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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Wang Yubo, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and governor of Yunnan province

Mr. Wang Xiangang, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Yunnan Provincial Government

Mr. Liu Yong, vice governor of Yunnan 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:

May 31, 2024

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 25th press conference in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we are pleased to have invited Mr. Wang Yubo, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and governor of Yunnan province, who will brief you on taking solid steps to promote high-quality development in Yunnan province, and then take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Wang Xiangang, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Yunnan Provincial Government; and Mr. Liu Yong, vice governor of Yunnan province.

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

Wang Yubo:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I'm delighted to be here to introduce high-quality development in Yunnan to you all. Entrusted by Wang Ning, secretary of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, the People's Government of Yunnan Province, and people of all ethnic groups in the province for your long-term attention, assistance and support for Yunnan.

When speaking of Yunnan, people often think of its year-round spring climate, local song and dance, want to visit the location of the hit TV show "Meet Yourself" and experience the unique "Yunnan lifestyle." I would like to start by highlighting three keywords. First, "beautiful." Since ancient times, Yunnan has been given such poetic names as "Colorful Yunnan" and "South of the Colorful Clouds." It is a representation of China's beauty and a microcosm of the Chinese nation united as a family. Second, "advancing." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Yunnan's total economy has risen from 1.1 trillion yuan in 2012 to 3 trillion yuan in 2023, with the quality of development continuously improving. Third, "open." As a major passageway in China connecting South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region, we have constantly been opening up, serving as a bridge and link between China and the rest of the world.

General Secretary Xi Jinping cares deeply about the development of Yunnan and the people of all ethnic groups there. He has called on Yunnan to forge a path of leapfrog development, striving to become an example of ethnic unity and progress, a pacesetter in eco-conservation and a new pivot in China's opening up facing South and Southeast Asia. We have thoroughly implemented the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspections of Yunnan. We have formulated and implemented the "3815" strategic development goals, which involves a 3-year plan to upgrade economic performance, 8-year plan to achieve high-quality growth and 15-year plan to realize leapfrog development. We have continuously strengthened the resource economy, park economy and port economy, and are promoting Chinese modernization in Yunnan through high-quality leapfrog development.

We have taken on the significant responsibility of ecological protection, and the bedrock of green development is becoming increasingly prominent. Blue sky, white clouds, fresh air, green mountains and clean rivers are the most distinctive attributes of Yunnan. For the sake of ecological protection, we are willing to forego immediate benefits, growth rate and GDP. Our forest area ranks second in the country, and the air quality in urban areas has ranked among the best in the country for seven consecutive years. In 2023, the average PM2.5 concentration was 21.8 micrograms per cubic meter, nearly 30% lower than the national average. Ottelia acuminata, an indicator of water quality, blooms in Dianchi Lake and Erhai Lake, and the water quality of Fuxian Lake and Lugu Lake continues to be rated "Class I." The terms "animal kingdom," "plant kingdom," "world garden" and "species gene bank" are the most accurate descriptions of Yunnan. We have comprehensively strengthened biodiversity protection, and the number of higher plants, vertebrates and macro fungi each account for more than 50% of the country's total, making Yunnan one of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots. Ecological priority and green development are Yunnan's most important duties and missions. We reject earnings from pollution and refuse polluting projects, thus promoting the comprehensive green transformation of socio-economic development.

We have strived to develop distinctive and competitive local industries, making steadier progress in industrial transformation and upgrades. Adhering to the general principle of progressing forward without looking back as long as what we are doing agrees with the new development philosophy, and firmly avoiding any actions that don't agree with this philosophy, we have placed high-quality development on the top of our agenda and have accelerated the construction of a modernized industrial system that fits Yunnan's reality. The province is devoted to developing itself into China's major clean energy production center. In 2023, Yunnan's total installed generating capacity exceeded 130 million kilowatts, with installed capacity of green energy accounting for nearly 90%, a proportion that leads the country. Over the past three plus decades, more than 1.5 trillion kilowatt-hours of power were sent from Yunnan to eastern regions including Guangdong, Shanghai, Guangxi and Zhejiang through the West-to-East Electricity Transmission Project. The amount is ranked number one in the country and has led to the reduction of more than 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in eastern regions. The province has devoted itself to building a national strategic non-ferrous metal industrial base. Yunnan's proportion is relatively high in the country's total output value when it comes to new materials of precious metals, as well as in the production capacity of green aluminum and photovoltaic monocrystalline silicon and shipments of new energy battery anode material. The province has devoted itself to establishing a modern eco-agriculture base with plateau characteristics. Our planting scales and yields for tea, flowers, nuts, coffee and Chinese medicinal herbs are the largest in the country. The province is devoted to turning itself into a top tourism brand as a global destination. Both the number of tourists and the tourism revenue in Yunnan led the country in 2023.

We have expanded both domestic and global openness, boosting Yunnan's role in driving the development of surrounding areas. Focusing on building Yunnan into an axle, we have continued to leverage the role of China-Laos Railway as a golden channel. We have also innovated and operated series of international freight trains connecting the Yangtze River Delta to the east, Europe to the north and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the south. These routes cover 31 provinces and equivalent administrative units in China, as well as 12 countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We have innovatively promoted the trusteeship transfer of Mohan town between Kunming city and Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, so as to jointly build an international port city. We have also coordinated the development of 28 ports, pilot free trade zones and industrial parks in border areas to effectively embrace the transfer of industries from home and abroad.

We have spared no efforts to secure and improve people's well-being, so that people of various ethnic groups now enjoy a better life day by day. After we shook off poverty, we have concentrated on the central task to increase people's incomes. This year, we aim to eliminate the phenomenon of households with per capita net income of less than 10,000 yuan. These families, who have the ability to work, have already been lifted out of poverty and are monitored for preventing them from falling back into poverty. Every year, around 74% of Yunnan's government expenditures have gone toward ensuring people's well-being, solving pressing difficulties and problems that concern them the most and better satisfying their demands for employment, education, medical services and elderly care. In addition, all villages along the borderlines have completed the construction of modernized and happy border villages.  

Yunnan in real life is more splendid than the one in my oral introduction. We welcome all our media friends to take a walk and have a look in this province.

Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Thank you for your introduction, Mr. Wang. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify your media outlet before raising your questions.

China Daily:

Serving as an ecological security shield in southwest China, Yunnan has made many efforts in recent years with ecological conservation. I have noticed that Yunnan proposed to launch pilot zones as part of the Beautiful China Initiative. What specific measures will you take to achieve this goal? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thank you. I will answer this question. Good ecology is a precious treasure for Yunnan and the country, which should be protected from generation to generation. To protect good ecology is to improve Yunnan people's well-being, sustain the momentum of high-quality development and construct an ecological security shield for promoting the Beautiful China initiative. We take ecological conservation work as a litmus test of the government's stance, quality of work, capacity and determination. We must protect the ecology as we protect our eyes, and treasure it as we treasure our lives. We will spare no efforts to protect each mountain, forest, lake, river and fertile field in Yunnan, so as to become the pacesetter of China's ecological conservation.

Let's start with the air in Yunnan. Blue skies, white clouds and fresh air are typical of Yunnan. I believe that those of you who have been to Yunnan have deep impressions about this. The percentage of days with air quality rated "excellent" and "good" in the province has been stable at around 98%. One-third of its counties (cities, districts) have been awarded of "China's Natural Oxygen Bar," ranking first across China in number. We will take further actions to continuously improve air quality, strengthen source management and coordinate the control of multiple pollutants, so that we can experience more clear blue skies in Yunnan.

Next is the water in Yunnan. Situated in the upstream of major rivers like the Yangtze River, Pearl River and Lancang River, Yunnan scores a remarkable 100% with all its outbound rivers rated "excellent" and "good" for water quality. Living up to its promise as a "source of clear water," Yunnan contributes over 100 billion cubic meters of high-quality water annually to the Yangtze and Pearl rivers. Renowned both domestically and internationally, Yunnan's picturesque lakes, including Dianchi Lake, Erhai Lake and Fuxian Lake, feature clear water, lush shores and beautiful scenery. These lakes are transforming into grand ecological havens, vast wetlands and scenic wonders. With a holistic approach to manage water resources, water ecology and water environment, we will precisely address wastewater, garbage and agricultural nonpoint source pollution. We are following the basic requirement that water quality must improve and not worsen, so that we can make the rivers and lakes in Yunnan cleaner and more full of life.

Next, I'd like to speak about Yunnan's mountains. Yunnan boasts stunning mountains that cover 94% of its land. Each peak has its own story to tell. The towering Meili Snow Mountains pierce the clouds, while the Gaoligong Mountains are rich in biodiversity. The Wumeng Mountains overwhelm with their grandeur, and the Ailao Mountains hold a mysterious beauty. These mountains are more than just scenic landscapes; they are invaluable assets. We will comprehensively strengthen the systematic protection of ecosystems, natural relics, natural landscapes and biodiversity, carry out the "Green Yunnan" campaign, and effectively prevent forest fires and ecological damage, so that we can make Yunnan's mountains greener and lusher.

Finally, I'd like to speak about Yunnan's soil resources. There are 16 types of soil in Yunnan, accounting for one-quarter of those found in the country. The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in Yuanyang county are "carved" into the earth, while the red soil of Dongchuan is praised as a "palette." We will expand the scope of our efforts to improve soil quality, comprehensively strengthen the prevention and control of soil pollution at the source, implement strict measures to protect arable land, and maintain soil fertility in Yunnan. By doing so, we are safeguarding food security as well as people's abilities to eat well and without worry.

Thank you.

Southern Metropolis Daily:

Over the past several years, localities across the country have doubled their efforts to optimize the business environment and serve business entities. What measures has Yunnan province taken in this regard? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thank you for your question. I'd like to invite Mr. Wang Xiangang to answer it.

Wang Xiangang:

In recent years, Yunnan has been advocating three principles. First, the best time for development is the present; second, the best place for development is under our feet; and third, the best environment for development is based on yourself. We have unswervingly promoted marketization, industrialization, rule of law, ecology-oriented growth and digitalization in line with the above three principles. We have formulated and implemented a three-year action plan to foster a first-class business environment and a plan for doubling business entities, achieving remarkable results. The brand of "efficiency, service and integrity" has been enhanced, and the satisfaction of business entities has continued to increase.

Specifically, we have mainly focused on the following aspects:

First, we have worked hard to increase efficiency in quickly handling business affairs. By streamlining materials, simplifying processes and optimizing services, most enterprises can complete registrations within an hour, or half a day at most. The approval time for projects has been greatly shortened, and 98% of these matters can be handled directly online.

Second, we have worked hard to offer warm and thoughtful services. A key point here is that we have established a normalized communication mechanism between government and enterprises, with "assistance attendants" stationed in enterprises to accurately meet their needs. For example, in response to the financing difficulties facing enterprises, we developed and built a Yunnan financing credit service platform. More than 200 financial institutions have been introduced to the platform, providing one-stop financing services to more than 560,000 companies. Over the past year, a total of more than 130 billion yuan in credit has been granted. This work has been recognized by the State Council and has been promoted nationwide.

Third, we have made every effort to create a Yunnan known for its integrity and keeping promises. We have established a public credit information sharing platform, improved mechanisms for rewarding trustworthiness and punishing dishonesty, and have continuously expanded the application scenarios for credit. We have ensured that promises made to enterprises are kept. In 2023, credit building in Yunnan province was honored as a national progressive unit.

Business entities are not only the driving force for development, investment and innovation but also essential for employment, entrepreneurship and people's livelihoods. In recent years, benefited by the improvement of the business environment, the number of business entities in Yunnan has been consistently growing, becoming more active, larger and stronger. By the end of April this year, there were over 6.57 million registered business entities, with an average annual growth rate of over 20% in the past three years. Among them, the number of industrial enterprises above designated size, qualified construction companies, wholesale, retail, accommodation and catering enterprises above designated size and service enterprises above designated size have exceeded 23,000. Over the past three years, these "four major" enterprises have achieved an average annual growth rate of 12.3%.

Investing and starting a business in Yunnan not only allows you to enjoy the "Yunnan way of life" but also to share in the "Yunnan opportunities." We will continue to deeply engage in actions that create a first-class business environment, making it more convenient for enterprises to conduct business, feel more secure in their operations and where their rights are better protected.

Thank you.

Cnr.cn:

Many people, including myself, share the same sentiment that Yunnan is a distant place of poetry and a hometown of dreams. With its unique charm, Yunnan attracts visitors from all over the world and has become the preferred destination for many travelers. Could you please elaborate on how Yunnan plans to enhance the cultural tourism experience for visitors and fully provide cultural tourism services? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thank you for the great attention and support given to the development of Yunnan's cultural tourism industry. Yunnan boasts beautiful mountains, pristine waters, excellent ecological conditions, friendly people and breathtaking scenery. Friends who have visited Yunnan have all been deeply impressed by the landscapes throughout the province. Dali, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna offer picturesque views, while the Stone Forest Scenic Area, Shangri-La, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lugu Lake have gained international fame. Yunnan is home to 777 traditional Chinese villages, six World Heritage sites, eight national historical and cultural cities and over 624 scenic spots rated above A-level, all of which rank among the top in the country. People who have visited Yunnan often say that the province is filled with scenic beauty and charm. Tourism is the golden calling card of Yunnan. Our promotion of "a Yunnan way of life" has gained widespread recognition, with over 34 billion views across various online platforms. During this year's May Day holiday, Yunnan welcomed over 38 million visitors. Tourism in Yunnan has been consistently heating up during this period, with airports and train stations bustling, hotels continuously accommodating guests and tourist attractions full of visitors.

We will continue to strengthen our golden brand of tourism by focusing on three main aspects:

First, we will focus on innovation in business forms to ensure that when people come to Yunnan, they naturally slow down and stay longer. Yunnan is a place where time slows down. You can enjoy a cup of coffee, brew a pot of Pu'er tea, read a good book, savor delicious food, explore ancient towns and stroll through night markets to experience the rich local life. We are developing rural tourism, health tourism, cross-border tourism, sports tourism and educational tourism according to local conditions, continuously innovating new tourism-focused products to better meet the high-quality and diverse needs of tourists.

Second, we will focus on the integration of culture and tourism to ensure that when people travel around Yunnan, they not only appreciate the beautiful landscapes but also experience the profound culture. This year, China Internet Media Forum and the National Conference on Reading were held in Yunnan, allowing everyone to fully experience that Yunnan's charm lies not only in its natural scenery but also in its cultural heritage. We will promote the deep integration of culture and tourism, leveraging resources related to the Party's heritage, festival economies, intangible cultural heritage and tourism performances to integrate culture into all aspects of tourism, such as catering, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment, enhancing the content and appeal of tourism and leisure.

Third, we will focus on improving services to ensure people have confidence in the safety of their food, feel comfortable with where they are staying, and are able to enjoy themselves in Yunnan. We have organized two rounds of special actions to regulate order in the tourism market, yielding good results. According to the survey, in the first quarter of this year, half of all tourists in Yunnan came from outside the province, and over three-quarters of them were repeat visitors, a distinct feature that is particularly prominent in Yunnan. We will continue to take special actions to rectify issues such as unreasonably cheap tours and forced shopping during tours. We will continue to provide practical services for tourists, such as precise guidance, volunteer services, and safety reminders, and welcome domestic and foreign visitors with first-class services.

Cangshan Mountain is like a beautiful picture without ink, which has lasted for thousands of years, and Erhai Lake is like a guqin without a string, which has played melodious sounds through the ages. Tourists from home and abroad are welcome to visit Yunnan, where they can tour ancient villages, experience the joy of the water-splashing festival, attend a long street banquet, and enjoy the March Street Festival. Everyone will indulge in their stay in Yunnan and have a worthwhile trip here.

Thank you!

Economic Daily:

Nowadays, many people think of Yunnan when talking about agricultural products such as flower cakes, Pu'er tea, and panax notoginseng. What steps will Yunnan take next to develop its distinctive and competitive industries further? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thanks to this reporter for your question. I'll answer this question. The industries in Yunnan have distinctive features. Only with strong industries can a province be strong and its people rich. We have prioritized ecological conservation and pursued green development, focusing on developing distinctive and competitive industries. We have developed new quality productive forces based on local conditions and made every effort to build an important national clean energy base, a national strategic non-ferrous metal industry base, a modern agroecology base with plateau characteristics, and a world-famous tourist destination. Industries such as green silicon, green aluminum, new energy batteries, and biomedicine are developing rapidly. From 2021 to 2023, industrial investment in Yunnan province increased by 21% annually, with investment in the industrial sector growing by 20.4%. Industrial investment accounted for more than half of total investment, with the investment in the industrial sector ranking first among key industries. Industrial transformation and upgrading are accelerating. Here, I'd like to give you a specific introduction.

First, we will consolidate and improve the energy and non-ferrous metal industries, which have been the traditional pillar industries of Yunnan. In 2023, the proportion of installed green energy and green power generation capacity were 38 and 55 percentage points higher than the national average, respectively. The output of 10 non-ferrous metals, including copper and tin, ranks among the top nationwide. We should not only maintain this foundation but also further develop it. We will focus on transformation and upgrading, accelerate the construction of a leading province in green energy, improve our capacity to guarantee a stable supply of non-ferrous metal resources, as well as the capacity to conduct intensive processing, and infuse traditional industries with new vitality.

Second, we will foster and develop the green aluminum, silicon photovoltaic power, and new energy battery industries, which are Yunnan's "new three" industries. The green aluminum production capacity has risen from 1.68 million tons in 2017 to 6.33 million tons, and the growth rate of the value-added output of the silicon photovoltaic industry has stayed above 25% for 22 consecutive months. The new energy battery industry has achieved a breakthrough in growing from scratch and developing steadily, becoming a strong growth driver for the industrial economy. We will promote these three industries by extending industrial chains and advancing clustered development, truly building Yunnan into the "Chinese valley of green aluminum," the "photovoltaic power capital", and an "important industrial base for new energy batteries in China."

Third, we will specialize in biomedicine, new materials, and the advanced equipment manufacturing industry, all of which are being developed based on Yunnan's local resources. For example, it is well-known that artemisinin was first extracted on a large scale in Yunnan and in 2023, the province took a leading position in the number of vaccines approved for use. Industries such as indium, platinum, germanium, and titanium have significant influence globally. Industries such as high-end power equipment, mechanical equipment, and numerically controlled machine tools have a solid foundation. We will leverage our resource advantages and industrial foundation to drive the formation of innovation alliances between enterprises, universities, and research institutes. We will also accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies and advance their application to effectively enhance the competitiveness of our industries.

Fourth, we will strengthen the plateau's special agriculture, cultural tourism, and modern logistics industries. These three industries have solid foundations and immense development potential. Currently, we are at a crucial juncture of transitioning from scale-oriented to quality and efficiency-oriented development. In 2023, the output value of Yunnan's key agricultural industries throughout the entire industrial chain reached 2.5 trillion yuan. For two years in a row, Yunnan has ranked among the top in the nation for agricultural investment. Total tourism revenue reached 1.44 trillion yuan, and total revenue from the modern logistics industry reached 852 billion yuan. We will systematically focus on attracting investment, integrating development, brand building, and market expansion to transform industrial development from scale to quality and efficiency.

Thank you.

Zhonghongwang.com:

Yunnan is at the forefront of China's opening-up to South and Southeast Asia. Could you please elaborate on Yunnan's achievements in deepening cooperation and exchanges with these countries and regions in recent years? What are the next steps? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thank you for the questions. I'll invite Mr. Liu Yong to answer them.

Liu Yong:

Thank you for the questions. Yunnan's economic development leverages its geographical advantage and relies on opening-up. In recent years, Yunnan has actively integrated into and contributed to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. By promoting development through extensive opening-up, Yunnan has made significant progress in building itself into a center with radiation effects for South and Southeast Asia.

We have comprehensively strengthened the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure. The domestic sections of the China-Vietnam, China-Laos and China-Myanmar international corridor highways have been completed. Yunnan has the largest number of cities with air routes to South and Southeast Asia in China. The China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline operates safely and smoothly, and 14 cross-border power grid interconnection channels have been built. Since the opening of the China-Laos Railway, over 10,000 freight trains have run, carrying more than 34 million passengers and over 39 million tons of cargo. Leveraging the operation of international freight trains running on the China-Laos Railway, like the Shanghai-Kunming Lancang-Mekong Express freight train service, goods can now reach ASEAN markets within five days from Shanghai, 10 days faster than before. We will expand the "golden corridor" effect of the China-Laos Railway, accelerate the construction of the China-Laos-Thailand leading and demonstration channel, closely integrate with projects like the China-Europe Railway Express and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and build a multidimensional connectivity network.

We continuously promote the "soft connectivity" of trade rules. We are actively participating in the construction of the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor. Meanwhile, we are fully integrating with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and have established a multi-level opening-up platform system, promoting the vigorous development of trade and investment. Yunnan's trade with South and Southeast Asian countries increased from 72.5 billion yuan in 2013 to 125.8 billion yuan in 2023. Border trade increased by 51.5%, and trading between border residents increased by 55.3% in 2023. We will create a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains with neighboring regions, promote the coordination of rules, regulations, management, and standards. This will help us better coordinate efforts to further open up.

We continue to deepen cultural exchanges and advance "people-to-people connectivity." We have established 11 multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanisms with eight neighboring countries and formed 51 pairs of sister cities with countries in South and Southeast Asia. We have built 30 pairs of border-friendly villages and implemented aid projects in neighboring countries. These projects include infrastructure construction, agricultural technology promotion, skills training, and education assistance. These efforts have benefited over 2 million people, bringing communities closer together. Yunnan universities offer majors in 15 languages from South and Southeast Asia, which are highly popular in terms of enrollment and employment. We will continue to forge friendships and partnerships with our neighbors, deepening cooperation with neighboring countries in public health, green development, science, education, and culture. We will promote the implementation of more "small and beautiful" projects, elevate our partnerships to new levels, and foster closer ties.

Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

In 2020, Yunnan announced that all rural poor people in the province had been lifted out of poverty under the current standard. Four years have passed since then. What are their lives like now? Have their pockets become fuller? Additionally, how do you plan to consolidate the poverty alleviation achievements and promote comprehensive rural revitalization to further improve people's lives? Thank you.

Wang Yubo:

Thank you for your questions; I will answer them. The fight against poverty is not the end, but the starting point of a new life and new endeavors. In recent years, we have made prevention of a large-scale return to poverty our bottom-line task. We have established a unified provincial government assistance platform for monitoring and helping those at risk of falling back into poverty, and provided targeted assistance to households with unstable incomes, prone to poverty or facing sudden severe difficulties. We have implemented two three-year actions to sustain income growth for rural residents and those lifted out of poverty, to ensure that their incomes continue to grow rapidly. In 2023, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in the province increased by 8%, and the per capita net income of those previously lifted out of poverty increased by 14.8%.

Increasing people's happiness and reducing their worries, and boosting their financial freedom and relieving financial stress, are the most important aspects of our work. Based on preventing a large-scale return to poverty, we are focused on three areas:

First, we are striving to make the people’s pockets fuller. We have already gained considerable experience in this area. For example, Caoba town in the city of Mengzi has implemented the "622" model in the development of the blueberry industry, where 60% of sales revenue is distributed to farmers, 20% to village collectives and 20% to enterprises. In 2023, the average household income reached 100,000 yuan. Yongren county created the "Happy Lane" industrial worker community, providing 243,000 labor opportunities to local enterprises over two years, allowing residents to earn money while taking care of their families. Zhenxiong county has seen more than 35,000 people return to start businesses or find employment in the past two years. We will continue to develop county-level industries that benefit the people and enhance the quality of employment transfers for farmers, ensuring their pockets become fuller.

Second, we are striving to make the people's homes more livable. In recent years, we have worked with a team of experts from China Agricultural University to develop a number of rural revitalization demonstration villages, such as Hebian village and Yunzhong Miao village. Improvements to the rural environment have significantly promoted the development of rural industries, cultural prosperity and social governance. We will learn from and apply the experience of the "Green Rural Revival Program," using rural living environment improvements as a guide to effectively discover, protect, develop and enhance rural value, preserving rural charm and promoting cleanliness, beauty and civility in rural areas.

Third, we are striving to make the people's lives more comfortable. Each year, over 15 million people from Yunnan leave the province for work, and the issue of elderly and child care has always been a concern. We have encouraged officials to act as "honorary principals" and "honorary directors," dispatching key teachers from high-quality local middle schools and medical staff from provincial hospitals to improve every school and hospital close to the people. We are building and operating canteens for the elderly and child-friendly spaces in rural and community settings to meet the dining needs of the elderly and provide companionship, knowledge and happiness for left-behind children. We will continue to address the concerns and expectations of the people in areas such as living conditions, employment, education and healthcare, ensuring they enjoy a better life in all respects.

Just now, I addressed the development of our province's characteristic industries. The income growth of rural residents is closely related to agricultural industry development. Mr. Wang Xiangang will now elaborate on how to continue strengthening and improving plateau characteristic agriculture.

Vigorously developing plateau-featured agriculture is General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest advice to Yunnan's "three rural issues," namely, agriculture, rural areas and rural people. In fact, Yunnan encompasses almost every type of climate in China from the southernmost to the northernmost and from the easternmost to the westernmost, including tropical, subtropical, temperate and cold zones. The highest altitude is 6,740 meters and the lowest altitude is 76 meters. Yunnan has unique conditions for developing agriculture. Whatever you plant will grow, and whatever grows will be in good quality. For example, as we all know, Yunnan's flowers are world-renowned and Yunnan is the world's largest fresh cut flower production area. Last year, our fresh cut flower production reached 19 billion, which is equivalent to an average of 3 flowers for each person in the world. Kunming Dounan Flower Market has become a benchmark for flower trading in Asia and even the world. For another example, Yunnan's tea leaves are fragrant and have a profound history. Yunnan is the core origin of tea trees in the world. There are still a large number of ancient tea trees that are thousands of years old on the banks of the Lancang River. According to the verification and confirmation by relevant national departments, Yunnan's tea leaf area, output, and green organic tea gardens ranked first nationally in 2023. The cultural landscape of the old tea forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, has been included in the World Heritage Site. Besides, Yunnan's coffee is fragrant, with an area and output accounting for over 98% of the country. Yunnan is known as one of the most suitable areas for coffee cultivation in the world. Therefore, the quality of Yunnan coffee is also recognized by the world. In addition, Yunnan's fruits have long been famous at home and abroad, and it is also the province with the richest variety of fruits in China. Among them, the output of avocados and summer strawberries accounts for more than 80% of the country. Many friends want to go to Yunnan to eat various kinds of fruits. What's more, Yunnan's traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is of high quality. Yunnan boasts more than 145 kinds of TCM plants, accounting for over 50% of the nation's total. Panax notoginseng, paris polyphylla, and gastrodia elata are well-received nationwide. Many kinds of TCM serve as both food and medicine, and a consensus has been reached that seldom TCM prescriptions are without Yunnan TCM. 

Distinctive, green and high-quality are the defining characteristics of Yunnan's agriculture. Following General Secretary Xi Jinping's directives, we will adopt "greater agriculture" and "greater food" approaches, accelerating the construction of a strong province in distinctive agriculture. In enhancing ecological agriculture, we will speed up the green transformation of planting and breeding methods, establish a comprehensive green development standard system for the entire agricultural industry chain, and resolutely avoid the excessive use of water, fertilizer and pesticides, ensuring that our good mountains and good waters produce good products. In boosting agriculture facilities, we will focus on key areas such as modern facility planting and breeding, and address the shortcomings in processing, cold chain, preservation and logistics, comprehensively improving resource utilization and input-output efficiency. In strengthening agriculture efficiency, we will make efforts in good farmland, good seeds, good practices, good systems and good machinery, facilitating agricultural modernization with technologies. In expanding shared agriculture, we will improve mechanisms that link and benefit farmers with rural industries, integrate small farmers into large industries, develop large industries and expand large markets, ensuring that more added value from industries benefits rural areas and farmers. Thus, allowing more people to enjoy the fruits of development.

Yunnan has entered its rainy season in recent days. The season is incredibly good for the province as a large variety of wild mushrooms are gradually coming on the market. Within the industry, there's a saying: "Mushrooms elsewhere are vegetables, but mushrooms in Yunnan are delicacies." We invite everyone to join a mushroom feast and come to Yunnan to taste these fresh and delicious seasonal treats.

Thank you. 

Xing Huina:

Due to limited time, the last question please. 

CCTV:

In 2020, during his inspection tour in Yunnan, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Simola village in Tengchong and urged the villagers to make the happy Wa ethnic village even happier. Could you tell us how the lives of the villagers in the Wa ethnic village have been in recent years? How has Yunnan Province performed in terms of ethnic unity and progress? Thank you!

Wang Yubo:

Thanks to the reporter from CGTN. I will answer this question. In 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Simola Wa Village in Tengchong city during his inspection tour to Yunnan, saying to the villagers: "make the happy village even happier." Simola means "a place of happiness" in the local language. After China completes the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, it is necessary to comprehensively promote rural vitalization to make the happy village even happier, General Secretary Xi Jinping said this to the villagers during his visit. Over the past four years, we have kept General Secretary Xi Jinping's expectations in mind and developed rural industries with local features in light of actual conditions. More and more people have made their living by engaging in tourism and other eco-friendly businesses. Some of them are engaged in livestreaming e-commerce, turning the local mountain specialties into trending products on the internet. Simola Wa village has now become a national 4A-level scenic area, a beautiful leisure village and a demonstration village on rural governance. Its per capita net income in 2023 reaching 23,000 yuan, nearly double that of 2019. 

As we all know, Yunnan is home to a large number of ethnic groups, with all 56 of China's ethnic groups distributed, including 25 indigenous ethnic minorities. It is one of four provinces within the country where the minority population is larger than 10 million. All nationalities are one family, and the whole family should live better lives. The work we will carry out is enriched with the connotation and significance of forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, we will coordinate improving people's livelihood and winning public support to rally the people of all ethnic groups like pomegranate seeds. 

We insist on building a beautiful homeland together as one family. We focus more policies, projects and investment to areas with large ethnic minority populations. There are 11 airports operating in areas with large ethnic minority populations. High-speed rail or bullet trains are available in six of the eight autonomous prefectures. Villages in all areas with large ethnic minority populations have access to paved roads, postal communication and 4G networks. Every year, over 5 million people leave the mountains with many of them go to the eastern regions to find jobs. In the new era, GDP of ethnic autonomous areas has grown by an average of 9% annually, higher than the national and provincial average. In 2023, collective annual economic income of 374 villages exceeded 100,000 yuan and the per capita disposable income exceeded 20,000 yuan, an increase of nearly 10,000 yuan compared with the end of 2019. 

We are committed to safeguarding ethnic unity as one family. In Yunnan, scenes of people of different ethnic groups living in harmony can be seen everywhere. Like He Wanchun's family in Diqing, there are four ethnic groups his family of more than 20 people. Our research has found that there are seven ethnic groups among the 186 households in Dali's Zhengjiazhuang village. We educate, guide and inspire the people with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to core socialist values, deepen cultural efforts to revitalize Yunnan, carry forward and develop fine traditional Chinese culture as well as promote the standard spoken and written Chinese language to let people of all ethnic groups build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation through exchange, interaction and integration. 

We are united as one family in safeguarding our sacred national territory. Yunnan is one of the provinces with the longest borderline in the country, with 16 cross-border ethnic minorities. We have strengthened China's national defense through joint efforts of the Party, the government, the military, police and civilians. In addition, we are strengthening the construction of infrastructure and public service facilities in border areas, developing border tourism and other industries, striving to achieve prosperity for border residents, and build beautiful and stable borders with strong border defenses. Veteran Party chiefs from border villages of the Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County have got a letter in reply from General Secretary Xi Jinping. As one of the border villages, Xiabanba village in recent years has attracted a large number of tourists to visit border areas by developing tourism with local features. Over the past three years, the average annual growth rate of per capita net income has been 34.3%. The villagers say that they are now living prosperous lives and that they can, at the same time, take care of their families and protect the borders.

Thank you.

Xing Huina:

That concludes today's press conference. Thanks to the three speakers as well as all the reporters.

Translated and edited by Zhang Rui, Wang Qian, Li Xiao, Wang Yanfang, Ma Yujia, Yuan Fang, Liu Caiyi, Huang Shan, Xu Kailin, Wang Yiming, Wang Ziteng, Xiang Bin, Yang Xi, Li Huiru, Liu Jianing, 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.