Chinese vice premier stresses flood safety, manufacturing innovation

SHENZHEN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for efforts to ensure safety during the flood season and promote independent innovation in manufacturing to safeguard industrial and supply chain security.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on a research trip in southern China's Guangdong Province.

During his visits to embarkments and floodgates from Sunday to Tuesday, Zhang learned of the floods in the Pearl River basin, and inspected embankment reinforcement and renovation, and emergency responses to urban flood control and drainage.

He called for staying highly vigilant during the current flood season, monitoring and forecasting rains and floods, strengthening cross-regional information sharing, and taking decisive measures to avoid casualties in emergencies.

Zhang also stressed coordinated efforts in flood control and drought relief regarding the uneven precipitations and ensuring water for drinking and industrial and agricultural production in drought regions.

In Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Zhang went to manufacturing enterprises in intelligence, communications equipment, and medical devices to learn about their independent innovation efforts.

Independent innovation is an inherent requirement for building a powerful manufacturing country and achieving high-quality development, Zhang stressed, adding that the enterprises should better assume their responsibility of being dominant in innovation.

The enterprises should focus on the primary strategic needs of the country and building a modern industrial system, keep an eye on the trend of industrial development and technological changes, strengthen basic research, and continuously optimize the environment for independent innovation, Zhang said.