Pudong celebrates progress over past 30 years

It is important to promote systemic opening-up in rules, regulations, management and standards to offer a high-level of supply in systems, high-quality of supply in products and high-efficiency of supply in funds, he said, adding that the role of the Lingang Special Area, a new addition to the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, must be amplified.

"(The special area) must use the highest standards and levels as the benchmark and carry forward stress testing at a greater degree in order to usher in breakthroughs in several key areas," he said.

He urged the area to adopt a more open and enabling talent policy to actively bring in high-caliber and top-notch talents, especially from the younger generation.

He also underlined the significance of enhancing the region's capacity to enable the global allocation of resources, saying that Pudong must increase its global influence in the allocation of production elements and strive to become the hub for the domestic market and the strategic link between the domestic and international markets.

"I have said that the Chinese economy is a vast area of sea. I also want to say that the global economy is a vast area of sea. The oceans and seas of the world are interconnected, and any individual attempting to block the connection is simply making a delusional effort that punches above their weight," he said.

As part of efforts to improve the level of modernization for city governance, Pudong should explore a path of megacity development that features both the characteristics of China and the times and displays the systemic strength of socialism, Xi said.

After attending the gathering, Xi went to neighboring Jiangsu province on Thursday afternoon for an inspection tour.