Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country's state-level economic and technological development zones to continuously stimulate innovation vitality and endogenous momentum and promote high-standard opening up for in-depth reform and high-quality development.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on the work of such development zones.

Building state-level economic and technological development zones is an important measure for China to advance reform and opening up, Xi said.

He encouraged these development zones to be pioneers in reform and opening up, urging them to further improve the institutions and mechanisms of high-standard opening up.

They should actively participate in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand international cooperation and innovate the ways of attracting investment, Xi noted.

He also urged these development zones to foster high-end, green and digital industries, and develop new quality productive forces in line with local conditions.

A symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China's first group of state-level economic and technological development zones was held in Tianjin on Sunday. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed Xi's instruction at the symposium and delivered a speech.

It is imperative to study and implement Xi's instruction, He said, calling on state-level economic and technological development zones to play an active role in advancing economic transformation and upgrading and building a new development pattern.