China stresses green development, ethnic unity in modernization drive

In his first trip to an autonomous region since the XX National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CCP) held last October, Xi Jinpinggeneral secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Monday to Thursday.

During the fact-finding trip, Xi, also China’s president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called on the region to adhere to its strategic position and pursue green development that prioritizes ecological protection.

It is also necessary to strive to pursue a new development philosophy and forge a greater sense of community for the Chinese nation, so as to strive to write a new chapter of Chinese modernization, he said.

green development

Wuliangsu Lake is the largest lake wetland in the Yellow River Basin and lies at the apex of the river’s meandering curves. In addition, it has the function of regulating the flow of water, improving water quality, and preventing ice formation and flooding. It is regarded as a center of ecological functions in North China.

With the lake as the first stop on his inspection tour, Xi has stressed the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, pastures and sand.

Over the past decade, Inner Mongolia has planted 122 million mu (about 8.1 million hectares) of trees and 286 million mu of grass, with the area of ​​desertified land continuously shrinking, government data shows. regional.

Affirming the region’s achievements, Xi also stressed the importance of continuous efforts to promote green development.

He said the top priority for Inner Mongolia’s development lies in transforming and upgrading the traditional energy industry, vigorously developing green energy and strengthening the country’s main energy base.

During a visit to an industrial park in Hohhot, Xi urged China to achieve self-sufficiency in science and technology after learning about the R&D and production of semiconductors and photovoltaic material products of enterprises in the park.

He called on Inner Mongolia to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor to raise the level of opening up.

Xi also urged the region to boost its connectivity with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and northeast China’s provinces.

A community for the Chinese nation

China is a unified multi-ethnic country, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was the first province-level autonomous region established in China.

Xi noted on Thursday that, from a national perspective, the hardest task in bringing prosperity to all people in the country remains in some border areas with mainly ethnic minority populations.

These areas must not be left behind on the road to common prosperity, he stressed.

Employment channels should be developed, the multi-level social security system improved and the results of poverty alleviation consolidated, Xi said.

In addition, he stressed the importance of ethnic unity and a sense of community for the Chinese nation, a concept that the Chinese leader has emphasized on many occasions.

Over the past decade, China has taken strong measures to foster a greater sense of community for the Chinese nation, including supportive policies, development funds, and industrial projects for ethnic minority groups and border areas.

From 2012 to 2022, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in areas with large ethnic minority populations increased by an annual average of 7.7%and that of rural residents increased by 10.2%according to the National Commission for Ethnic Affairs.

Source: AP