President stresses progress, harmony in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region tour

Building a subadministrative center for Beijing has milestone significance and provides a great opportunity for the city’s development in the new era, President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark during a tour that focused on the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It includes 216,000 square kilometers and a population of over 100 million.

Last week, Beijing’s municipal government moved its offices from downtown to the eastern suburb of Tongzhou district, the city’s subcenter, indicating government has formally begun work at the new location.

Quality must be the top priority in building the subadministrative center to make it a brilliant spotlight in Beijing, Xi said. He stressed harmonious integration of work, living, entertainment, transport, education and healthcare in building the subcenter.

At a meeting attended by senior officials of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, Xi said Beijing must be relieved of functions unrelated to its status as the capital with steady and orderly steps.

The building of Xiongan New Area, a key move to transfer Beijing’s noncapital functions, must proceed with high standards, Xi said, urging the launch of a new round of infrastructure construction in Xiongan.

He also stressed the importance of protecting the environment and upholding a people-centered philosophy in the pursuit of coordinated development. Xi told senior officials to make great effort in poverty reduction and ensure that all poverty-stricken counties in the region are lifted out of poverty by next year.

During his visit to the planning exhibition center of the new area on Wednesday, Xi was briefed on the zone’s overall planning and shown projects to be launched. He said all kinds of enterprises, including foreign-funded ones, are welcome to invest in Xiongan as long as they conform to the area’s industrial development plan.

Xi encouraged efforts to strengthen fundamental research to achieve more progress in independent innovation during his visit to a national key laboratory at Tianjin-based Nankai University on Thursday. He told the students and teachers to combine the goals of their studies with the great goal of national rejuvenation.

When Xi visited a service center for veterans in a Tianjin community, he instructed Party committees and governments at all levels to earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of veterans and guarantee their living standards and employment.

While visiting Tianjin’s port, Xi said that to make the country stronger, transportation must become stronger first. He encouraged workers to build a top-class port and contribute to building the Belt and Road.

The real economy is fundamental for a major country, and more continuous efforts are needed to develop it, Xi said at the port.

At a science park in Tianjin, Xi viewed an exhibition of high-tech products, including a supercomputer, chips, operating system and robots. The government must be dedicated to encouraging innovation, as it is of great significance for high-quality growth, Xi said.

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