Opening speech of Chairman Ji Xiaonan at CBT100 Forum

On Dec 6 and 7, 2019, the 19th China Business Top 100 (CBT100) Company Forum and the fifth CBT100 City Forum were held in Shanghai. On the morning of Dec 7, Ji Xiaonan, chairman of the CBT100 Forum, delivered the opening speech. Below is the full text of Ji's speech.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and friends in the news media!

In the closing month of 2019, we gathered together in Shanghai to participate in the 19th CBT100 Company Forum and the fifth CBT100 City Forum. First of all, please allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude and warm welcome to old and new friends who have made their attendances at our forums, to express warm congratulations to the companies and cities that have been awarded the CBT100 Company Award and the CBT100 City Award, and to pay high respects to the laborers and leaders who have created all of these brilliant achievements.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. During the 70 years of ups and downs, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have embarked on a magnificent journey of striving and progress. Meanwhile, the great achievements of China's social development have attracted worldwide attention. In this process, our listed companies and innovative cities have made positive and important contributions. At present, the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. In this new era, China's economic development is in a critical period of conversion from old to new momentum, and the Chinese economy has advanced from the era of high-speed development to the era of high-quality development. We must adhere to the principals of quality first and efficiency first, in order to promote economic development, and to achieve overall reforms and efficiency reforms. Our listed companies and our innovation cities should make new and greater contributions in this regard.

CBT100 companies and cities are powerful forces for China's economic development. They are also supporting forces for achieving important results in socialist construction. At present, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation are accelerating. Only those who seize this historic opportunity can take the initiative in international competition, and lead the development of the world economy. The wave of scientific and technological revolution coincides with China's requirements for accelerating the transformation of economic development and achieving high-quality development. It not only provides us with a major opportunity to implement innovative development, but also brings new challenges to our companies and cities. The CBT100 companies and cities should take this as an opportunity to focus on the development of the fourth industry, which features scientific and technological innovations, and to achieve new economic development, which ultimately helps to achieve sustained and better development of our economy.