzhong:
Thank you for your interest in and support for the industrial development in Hebei. The province of Hebei is known for its traditional industries, with a complete range of industries and a well-established industrial system. In recent years, we have been relying on sci-tech innovation to drive growth and promote the rapid development of emerging industries such as electronic information and biomedicine. In 2023, the revenue of the biopharmaceutical industry exceeded 100 billion yuan, and the revenue of the electronic information industry exceeded 300 billion yuan. Investment in high-tech industries in the province increased by 24.7%. As Mr. Zhao mentioned, the growth rate in the first quarter of this year has been even faster, reaching 45.1%. In order to foster and expand emerging industries, proactively plan for future industries, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system, our next focus will be on three aspects.
The first aspect is "cluster" aggregation. We are implementing actions to promote the integrated development of strategic emerging industry clusters. We are focusing on supporting nine industry clusters, including biomedicine, electronic information and new energy vehicles. Additionally, we are nurturing eight industry clusters, such as new materials, safety and emergency equipment, and modern traditional Chinese medicine. Our goal is to facilitate the transition of strategic emerging industries from mere aggregation to cluster-based development.
The second aspect is strengthening industry chains. We will extend the industrial chains of emerging industries, fostering not only the "big trees" of leading enterprises but also the "small trees" of upstream and downstream supporting enterprises. Ultimately, this will build up the "forest" of emerging industries, producing a more vibrant industrial ecology.
Finally, we will move towards the "new." We will fully leverage our own advantages and proactively plan for future industries. For instance, Hebei has a solid foundation and advantages in the development of the big data industry. By the end of 2023, the total computing power will exceed 21,000 petaflops. Leveraging this computational advantage, we will vigorously develop future industries such as advanced computing and artificial intelligence. Additionally, we will accelerate the development of aerospace information, green hydrogen energy and other industries, enabling future industries to take root, sprout and flourish as soon as possible.
When it comes to Hebei's industries, the first impression is of heavy industries, with steel dominating. Over the years, we have vigorously promoted the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Starting in 2022, the steel industry took the lead, launching a campaign for seven key sectors to strive for an "A" grade in environmental performance. The industry also greatly improved standards for process equipment and environmental governance, while promoting advanced technologies such as low-carbon metallurgy and clean steel smelting. Now, "new" content in Hebei's steel enterprises has significantly increased. For example, the proportions of high-end and low-end HBIS Group's products have shifted from 30% to 70% 10 years ago to 80% to 20% now, making the company the largest manufacturer of steel for household appliances and the second-largest for automobile steel in the country.
Moving forward, we will adhere to the principles of high-end, intelligent and green development, and accelerate the structural adjustment, transformation and upgrade of traditional industries. We will seize the opportunity presented by the nation's push for large-scale equipment updates by implementing projects for the technological transformation and upgrading in the equipment manufacturing industry. By deepening the empowerment of science and technology, we aim to promote the development of high-end material products in the steel industry and accelerate the supplementation and extension of the industrial chain, and promote the specialized, refined and sophisticated development of the chemical engineering industry. Furthermore, we will actively promote green and energy-saving construction material products, allowing traditional industries to "grow new branches from old trees." Thank you.
Xing Huina:
One last question.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Yicai:
Mr. Wang mentioned earlier the continuous improvement of Hebei's ecological environment. As the province with the largest steel industry, how does Hebei adhere to the principle of prioritizing ecology and green development? Thank you.
Wang Zhengpu:
Thank you for your question, I will answer it. We believe that a good ecological environment is the most universal benefit for people's well-being. We also well aware that Hebei's ecological environment has been a weak point. In recent years, we have firmly embraced the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. We have resolutely prioritized ecology and green development, coordinating efforts to reduce carbon emissions, cut pollution, expand greenery and stimulate growth. We strive to achieve new breakthroughs through comprehensive green transformation. Over the past few years, we have focused on three main areas:
First, we have fought a rigorous battle against pollution. We have coordinated a multifaceted approach to reduce energy consumption, minimize coal use, enforce regulations on enterprises, control dust, limit vehicles and augment greenery. We have worked hard to safeguard blue skies, clear waters and clean soil. In 2023, the average PM 2.5 concentration across the province was 38.6 micrograms per cubic meter, a decrease of 57.6% from 2014, with 245 days of good air quality. The proportion of surface water sections that achieved excellent ratings in the national examination has remained above 80% for two consecutive years. Through our daily efforts, fighting for every microgram, the number of smoggy days in Hebei has decreased and the frequency of blue skies and white clouds has increased.
Second, we have vigorously pursued green and low-carbon transformation. We have steadfastly promoted the structural adjustment of industries, energy and transportation, and actively pursued a grade A environmental performance in key industries such as steel and coking. We have accelerated the construction of pumped storage power stations while the total installed capacity of wind power, photovoltaic power as well as with the inventory of new energy heavy trucks ranks among the highest in the country, leading to increasingly green development. Particularly in the pursuit of grade A environmental performance, we have guided enterprises towards in-depth emission reduction and low-carbon transformation through measures such as setting standards, providing technological assistance and policy incentives, significantly elevating the level of environmental protection in enterprises.
Third, we have continuously focused on ecosystem restoration. We adhere to the holistic approach to the conservation of mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland and desert ecosystems. We have carried out the construction of the northern sand prevention belt and the treatment of wind and sand sources in Beijing and Tianjin, implemented ecological rectification projects in the Yan Mountains and Taihang Mountains, intensified mine restoration and have promoted large-scale land greening. As you may know, Hebei has a notable example of ecological restoration – Saihanba in Chengde. This place used to be a desert, but after decades of management and rectification, Saihanba has now become the world's largest man-made forest. It has won the UN Champions of the Earth Award and the UNCCD's Land for Life Award, serving as a vivid example of ecological civilization development.
In our future work, we will adhere to the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, firmly holding the "golden rice bowl" of ecological resources and effectively utilizing the "golden key" of green development. We will strive to build a beautiful Hebei with blue skies, green land and clear waters, to support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment and to ensure that the benefits of a healthy ecology reach more people.
Thank you.
Xing Huina:
Thank you, Mr. Wang and the other speakers, as well as our friends from the media. That concludes today's press conference. Goodbye, everyone.
Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Qian, Zhou Jing, Li Xiao, Ma Yujia, Mi Xingang, Gong Yingchun, Yuan Fang, Liu Jianing, Zhang Junmian, Yan Bin, Zhang Rui, Liu Caiyi, Liu Sitong, Li Huiru, 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.
