[New ideas lead a new journey]Take advantage of the situation to promote the development of the western region and form a new pattern

　　CCTV news(News Network): The western region accounts for 72% of the country’s land area and 27% of its population. It plays an important strategic role in maintaining national ecological security, water security, energy resource security, and national defense and border security. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made more than 30 in-depth inspections and surveys in the western region, promoting the development of the western region to form a new pattern. Keeping in mind the general secretary’s instructions, the western region will strive to create a new situation of high-quality development and write a new chapter of coordinated regional development based on its resource endowment and industrial foundation.

The latest first-quarter data released shows that container throughput of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port increased by 20.4% year-on-year, and cargo throughput increased by 4% year-on-year. Xinjiang’s total foreign trade import and export value was 93.63 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 42.7%, ranking second in the country. Yunnan has received 300 million tourists, with total tourism expenditure exceeding 390 billion yuan. In the first quarter of this year, many fields in the western region achieved a “good start”.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted inspections and surveys across 12 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the west, guiding and drawing up a blueprint for the development of the western region in the new era. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed to promote the development of the western region to form a new pattern. Following the direction guided by the General Secretary, the western region has focused on key points, made up for shortcomings, strengthened and weakened areas, and achieved major historic achievements in economic and social development. Data from the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments show that in 2023, the western region’s GDP will be 26.9 trillion yuan, accounting for 21.5% of the country’s total, with an average annual growth rate of 4.9% over the past five years.

Today’s western region is working hard to draw a new picture of rural revitalization. From the depths of the Qinling Mountains to the Hexi Corridor, from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the hinterland of the southwest, the mountains and villages that were once the main battlefield for poverty alleviation have undergone tremendous changes and are full of vitality. In Gansu, the local government has deepened its application of the experience of the “Ten Million Project” and joined hands with Tianjin, Shandong and other places to build industrial parks to continue to increase the income of people who have been lifted out of poverty. In Shaanxi, specialty industries such as apples, fungus, and tea have bulged the pockets of farmers. This spring, the booming flower-viewing economy has driven a deep integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism. In Tibet, the creation of 220 plateau and beautiful villages is being accelerated, focusing on improving rural industry development, rural construction, and rural governance.

Today’s western region is making solid progress in high-quality development. Up to now, 9 national-level strategic emerging industry clusters, including new materials and biomedicine, and 5 national-level advanced manufacturing clusters, including electronic information and aviation, have been created. Sichuan leads the construction of a modern industrial system with scientific and technological innovation, has introduced 10 supporting policies to improve the quality and multiplication of six advantageous industries, and promotes the development of artificial intelligence and low-altitude economic industrial clusters. This year, Qinghai is expected to add more than 15 million kilowatts of clean energy, accelerating the construction of channels for exporting green electricity. In Ningxia, my country’s largest carbon capture, utilization and storage industry chain demonstration project is stepping up construction. The first phase will be put into operation in September. Ningxia has introduced a number of chain extension and chain strengthening projects focusing on new materials, modern chemicals and other industries.

Today’s West is accelerating from the open end to the front. The number of China-Europe trains operating accounts for about half of the country’s total, reaching 160 cities in 20 European countries, 6 free trade pilot zones, and 40 comprehensive bonded zones, accelerating the creation of a new highland for opening up to the outside world. In Chongqing, the integrated operations of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor Logistics and Operations Organization Center, the China-Europe Express Train Collection Center, and the Yangtze River Upstream Shipping Center have been basically formed.

In today’s west, the green territory continues to expand. A total of more than 320 million acres of farmland have been converted into forests and grasslands, and two national parks, Sanjiangyuan and Giant Panda, have been established. The main streams of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River have reached Class II water quality. In Guizhou, the implementation of returning farmland to forest, wetland restoration, and comprehensive control of rocky desertification has been stepped up, and the ecological barrier has been further strengthened. In Inner Mongolia, spring afforestation is in full swing. This year, it is planned to complete 15 million acres of desertification prevention and control. Grassland grazing and mine greening are also progressing simultaneously.

Promote the development of the western region to form a new pattern. By 2035, the western region will basically realize socialist modernization, and strive to achieve complementary development of different types of regions, coordinated progress in two-way opening up from the east to the west, prosperity, security and stability in ethnic border areas, and harmonious coexistence of man and nature.