Xi inspects Xiong'an New Area, urges new progress in its development

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour of Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province on Wednesday. Xi also presided over a meeting on promoting Xiong'an's high-standard and high-quality construction and development and delivered an important speech. He stressed that the development of Xiong'an New Area 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 non-essential 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 non-essential to its role as the national capital, he said. It is imperative to boost confidence, maintain resolve, and step up efforts in a solid and fruitful manner to achieve new progress in various aspects of work.

Xi was accompanied by Premier Li Qiang, and Cai Qi, who is director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. The three are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

On Wednesday, accompanied by Ni Yuefeng, secretary of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Wang Zhengpu, governor of Hebei, Xi conducted a fact-finding mission in the high-speed railway station, a local community, and construction sites.

On Wednesday morning, Xi took a high-speed train to Xiong'an New Area. Upon his arrival, Xi first inspected the construction and operation of the station. As the first important infrastructure project in the new area, Xiong'an Railway Station is of great significance. Xi examined the platforms, the waiting hall, and the squares outside, and learned about the station's construction and operation as well as the planning and construction of Zan'gang area, where the station is located. Xi said that Xiong'an Railway Station is the transportation hub of Xiong'an New Area. The transportation networks that connect the railway station and the rest of the new area should be further optimized, so as to improve the efficient flow of logistics and people, he said. Zan'gang area should be built into a cluster of high-end and high-tech industries, so that visitors will be able to immediately feel the new atmosphere of modernized Xiong'an New Area upon their arrival, he said.

Xi then took a car to Nanwenying community in Rongdong District of Xiong'an New Area, which is now home to 5,000-plus relocated people from Anxin and Rongcheng counties. While visiting the CPC service center for the public and then the community's canteen, Xi chatted cordially with staff of the community, residents seeking public services at the center, and elderly people dining at the canteen. He checked records of civil affairs of the community and expressed his satisfaction with its work on facilitating people's life and providing elderly care services. Xi stressed that he has been concerned about the life of relocated people. It's a relief to see their good living conditions. The key to boosting the development of Xiong'an New Area is to secure settlement and jobs for the relocated residents, so that they could live a stable, prosperous and promising life, Xi said. Xiong'an New Area needs to promote the modernization of its urban governance, and work must be done to the last detail in the initial phase to promote equal access to basic public services, so as to build a people's city that is both livable and conducive to doing business, Xi noted.

Xi called on the home of Li Jinghe, one of the relocated residents. Li told Xi that he moved into his new home in November 2021. The roomy and bright home offers much comfort, and his life is becoming better and better. Xi highlighted that developing Xiong'an New Area is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee. The relocated residents had answered the call of the state, supported the policies, and made their contributions to the implementation of the national strategies. Xi urged the young generation to boost their confidence, improve their capacities, contribute to their hometowns and work as builders of and successors to the cause of socialism in the building of a stronger China and national rejuvenation.

When Xi was leaving, the residents greeted him with loud cheers. Xi also waved goodbye to the residents. He said with emotion that he felt attached to this place as he once worked in Hebei, and hoped to build it into a better region. The development of Xiong'an New Area is a national project of millennial significance and should be pushed forward with concrete actions and sustained efforts. The construction cannot be done in a hasty mood, and neither should it rely solely on support, Xi said.

Xiong'an Intercity Railway Station is located at the core of the first-built zone in Xiong'an New Area. Xi then arrived at the construction sites of the station and the international trade center. He checked sand tables of the areas, overlooked the sites from a high point, and learned about the development of key infrastructure projects and major projects launched for the purpose of relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the capital. Xi noted that transportation plays the role of the blood vessels of a modern city, and smooth flow of traffic is the prerequisite to a city's healthy development. More efforts should be made in constructing a multidimensional comprehensive transport network, in making full use of underground space and in building a future city without "urban problems," so as to turn the high-standard blueprint into high-quality development of a city.

In the afternoon, Xi arrived at the Xiong'an Hall of the Xiong'an Exhibition Center. While watching the sand table and related short videos, he listened to the introduction on the overall planning and construction of Xiong'an New Area, and learned about the progress in ecological and environmental governance and protection of Baiyangdian Lake, river dredging and the "100 lakes connection project." He stressed that the endeavors to promote the ecological and environmental governance and protection of Baiyangdian Lake will benefit not only this generation, but many more to come. Therefore, comprehensive plans must be made and implemented in a steady manner.

Afterwards, Xi chaired a meeting on advancing the high-standard and high-quality construction of Xiong'an New Area at the multifunctional hall on the third floor of the exhibition center. Zheng Shanjie, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Ni Yuefeng, secretary of Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Zhang Guohua, secretary of Party Work Committee of Xiong'an New Area made speeches. Heads of China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd. and China State Construction Engineering Corporation submitted their written speeches.

After listening to their speeches, Xi delivered an important address. He stressed that under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the strong support from the relevant central departments, Beijing, Tianjin and other regions, Hebei Province has performed its principal responsibilities, and the Party Work Committee and the Administration Committee of Xiong'an New Area have performed their due responsibilities and made solid progress on all fronts. As a result, significant phased achievements have been made in building Xiong'an New Area, top-level design regarding the construction and development of the new area is near completion, major progress has been made in infrastructure construction, efforts to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital are paying off, tangible results have been seen in the ecological and environmental governance of Baiyangdian Lake, positive results have been attained in deepening reform and opening-up, conditions for integrating industries and innovations have become more mature, and steady progress is being made in the relocation and resettlement of local residents. Within only six years, Xiong'an New Area has started from scratch and developed from a blueprint to reality. A high-level modern city is sprouting up, which is undoubtedly a miracle. All these achievements have been made while the world today is undergoing a scale of changes unseen in a century and during the COVID-19 pandemic that lasted for three years, which is very hard to come by. Facts have shown that the strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee on the development of Xiong'an New Area is correct, and work in different aspects is solid and effective.

Xi stressed the importance of fully, faithfully and comprehensively implementing the strategic plans of the CPC Central Committee on the construction of Xiong'an New Area and deeply understanding the practical and historical significance of the CPC Central Committee's decisions. It is important to stay committed to the CPC Central Committee's arrangements on Xiong'an New Area's functions and roles, missions and tasks, and relevant principles and requirements in this regard. Xi highlighted the need to enhance political awareness and be sufficiently patient, in a bid to balance the relationships between the near-term targets and mid- and long-term goals, between the speed of urban development and the scale of population increase, between industrial relocation and industrial upgrade, between the government and the market, between the work to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and city development of Xiong'an, between urban construction and the revitalization of surrounding rural areas, so that the right direction can be ensured for the development of Xiong'an New Area.

Xi called for solid endeavor to do tasks related to relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital, urging the planning for the relocation to Xiong'an of another batch of the headquarters of state-owned enterprises directly under the central government in Beijing as well as their subsidiary companies and units of innovation operation. The relocation to Xiong'an of financial institutions, research institutes and public institutions should also be planned. Incentive and constraint policies for the relocated should be further improved. As far as policies related to children's education of those relocated to Xiong'an, their healthcare, housing, remuneration, social security, and housing provident fund are concerned, the principle should be followed that old measures are applied for veterans and new measures for fresh employees, and policies should be more detailed and practical, so that they can enjoy real benefits. Xi also called for the integration of market mechanisms and government's guidance, equal emphasis on projects and policies, and strengthened internal impetus for the relocation through market-based and law-based approaches.

Xi emphasized the importance of fully implementing the strategy of innovation-driven development, and carrying out pioneering policies and measures on reform and opening up in multiple areas and forward-looking trials and demonstration projects in Xiong'an New Area. He called for efforts in building new functions, forming new images, developing new industries, gathering new talent, and constructing new mechanisms, making Xiong'an New Area an innovation highland and a fertile ground for business ventures in the new era. It is essential to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment, formulate a package of special support policies to extensively attract and gather domestic and foreign forces and capital to participate in the construction and development of Xiong'an New Area, in a bid to create a dynamic landscape of public popularity, convergence of factors, joint contribution and common development. It is also essential to widely apply advanced science and technology, strengthen the capability for scientific and technological innovation as well as the application of achievements in science and technology research, develop new business forms and models to foster new growth drivers, and make a smart, green and innovative Xiong'an New Area a widely acclaimed brand name. It is equally important to implement the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, pursue green and low-carbon development, and make Xiong'an New Area a model of green development.

Xi pointed out that it is imperative to improve the leadership and management mechanisms of Xiong'an New Area, and Xiong'an should embrace an urban management system in a phased and orderly manner. The leadership teams at all levels and the officials of the new area need to be strengthened to make the personnel more qualified and professional. Work needs to be done to improve the assessment and evaluation mechanisms for officials in Xiong'an and encourage Party members and officials to take on responsibilities, innovate and perform their duties well.

Xi stressed that it must be ensured that people's cities are built by the people and for the people. Efforts must be made to address the issues of major concern to officials and people in Xiong'an New Area, so that people will get a strong sense of fulfillment and happiness from the development of the new area. Priority must be given to employment to improve policies that guide employment and entrepreneurship, and increase employment training programs for the labor in the new area. Efforts must be made to seek balanced development between urban and rural areas, so as to blaze a new path in narrowing the gap between urban and rural areas, pursuing integrated urban-rural development and promoting common prosperity for all.

Xi pointed out that the Xiong'an New Area Party Work Committee and Party organizations at all levels should conscientiously carry out the theoretical study program, and take the study as an opportunity to strengthen fact-finding efforts, promote the emancipation of mind, the improvement of capabilities, the transformation of work style, and the implementation of work, in a bid to further boost political and organizational functions. Continuous efforts must be made to tackle pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, and advance anti-corruption endeavor in an integrated manner to make sure that officials don't dare to, are unable to and have no desire to commit corruption so as to create "Xiong'an quality" secured by "a clean government of Xiong'an."

In his speech, Li Qiang said that to promote the construction of Xiong'an New Area with high standards and high quality, the most fundamental and crucial thing is to understand and implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. It is necessary to have the resolve of the "Millennium Plan," firmly grasp the role and mission of Xiong'an New Area, and work in a steady and patient manner for sustained achievements. It is essential to have the enthusiasm to "seize the day and night," vigorously focus on the things that have been clarified and must be done, and never to wait or procrastinate. Instead, work must be done in a fast manner to accelerate the efforts to help relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, solidly advance infrastructure construction, and step up efforts to build a modern industrial system, give full play to the enthusiasm of all parties, and continuously make new progress in fulfilling various tasks.

Ding Xuexiang said that it is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, and take scientific and technological innovation as the fundamental task for the high-quality construction and development of Xiong'an New Area. More efforts should be made to create an important source of independent and original innovation, build a first-class innovation platform, and carry out high-level scientific and technological innovation. Efforts must be made to promote the deep integration of industrial chain with innovation chain, deploy the innovation chain based on the industrial chain, intensify the application of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the development of high-tech industries; endeavors must be made to create a collaborative innovation community for the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, innovate the benefit-sharing model, and absorb and gather more innovative elements for promoting high-quality development of Xiong'an New Area.

Li Ganjie, He Lifeng and others were on the inspection tour and attended the meeting. Wu Zhenglong, Mu Hong, Jiang Xinzhi and the leading officials of the relevant departments of central Party and government, relevant military units, Hebei Province, Xiong'an New Area, and those in charge of relevant enterprises were present at the meeting.