Chinese vice premier stresses high-quality development of SMEs

HANGZHOU, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing called for promoting the high-quality development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with increased efforts to foster more specialized and innovative firms.

Zhang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended a national conference on the development of specialized and innovative SMEs and made inspections in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, from Tuesday to Thursday.

Zhang stressed the support for SMEs in stepping up technological innovation, including their digital, intelligent, and green transformation and integration into global industrial and supply chains. More will be done to help them address difficulties and stimulate their vitality.

During his stay in Hangzhou, the vice premier also visited dams to inspect flood prevention. In crucial periods, authorities should strengthen flood monitoring and emergency response and eliminate safety hazards, he said.

As Typhoon Doksuri is about to make landfall in China, affected areas should take defensive measures such as returning ships to ports and evacuating residents to minimize losses, Zhang said.