Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for comprehensively deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization during his recent inspection trip to Shandong Province, an eastern economic powerhouse.
During the visit from Wednesday to Friday, President Xi emphasized the importance of pursuing reform-driven high-quality development and transforming Shandong into a hub of high-level opening up.
On Wednesday afternoon, President Xi visited Rizhao Port, where he observed the operations of the automated container terminal. The port, established after China’s launch of the reform and opening-up drive in the late 1970s, has evolved into a modern facility, exemplifying the successful upgrading and transformation of traditional industries.
Later, he toured a coastal greenway in Rizhao to learn about local efforts in ecological restoration. “The goal of advancing Chinese modernization is to make people’s lives better and better,” President Xi noted during his visit.
Shandong Province, with a population of 100 million, is both an industrial base and a major grain producer. It ranked third in GDP last year among all provincial-level regions in China and is renowned as the birthplace of Confucius.
President Xi’s trip to Shandong is his first local inspection since the April 30 meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. The meeting decided that the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee will be held in Beijing in July, primarily to examine issues related to further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization.
“Strive for excellence in comprehensively deepening reform and advancing high-level opening up,” President Xi urged local officials during the visit.
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President Xi calls for furthering reform in Shandong inspection
cgtn.com
