Xi makes important instructions on Hainan Free Trade Port development

SANYA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, after listening to the work report from the CPC Hainan provincial committee and the provincial government, urged Hainan to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, earnestly implement the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee regarding the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, focus closely on its strategic positioning as a pilot zone for the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up, as a national pilot zone for ecological conservation, as an international tourism and consumption destination and as a service zone for major national strategies, and scientifically plan work on reforms, opening up and high-quality development before and after the launch of independent customs operation on the island province. Xi stressed that Hainan should continue to free the mind, explore new ground with innovation, overcome difficulties and make steady progress in its strive to build the Hainan Free Trade Port into an important gateway driving China's opening up in the new era and write the Hainan chapter of Chinese modernization.

On the afternoon of Dec. 17, Xi listened to the work report of the CPC Hainan provincial committee and the provincial government in Sanya, Hainan Province. Feng Fei, secretary of CPC Hainan provincial committee, presented the report. Governor of Hainan Province Liu Xiaoming and other officials attended the meeting.

After listening to the report, Xi delivered an important speech, affirming the various work achievements in Hainan and putting forward requirements for work in the next stage.

Xi pointed out that efforts should be made to build a modern industrial system featuring Hainan's characteristics and advantages. He urged Hainan to promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, promote the strengthening and extension of industrial chains of as well as the optimization and upgrading of leading industries such as tourism, modern services, high-tech industry and tropical high-efficiency agriculture. He called on Hainan to actively align with national strategic scientific and technological strength, enhance international scientific and technological cooperation, construct a more open talent introduction mechanism, build a multi-tiered scientific and technological innovation system, intensify efforts to make breakthroughs in core technologies, strengthen the application of scientific and technological achievements and develop new quality productive forces in line with local conditions. Xi called for continued efforts in prioritizing ecological protection, pursuing green development, addressing prominent environmental problems, and safeguarding green mountains, clear waters as well as blue seas and skies. Work should be done to promote the integrated development of industries such as culture, sports, tourism and health care, boost opening up and cooperation in the tourism industry, nurture new types of consumption, and promote the transformation and upgrading of consumption. The province should also continuously pursue coordinated land and marine development, promote interplay between mountainous and coastal areas and integrate various resources, and focus on marine development to boost productivity and seek new growth drivers with the aim of building up the province's strength in marine economy.

Xi emphasized the need to steadily promote reform in key areas. He called for focusing on the full implementation of the system of free trade port policies and institutions, and coordinating the pace and rhythm of opening up. He stressed focusing on liberalizing and facilitating trade, investment, cross-border fund flow, personnel entry and exit, and transportation, as well as ensuring secure and orderly flow of data. Xi urged benchmarking against international high-standard economic and trade rules, vigorously promoting institutional opening up, and creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. He demanded improving various opening-up platforms with concrete efforts, strengthening exchanges, cooperation, and functional integration with free trade zones in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road cooperation. Xi stressed enhancing interconnected development between the province and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and strengthening its cooperation with the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Yangtze River Delta, and other regions. Efforts should be made to accelerate the implementation of core policies for the Hainan Free Trade Port and carefully prepare for smooth and orderly independent customs operation.

Xi pointed out that it is necessary to continuously improve civility among residents and throughout society. He urged persistently using the Party's innovative theories to enhance cohesion and forge the soul, cultivating and promoting core socialist values, extensively carrying out initiatives to raise the public's cultural-ethical standards, and striving to achieve both material and cultural-ethical advancement. Xi called for protecting, utilizing, and inheriting historical culture, revolutionary culture, marine culture, and folk culture resources, enhancing cultural innovation and creativity, and developing and strengthening the cultural industry. He stressed improving the public cultural service system in urban and rural areas, enriching the intellectual and cultural lives of urban and rural residents, and continuously pushing for the change of outdated social mores.

Xi stressed that it's essential to comprehensively improve people's livelihood and social governance. He called for strengthening public services that meet essential needs, are inclusive, and ensure basic living standards for people in difficulty. He urged improving urban and rural public service systems and social security systems, and solving pressing difficulties and problems that concern the people most. Support should be strengthened for employment and entrepreneurship of key groups and maintaining overall employment stability. He called for coordinating the layout of urban and rural infrastructure and public services, steadily advancing urbanization, enhancing the effectiveness of assistance for the population lifted out of poverty, and ensuring that no large-scale lapsing or relapsing into poverty occurs. Xi emphasized coordinating development and security, improving the risk prevention and control system, strengthening disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief capacity building, and enhancing the ability to respond to major risks and challenges. He called for improving the urban and rural community governance system, combating organized crime and rooting out local criminal gangs on an ongoing basis, and cracking down on illegal activities of all types in accordance with the law.

Xi pointed out that it is necessary to set strengthening the Party politically as the overarching guide for all other initiatives of Party building, and further promote the full and rigorous Party self-governance. Efforts should be made to consolidate and expand what has been achieved in the theoretical study program, promote regular and long-term studies of Party discipline, and continuously implement the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving work conduct. Work should be done to encourage officials to continue to uphold the pioneering, courageous and hardworking spirit demonstrated in developing special economic zones, and see that they have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well. Xi said it is imperative to work ceaselessly to push forward the anti-corruption campaign and eradicate the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption. The checks and oversight on the exercise of power should be strengthened, with education and guidance provided to bolster officials' resistance to corruption and moral decline.

Xi stressed that with the approaching New Year and Spring Festival holidays, CPC committees and governments at all levels should ensure people's livelihood, including securing the "rice bag" and "vegetable basket," guarantee the supply of materials and energy, and carry out in-depth workplace safety inspections, in a bid to maintain overall social stability. He called for carefully implementing the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, scientifically planning economic and social development work for next year, and striving to achieve a good start to the new year.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.

He Lifeng and leading officials of relevant central Party and government departments participated in the meeting.