CCTV:

During his inspection of Chongqing in April, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the city should try to build itself into a key strategic fulcrum for the development of China's western region in the new era and a comprehensive hub for inland opening up. Could you please elaborate on what Chongqing will focus on to serve the development of the western region and contribute to the overall development of the country? Thank you.

Hu Henghua:

Thank you for your question. During his inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping entrusted Chongqing with two defined roles, providing strategic guidance for the city's development. These roles are rooted in the western region and are aimed at serving the country's overall growth. The first role, "a key strategic fulcrum for the development of China's western region in the new era," emphasizes well-coordinated environmental conservation, greater openness and high-quality development. This requires Chongqing to play a strong supporting role and set a good example. The other role, "a comprehensive hub for inland opening-up," highlights Chongqing as both a transportation hub and a distribution center for resources such as people, materials, funds, and information. This aims to lead the opening up and development of inland regions. We will focus on these two roles and prioritize the development of six key zones:

First, we will build a pioneer zone for high-quality development in the western region. Last year, Chongqing's GDP exceeded 3 trillion yuan. Based on this achievement, we will strive to reach 4 trillion yuan by 2027, when the city celebrates its 30th anniversary as a municipality directly under the central government. Achieving this target won't be easy. Therefore, we must promote innovation, manufacturing, and services, with advanced manufacturing as our backbone. We will accelerate the development of a modern, productive service industry and build a modernized industrial system. These efforts will help create new growth drivers of new quality productive forces.

Second, we will establish a leading zone for international cooperation in inland opening-up. We will focus on promoting the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the western region and improving the collection, distribution, and transportation system for international logistic corridors. Currently, we are planning to build a hub port industrial park in the western part of Chongqing, bordering the central downtown area. This park will serve as a base for manufacturing of complete sets of advanced equipment , advanced materials, logistics, and modern supply chain services. If these corridors are seen as lines, the hub port industrial park can be viewed as a key linkage point, connecting the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the China-Europe Railway Express, and the Yangtze River waterway. This will enhance the interplay among corridors, economy and trade, and industries.

Third, we will create a pilot zone for comprehensive and in-depth reform. This involves being pioneers in implementing digitization, reforming state-owned assets and enterprises, transforming industrial parks and development zones, and developing the private economy. Our goal is to achieve a series of reform successes unique to Chongqing. For instance, by reforming industrial parks and development zones, we have reduced the number of industrial parks in Chongqing to 50, achieving a decrease in quantity. Moving forward, we will continue to enhance our functions, providing services for residents in the administrative area and supporting legal entities in the development zone. This will ensure that enterprises can handle relevant affairs without leaving the zone.

Fourth, we will build a demonstration zone for modernized governance of a super-large city. As a municipality directly under the central government, Chongqing enjoys the advantage of direct management. We will improve the comprehensive urban governance system and mechanism, develop a smart hub for city operations and governance, accelerate digital governance, and improve urban security capabilities in all respects, striving to gain new experiences in building a people-centered city.

Fifth, we will establish a zone demonstrating urban-rural integration and rural revitalization. Given Chongqing's vast rural areas, we will strengthen the driving role of the main urban area, comprehensively promote new urbanization using districts, counties, and central towns as key carriers, and advance rural revitalization with targeted measures, continuing to improve people's well-being.

Sixth, we will establish a pilot area for implementing the Beautiful China Initiative. As the largest riverside city in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Chongqing will be more aware of its special location and shoulder its corresponding responsibilities. We will promote environmental governance such as water, air, soil, waste and plastic management in a coordinated way, take actions for green and low carbon transformation, and consolidate the vital ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, safeguarding its green waters and the lush mountains on its both sides. 

That's my answer. Thank you.