About 924.6 billion yuan ($127.4 billion) of fund has been collected for constructing water resources management projects across the country in the first five months this year, up by 42 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

In a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office, Wu Wenqing, chief planner of the ministry, also said the investment that has been made into building water resources management projects during the period increased by 17 billion yuan to 421.3 billion yuan.

He also noted significant growth in the number of newly-launched projects.

The country saw 34,000 water resources management projects unveiled in the first five months this year, increasing by 22.5 percent, he noted. With an even more robust growth of 52 percent, the number of projects with a total investment of over 100 million yuan reached 1,340.

These projects have played an important role in stabilizing economic growth and employment, he added.

In total, almost 1.3 million people were employed in these projects, 7.2 percent more than the same period last year. And more than 1 million of them were from rural China, he said. 129.5万人 7.2% 103.8万人

The high-quality development of Southwest China's Guizhou province is in full swing as it has made efforts to develop high-technology enterprises and the green economy, while also shaping the province into a world-class tourism destination.

Li Bingjun, governor of Guizhou, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Friday that the province was formerly impoverished with a challenging environment and inconvenient transportation. It has since shaken off poverty and ushered in a new era of high-quality development.

Li said that the province has channeled continuous efforts and resources toward rural vitalization work in recent years to increase farming incomes and develop agricultural sectors such as tea and fruit cultivation.

"The tea is organic and healthy. The black tea we produce is very popular and the green tea powder is exported to over 40 countries and regions," he said.

Li added that Guizhou has established a modern industrial system thanks to its rich natural and mineral resources. As reported by Xinhua News Agency, Guizhou has so far discovered 137 mineral resources — including coal, phosphate and aluminum — covering 80 percent of the nation's total types of mineral assets.

He said the province has taken advantage of these mineral resources to upgrade its traditional sectors — such as coal, tobacco and liquor — and develop cutting-edge high-tech industries like new energy.

"We have placed much focus on developing clean energy, which not only meets the province's power demand, but also can be transmitted to neighboring provinces and the Greater Bay Area," said Li.

He added that the province has extended its phosphorus chemical industry to new energy battery research and development, and also channeled resources to build up bases of smart algorithms, big data, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Luo Qiang, vice-governor of Guizhou, said at the news conference that the province's big data industry started from scratch from 2014 and has embraced prosperous development.

He said that China Mobile built the world's first computing artery with a 400G optical transmission network in the provincial capital of Guiyang last year, with which data transmission from Guiyang to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province takes just 10 milliseconds and to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, only 16 milliseconds.

Guangzhou is over 950 kilometers from Guiyang and Hangzhou is about 1,650 km away.

Luo added that some traditional and agricultural sectors have also shown good performance.

"For example, Jiangkou county — a formerly impoverished area — is now a 'world super plant' for green tea production and brings benefits to nearly 100,000 local tea growers. By the end of last year, we had developed 12 leading tea companies, and the province's pepper products take up nearly 70 percent of domestic market share."

In addition, Guizhou is making efforts to shape the province into a world-class tourism destination, as it takes tourism as its most advantageous pillar because of the mild climate and diversified landscapes.

Li said the province has breathtaking views of waterfalls, lakes, mountains and ethnic cultural attractions.

"The renowned Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest waterfall in Asia and Libo Seven Small Arches has emerald-colored lakes," said Li.

"In Guizhou, travelers can participate in marathons and go cycling amid beautiful natural scenery, or enjoy bamboo raft and dragon boat excursions with strong elements of Chinese culture. The province at large is enthusiastic about sporting events like soccer and basketball and has many scrumptious foods and liquors that keep travelers coming back," he said.

Northwest China's Gansu province is set to continue leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of developing the country's western region to further promote its high-quality development, a top provincial official said on Thursday in Beijing.

Building on its success in poverty alleviation, the province has been committed to addressing imbalances in urban-rural, regional and industrial development in recent years, making significant strides in advancing high-quality growth, Ren Zhenhe, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Gansu Provincial Committee and governor of Gansu, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.

In 2021, Gansu's GDP surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($137.8 billion). Since 2022, the province's economic growth rate has ranked among the top in the country for seven consecutive quarters. Last year, the growth of residents' per capita disposable income in the province reached 7.5 percent, ranking second among all provincial-level regions in the country.

Ren said this achievement did not come easily. To further drive high-quality development, "the Belt and Road Initiative presents the greatest opportunity for Gansu", he said.

Historically, the ancient Silk Road stretched over 1,600 kilometers within the inland province, accounting for one-fifth of the Silk Road's total length. The Hexi Corridor, located in Gansu, serves as a major gateway to the West.

Today, Gansu, which is located in the middle section of the new Eurasian continental bridge, is a key transportation hub connecting East and West.

The province has launched 21 international freight train routes, connecting with more than 20 countries and regions in Europe, Asia and Africa. These routes, dubbed "steel camel trains", transport goods to and from BRI countries, with imports and exports accounting for over 70 percent of Gansu's total foreign trade volume.

"Stepping back thousands of years, Dunhuang (the most renowned city in Gansu) witnessed the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road. Today, Dunhuang is witnessing the vibrant development of Gansu in the new era," Ren said.

The governor added that Gansu should also seize the strategic opportunity of advancing the development of the country's western region in the new era to promote high-quality growth.

The northwestern province is actively integrating into the national unified market, enhancing its business environment, and attracting industrial transfers from the eastern and central regions.

Last year, Gansu secured over 1 trillion yuan in investment agreements. With an investment of 41 billion yuan, the new silicon-fluorine materials project of Zhejiang Juhua Co, which is based in East China's Zhejiang province, has been established in Yumen, a city historically centered around the oil industry. The project set a record for the amount of industrial investments in Gansu.

In return, leveraging its strengths and key roles in resources, energy, food security and ecological protection, Gansu can align national needs with its own advantages to contribute to the country's high-quality development, said the governor.

For instance, Gansu is a major province for wind and solar resources, ranking among the top in China for solar and wind energy development. The province's total installed capacity for new energy exceeds 56 million kilowatts, accounting for over 60 percent of its total power capacity, the second-highest proportion in the country.

Electricity generated in the province has been transmitted to 25 other provincial-level regions, with over 52 billion kilowatt-hours sent annually, and nearly half of the power is generated from renewable sources.

Contact the writers at yaoyuxin@chinadaily.com.cn

The State Council Information Office held a news conference on Wednesday. Lan Tianli, chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, emphasized at the meeting that the region is committed to the primary task of high-quality development in the new era and will focus on promoting the construction of the "One Zone, Two Hubs, One Park, One Corridor" initiative. Lan explained the initiative in detail.

"One Zone" refers to building a demonstration area to strengthen the sense of community of the Chinese nation. Guangxi will continue to strive for ethnic unity and progress, playing a leading and exemplary role.

The first of the "Two Hubs" involves creating a market for domestic and international businesses by leveraging Guangxi's unique geographical location. The second refers to establishing a strategic hinterland for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and integrating into the GBA's innovation, industrial, supply, capital and talent chains.

"One Park" entails establishing industrial parks along the border and near ports, facilitating orderly industrial transfers, and constructing a safe and stable cross-border and cross-regional industrial supply chain.

"One Corridor" involves building a high-level New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Guangxi plans to construct the Pinglu Canal to high standards and quality, accelerate the construction of the Huangtong to Baise Railway, establish the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port, and expedite the construction of a new land-sea passage that offers the shortest connection time to ASEAN.

Guangxi's position and role in the national opening-up strategy are becoming increasingly prominent. It has hosted the China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit for 20 consecutive years, and ASEAN has been Guangxi's largest trading partner for 24 years.

According to Lan, Guangxi's economic output grew from 1.13 trillion yuan ($155.8 billion) in 2012 to 2.72 trillion yuan in 2023.

The Inner Mongolia autonomous region is leveraging its abundant wind and solar power potential to revolutionize its energy landscape, transforming itself into a hub for clean, sustainable power generation, the region's officials said on Friday.

Wang Lixia, the autonomous region's chairwoman, said the region's wind and solar energy resources are the most and second-most abundant in the country, respectively, and these rich resources provide a solid foundation and significant advantage for its development.

Inner Mongolia prioritizes maintaining national energy security, a major task entrusted to the region by the central leadership, supplying electricity at the highest levels nationwide, she said.

Last year, the region supplied 306 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to outside the region, equivalent to the annual output of three Three Gorges Dam, she added.

"This year, we have integrated sand prevention and control with new energy development, combining sand control, wind power and photovoltaic equipment," Wang said, adding that the goal is to protect the environment, generate green power and increase people's incomes.

Huang Zhiqiang, executive vice-chairman of Inner Mongolia, said the region accounts for more than half of the nation's exploitable wind resources and over one-fifth of solar resources.

The region's rich coal reserves and large-scale thermal power units provide stable and reliable support for the large-scale, high-proportion use of new energy, Huang said, adding that the large power grid allows for low transmission costs.

In the pursuit of green development, he said, Inner Mongolia plans to take the lead in the country to establish a new energy-dominated supply system and a new power system.

By 2025, the scale of installed capacity of new energy, which has already exceeded 100 million kilowatts, will surpass that of thermal power. By 2030, new energy power generation will exceed thermal power generation, according to him.

To enhance green power transmission, the region is constructing six 10-million-kilowatt wind and photovoltaic power bases to supply clean energy to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta, he said.

Huang said that to boost employment, Inner Mongolia is planning to build six large-scale wind and photovoltaic bases in deserts and arid areas, each with an investment exceeding 80 billion yuan ($11 billion), thereby creating thousands of jobs.

"We adhere to full industrial chain development, focusing on both new energy development and equipment manufacturing," he said, adding that the region is creating four 100-billion-yuan industrial clusters for wind power, photovoltaics, hydrogen energy and energy storage.

"Inner Mongolia has great potential and numerous opportunities in the new energy sector, and we hope to share the benefits of new energy development with everyone," Huang added.

Shaanxi province is making big strides in its high-quality development by leveraging technological innovation as a key growth driver, while helping the nation achieve high-level self-reliance in high-tech sectors, said a top official of the province on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference held in Beijing by the State Council Information Office, Shaanxi Governor Zhao Gang said that three national-level industrial clusters — aviation, integrated circuits and advanced structural materials — are based in the province, which is one of the key centers for scientific research in China.

In addition, a number of high technologies developed in the region, such as superconductivity and ultrahigh voltage transmission, are of world-class standard, Zhao noted.

The news conference focused on Shaanxi's practices in advancing Chinese modernization with breakthroughs in high-quality development.

"The province has embarked on the fast track in pursuing development fueled by innovation," said Zhao, adding that the number of high and new technology enterprises in Shaanxi increased to 16,000 in 2023 from 6,000 in 2020.

The province has been accelerating the development of advanced manufacturing industries, particularly the new energy vehicle industry, according to the governor.

Manufacturing units for key new energy vehicle components, including batteries, electric motors and control panels, have been established in Shaanxi. The production of new energy vehicles has seen an average annual increase of 1.6-fold in the past three years, he said.

Furthermore, the province has been developing technologies required by China's major projects, such as manned space missions, lunar probes and deep-sea expeditions, so that the country can be self-reliant in high-tech sectors, he added.

As a key stop on both the ancient Silk Road and the Silk Road Economic Belt, Shaanxi has further deepened opening-up, Zhao said.

The province has established trade ties with more than 200 countries and regions, and foreign trade has surged in recent years, especially with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2023, the number of new energy vehicles exported from Shaanxi increased nearly twelve-fold year-on-year.

The number of train trips operated by the China-Europe Railway Express service from Shaanxi has witnessed an annual average increase of 12.8 percent in the past three years.

In 2023, over 5,300 freight train trips were made, with key indicators including the number of freight trips and cargo volume ranking first in the country, Zhao said.

Shaanxi's GDP reached 3.38 trillion yuan ($466 billion) last year, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent and an increase of 2 trillion yuan over the past decade.

Chongqing has advanced the construction of the New Western Land-Sea Trade Corridor, with an emphasis on improving the collection and distribution system of the international logistics channel, said a top official of the municipality in Southwest China.

Chongqing, which is not only a transportation hub but also a gathering place for people, cargo, capital and information, aims to lead the opening-up of western China's inland regions, said Mayor Hu Henghua on Wednesday in Beijing at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.

"Currently, we are building an industrial park to create an advanced equipment and material base and a logistics and modern supply chain service base. It can connect the New Western Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the China-Europe Railway Express and the Yangtze River Golden Waterway, amplifying the effects of corridor, trade and industry linkage," he said.

In April, the city signed contracts and started construction of the first group of key projects in the park, with the total investment exceeding 40 billion yuan ($5.52 billion).

Chongqing is the initiator of the corridor, which aims to enhance connectivity and trade between western China and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Zheng Xiangdong, vice-mayor of Chongqing, said that rail-sea intermodal trains, international railway intermodal trains and cross-border road shuttles are part of the corridor's traffic network, with new routes such as the China-Laos-Thailand round-trip freight train and the China-Myanmar rail-and-road intermodal train being extended. So far, the corridor can reach 514 ports in 123 countries and regions.

The comprehensive logistics cost of corridor transportation decreased 3.5 percent year-on-year in 2023 due to digital transformation initiatives such as data sharing among customs, railways and other departments to improve efficiency, Zheng said.

Chongqing will further accelerate infrastructure development as well as improve the international logistics aggregation and distribution system, he said.

The city will deepen cross-border industrial and supply chain cooperation and establish an international trade center. It also will prioritize reform and innovation, explore new rules for land-sea trade and upgrade the digital corridor, he added.

Chongqing, which launched the first trains for the China-Europe Railway Express, has operated nearly 16,000 train trips, shipping 1.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units of goods with a total cargo value exceeding 530 billion yuan.

"Amid uncertainties in international trade and logistics, the continuous expansion of the express is certain in the future," Zheng said.

This is because the corridor transportation network continues to improve, with 51 routes currently in operation, connecting 113 cities in Europe and Asia, he said, emphasizing that the efficiency of the corridor services also continues to improve.

"Recently, with some international maritime routes facing disruptions, the volume and value of goods transported from Chongqing to Europe through the express railway route increased 217 percent and 190 percent, respectively, demonstrating the resilience and potential of international trade via land transportation.

As the city with the largest area and population in China, Chongqing reported GDP growth of 6.1 percent last year, becoming the first city in the country's western region with GDP exceeding 3 trillion yuan. In the first quarter of this year, its GDP growth reached 6.2 percent.

Hu, the mayor, said the city aims to reach a new GDP threshold of 4 trillion yuan in 2027.

"The revitalization of old industrial bases has brought new vitality, with sectors such as intelligent connected new energy vehicles and next-generation electronic information manufacturing," Hu said.

Globally, for every three laptops produced, one is made in Chongqing, he added.

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn

Yunnan province vowed to accelerate the construction of a distinctive agricultural base, with top priority given to conservation of the environment and biodiversity, according to senior provincial officials on Friday.

"Distinctive, green and high quality are the prominent labels of Yunnan's agriculture," Wang Xiangang, deputy secretary of the leading Party members group of Yunnan provincial government, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

Wang said the province will encourage green planting, and improve processing, cold-chain, preservation and logistics, as well as better use technological tools to increase efficiency.

In 2023, the output value of Yunnan's key agricultural industries reached 2.5 trillion yuan ($345 billion), and that of processed agricultural products surpassed 1.4 trillion yuan, data from local authorities showed.

For example, Yunnan grew 19 billion flowers last year, making it the largest fresh-cut flower production area in the world, and the Dounan Flower Market in the provincial capital Kunming has become a benchmark for flower trading around the globe, Wang said.

In addition, Yunnan leads the nation in tea leaf area and production, and contributes 98 percent of China's coffee production, renowned as one of the most suitable areas in the world for coffee plantations.

"The quality of Yunnan coffee is internationally recognized," he said.

The province also has the most diverse types of fruits in China. The production of avocados and summer strawberries accounts for 80 percent of the national total, and it provides more than 145 varieties of traditional Chinese herbal medicines, half of the national market.

The distinctive plateau agriculture has a solid foundation and promising development potential with ample room for growth, said Wang Yubo, governor of Yunnan, adding that it's currently at a critical juncture of transitioning from "being large" to "becoming robust".

He emphasized the key role of ecological conservation in the province's high-quality development.

"Good ecology is a precious treasure of Yunnan and the country, which should be protected from generation to generation," he said, adding that it will spare no effort to protect each mountain, forest, lake and river.

Sichuan province, famous for giant pandas, cuisine and a leisurely lifestyle, is accelerating efforts to increase its appeal as a travel and consumption destination where it is "good to eat and play", according to top provincial officials.

The province is also well-known for its ancient Shu civilization, which can be traced back 5,000 years.

The Sanxingdui archaeological site in Guanghan, which features world-famous relics such as a gold mask, various bronze heads and a 3.96-meter-tall bronze tree, has been fully booked daily since a new museum opened in July, tripling the museum complex's capacity, said Zuo Yongxiang, vice-governor of Sichuan, at a news conference held in Beijing on Monday by the State Council Information Office.

Sichuan also has an attractive environment. The Jiuzhaigou Valley features plateau lakes and waterfalls, the Huanglong Scenic Area is famous for around 3,000 colorful pools as well as gorges and forests, and the Daocheng Yading Scenic Area, with snowy mountains surrounded by rivers and alpine meadows, is known as the "last Shangri-La".

The province has improved its transportation system and tourism facilities for a "fast travel, slow exploration" experience, said Zuo, adding that once-distant destinations are now easily accessible.

For instance, the Chengdu-Huangshengguan section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway will open this year, reducing the travel time from the provincial capital, Chengdu, to Jiuzhaigou from 10 hours to three, he said.

The province also innovates in diverse tourism offerings, such as soaking in a hot spring on a snowy mountain, taking a night tour of the Jinjiang River, or greenway cycling and hiking.

It welcomed more than 40 million tourist visits during the May Day holiday from May 1 to 5, up 9.5 percent year-on-year, according to data from local authorities. During the past winter, the number of tourist visits was up 32 percent, and tourism revenue saw a 36 percent increase.

Surging consumption

The tourism boom also drives consumption in the province, which has a population of 91 million. Sichuan's total retail sales reached 2.63 trillion yuan ($363 billion) in 2023, ranking fifth in the country, with year-on-year growth of 9.2 percent.

One of the key drivers is dining consumption, said Zuo. "In Sichuan, there are a wide variety of dining places available. There are more than 10,000 teahouses, 20,000 hotpot restaurants and a total of 300,000 various restaurants in Chengdu alone," he said.

In recent years, Sichuan has hosted world-class events such as the FISU World University Games and the World Team Table Tennis Championships, which also boosted the province's consumer market. The International Horticultural Exhibition 2024, which opened in Chengdu on April 26 and runs through Oct 28, has attracted more than 300,000 visitors so far.

"Walking the streets of Chengdu, you will find the 1,000-year-old Daci Temple neighboring the trendy Taikoo Li commercial street, where tradition and modernity blend harmoniously, symbolizing Sichuan's connection to the global consumer market," Zuo said.

Last year, the province saw 45 international brands open global or national flagship stores, he said, adding that "Sichuan-made" caviar now has a 12 percent share of the global market.

Food security

Furthermore, as a major grain-producing province, Sichuan also emphasizes safeguarding national food security.

Huang Qiang, governor of Sichuan, said at the news conference that the province had grain output of 35.94 billion kilograms last year, a 26-year high.

"Currently, the land in Sichuan is bustling with harvest and planting activities. This year's summer grain harvest is already a certainty," Huang said.

Sichuan also maintains its status as the nation's top provincial-level area for pork production, with more than 66 million pigs slaughtered last year, he said. It also ranks first in the production of 15 agricultural products such as rapeseed and potatoes, the governor added.

In addition, Sichuan has a forest area of 253 billion hectares and one-fifth of the country's bamboo forests, bringing ecological as well as economic benefits, Huang said.

Ecological conservation is the primary consideration and the main driving force for high-quality development in Qinghai province, senior provincial officials said on Friday.

"Dubbed 'China's water tower', Qinghai is home to the Sanjiangyuan area, where the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers originate. The province is rich in resources and of strategic significance," said Wu Xiaojun, governor of the province, at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Friday.

The province will continue to uphold its paramount value, responsibility and potential that all revolve around its ecology, and drive forward both ecological conservation and high-quality development, Wu said.

Featuring high biodiversity, the province has implemented a series of measures, such as establishing national parks, to bolster wildlife protection and ecological restoration efforts, he added.

The province has seen a surge in animal populations, with the nationally protected Tibetan antelope population rising from under 20,000 last century to over 70,000 now, and the nationally protected snow leopard population now exceeding 1,200. At Qinghai Lake, the number of naked carp, a species native to China under second-level State protection, has soared by 48-fold to exceed 120,000 metric tons over the past two decades, Wu added.

The governor said that grassland vegetation now covers 58.12 percent of the province, with ongoing reductions in desertification and land degradation. Water quality at boundary sections of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers has consistently remained at the second-highest level or above in the five-tier system.

Liu Tao, vice-governor of Qinghai, pointed to sightings of bharal, also known as blue sheep — timid mammals who peacefully graze in the mountains and are unafraid of human presence — as a demonstration of the improved local ecological environment and the successful coexistence between humans and nature.

"Herders in Qinghai have shifted from being ecosystem beneficiaries to its guardians, from consumers to producers within the ecosystem," Liu said, adding that the province has involved herders in ecological protection by implementing measures such as establishing ranger positions, distributing ecological compensation and conducting proper grazing planning for sustainable development.

In pursuit of sustainable and high-quality development, the province emphasizes scientific transformation of its ecology and economy through "vigorously advancing the industrialization of ecology and the ecologicalization of industry", said Wu, the governor.

He cited the scene of "photovoltaic sheep" in Qinghai, which led to a 30-percent reduction in water evaporation and a transformation of a once barren landscape into an oasis suitable for sheep grazing. The change is made possible by the laying of photovoltaic panels, demonstrating the tripartite benefits of ecological conservation, clean energy production and increased incomes of local residents.

Having the nation's second-highest annual sunshine and the fourth-largest wind farm acreage, Qinghai's total installed capacity of clean energy exceeded 51 million kilowatts last year, making up 93 percent of total installed capacity, a percentage ranking first nationwide. The national inaugural green electricity channel was established to supply green electricity to 15 provincial regions, Wu said.

Thanks to the plentiful clean energy resource, Wu said the province's electricity prices have remained the lowest in the country. In addition, the dry and cool climate enables natural cooling for computing centers for 314 days annually, resulting in a 40 percent lower electricity consumption for cooling compared to the national average.

Wu said: "Qinghai is a 'natural good harbor' for the development of the green computing industry. It is estimated that investing in computing power in Qinghai can result in around 20 percent lower initial investment costs, and a 30 percent reduction in operating costs, and the investment payback period is two years shorter."

Abiding by the national guidance of channeling more computing resources from eastern areas to less-developed western regions, Qinghai has endeavored to build a green computing industrial base, introduced regional standards and preferential policies for the computing industry and forged cooperation agreements with Beijing, Guangdong's Shenzhen and Jiangsu's Nanjing.

"We will insist on high-level, environmentally friendly and intelligent development, pioneering a path of high-quality development distinctive to Qinghai," Wu said.

The Xizang autonomous region will open more international flight routes, enrich its inbound tourism routes and products, and improve entry, language translation and payment services to attract more international tourists to enjoy its magnificent natural landscapes and its rich and unique ethnic culture, said Xu Zhitao, vice-chairman of the autonomous region, at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

As a popular tourist destination, Xizang received 55.17 million visits by domestic and foreign tourists last year, up 83.7 percent year-on-year, and its total tourism revenue reached 65.1 billion yuan ($8.99 billion), a year-on-year increase of 60 percent, both hitting historical highs, data from local authorities showed.

Nearly 20,000 foreign tourists visited Xizang in 2023. The number of foreign visitors already topped 4,300 in the first quarter of this year, before the peak tourism season between May and October.

"When visiting Xizang, one can experience a variety of landscapes such as mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, grasslands, deserts and glaciers. Visitors can also witness majestic palaces, beautiful temples and uniquely styled residential buildings," Xu said at the news conference, which was held by the State Council Information Office.

"In Xizang, one can hear the melodious sound of the zhanian, a unique local musical instrument, and the soothing tunes of pastoral songs. These experiences often bring unexpected surprises to travelers."

However, there are also challenges in promoting the growth of tourism such as issues related to the transportation infrastructure as well as the high costs and long time involved in transportation, and high altitude sickness, which make many visitors reluctant to come to Xizang, Xu said.

Inspired by the National Tourism Development Conference held in Beijing on May 17, Xizang will make its own development plan targeted at "constructing a series of world-class tourist attractions that embody Chinese cultural characteristics and represent national ecological civilization".

The region will further promote the integration of culture and tourism by developing immersive ethnic tourism experiences, establishing the Xizang culinary brand, promoting characteristic Tibetan medicine health and wellness products, and exploring deep experiential tourism such as high-altitude trekking and study tours, according to Xu.

It also plans to open more direct routes to mainland cities and international destinations, attract more investment enterprises to enter the culture and tourism market, improve the highland rescue mechanism, and strengthen market supervision, in order to provide visitors with a better service experience.

"We are confident that tourism can achieve double-digit growth this year as well," he added.

Besides tourism, Xizang is also accelerating the pace of opening-up in other areas.

Last year, Xizang traded with 175 countries and regions, and its imports and exports reached a historical high of more than 10 billion yuan. The figure reached 2.8 billion yuan from January to April, up 201.7 percent year-on-year, according to local authorities.

More local products are being sold globally, said Yan Jinhai, the regional chairman. For example, Xizang exported 310 metric tons of mineral water to countries including Singapore, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In April, 23 tons of local apples were exported to Nepal, the first time that locally grown fruit has been exported abroad.

Highland barley, which can help lower blood sugar and soften blood vessels, is made into barley wine, biscuits, noodles and meal replacement powders, and exported to countries including Nepal and Canada.

"Opening-up is the only way for the high-quality development of Xizang. We are committed to expanding our 'circle of friends' in open cooperation," Yan said.

Despite the sanctions imposed by some Western countries on photovoltaic and cotton products produced in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region over allegations of "forced labor", the development of these industries remained strong last year, according to statistics released on Tuesday.

Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the region, said at a news conference in Beijing that the growth of Xin­jiang's six key economic indicators last year, including GDP, investment in fixed assets as well as imports and exports, all ranked among the top five in the country, making 2023 the best year in terms of the region's socioeconomic development.

The news conference, held by the State Council Information Office, focused on Xinjiang's practices in advancing Chinese modernization with breakthroughs in high-quality development.

To build a modern industrial system for high-quality development, besides stepping up the exploration and development of oil and gas resources, the region has also vigorously developed the new energy and new materials industries, Erkin Tuniyaz said.

The production of industrial silicon rose 27.3 percent year-on-year in 2023, while polysilicon output increased 26.8 percent, he said.

Meanwhile, the region's agricultural industry has also been boosted. The annual growth in grain planting area and production in Xinjiang in 2023 both ranked top in the country. Also, cotton production last year totaled 5.11 million metric tons, accounting for 91 percent of the national total, and 89 percent of the cotton was harvested by machine, he added.

In December 2021, United States President Joe Biden signed the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" into law, imposing sanctions on individuals allegedly responsible for "forced labor" in the region. Cotton, tomatoes and polysilicon used in solar-panel manufacturing are designated as "high priority" for enforcement action.

The Chinese government has repeatedly stated that the falsehood of "forced labor" in Xin­jiang is fabricated by anti-China forces, which is completely opposite to the facts. The move is an upgrade of the US' crackdown on China under the pretext of human rights and an example of the US wantonly undermining international trade rules and the stability of international supply chains.

Chen Weijun, executive vice-chairman of Xinjiang, said at the news conference that the region will further open up to global markets by creating a "golden corridor" between Asia and Europe.

By pushing forward the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang has changed from a relatively closed landlocked region to the forefront of China's westward opening-up, Chen said.

"In 2007, the region's foreign trade volume reached 100 billion yuan ($13.82 billion). It took 15 years for the figure to reach 200 billion yuan in 2022. Last year, Xinjiang's foreign trade volume reached 357.3 billion yuan and it's expected to exceed 400 billion yuan this year," he said.

Chen added that the region will particularly enhance cooperation with Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in the new energy, medical care and agriculture sectors.

cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn

The development of new quality productive forces and the establishment of a modern industrial system have helped to build up the high-quality development of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, senior regional officials said on Monday in Beijing.

"Despite its relatively small economic scale, Ningxia has seen rapid growth in the quantity and quality of its economic development," said Zhang Yupu, governor of Ningxia, at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.

The intelligent, green and integrated levels of local industries have experienced significant advancements, which has laid a solid foundation for the development of new quality productive forces, he added.

"In the first quarter of this year, the regional gross domestic product increased 5.8 percent, maintaining a top 10 ranking nationwide for eight consecutive quarters," Zhang said. "Notably, the region's growth rate of added value of large-scale industries surpassed all the other provincial-level regions, and that of the total output value of agriculture climbed to No 3 nationwide, both of which are record highs."

Chen Chunping, executive vice-governor of Ningxia, said: "The traditional sectors of coal, electricity and metallurgy hold a substantial share in Ningxia, accounting for more than 60 percent of the industrial added value. The region has facilitated the development of these traditional industries by implementing measures such as equipment upgrades, technological empowerment and transitioning to low-carbon practices."

Mai Yanzhou, vice-governor of the autonomous region, cited the local coal-to-liquids technique, which uses the indirect liquefaction method to produce oil. This approach, which won first prize in the national scientific and technological progress awards, has helped tackle the nation's persistent imbalance of more coal and less oil, and has broken foreign technology monopoly, he said.

Restructuring adds vigor

With the restructuring of traditional industries and the use of innovative technology, industrial clusters have taken shape that incorporate the coal-to-liquids process, coal-based olefins, which are building block materials for products such as plastics, and high-performance fibers.

"The scale of the modern coal and chemistry industry has exceeded 30 million metric tons, with the annual capacity of the coal-to-liquids project exceeding 4 million tons for three consecutive years, ranking first nationally, and that of coal-based olefins exceeding 4.7 million tons, accounting for one-fifth of the national production capacity," said Zhang, the Ningxia governor.

More than 20 types of high-end products produced in Ningxia, such as special fabric yarns and premium perfume ingredients, have entered the domestic and international markets, he added.

Ningxia, the only region in the nation situated entirely within the Yellow River Basin, boasts a thriving agricultural industry. Leveraging technological advancements, the region has pioneered the world's first-ever fully intelligent dairy facility, leading to decreased costs and increased efficiency. The facility can yield 1 million tons of liquid milk per year with a workforce of 100 employees, resulting in a remarkable output value of 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion), Zhang said.

With a sound blend of coal, electricity, oil and natural gas as well as wind and solar resources, the average costs of land and electricity, water and gas consumption are 30 percent to 50 percent lower than those in East China, making Ningxia an appealing place for developing green energy and the data economy, said Mai, the vice-governor.

"The national inaugural comprehensive demonstration zone for new energy has supplied abundant green electricity resources to Ningxia," Mai said.

With a total installed capacity of 70 million kilowatts and annual electricity generation of 200 billion kilowatt-hours, Ningxia leads the country in both per capita installed capacity and per capita electricity generation, according to local authorities. Its installed capacity of new energy has surpassed 37 million kW, accounting for 51 percent of its total, and the utilization rate is 97 percent, making it the provincial-level region with the highest intensity of new energy development per unit of land area nationwide, according to the local government.

AI advancement

Under the national guidance of channeling more computing resources from the eastern areas to the less-developed western regions, Ningxia has stood out for hosting the National (Zhongwei) New Internet Exchange Center and serves as one of the nation's integrated computing hubs, Mai said.

He also said the region established a base last year for artificial intelligence chip adaptation to offer testing and verification services for domestic chips. Ningxia will continue to nurture a top-notch development and testing environment for artificial intelligence advancement and will broaden the technology's application scenarios, he added.

"In the next step, we plan to make every effort to build the computing capital of China and contribute to the construction of digital China," Mai said.

New growth drivers will emerge in the Chinese economy's new development stage, and the eastern province of Anhui will be one of them, the province's governor said on Thursday.

Addressing a news conference in Beijing organized by the State Council Information Office, Anhui Governor Wang Qingxian said the province "has emerged as a powerhouse of industrial development and manufacturing".

The province's GDP last year was 4.7 trillion yuan ($652 billion), up from 1.9 trillion yuan in 2013.

Its development has involved domestic and foreign enterprises.

For example, Volkswagen Group China announced in April that it will invest 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in the expansion of its innovation hub in Hefei, the provincial capital.

At the heart of the hub is Volkswagen China Technology Company, the carmaker's largest development center outside Germany. The company was founded in the Hefei Economic and Technological Development Area last year with an initial investment of 1 billion euros.

Corning, a glass and ceramics maker from the United States, has invested in 11 projects in the Hefei Xinzhan High-tech Industrial Development Zone since 2015, with investment totaling more than $3 billion.

Anhui has attracted investment from about 5,000 foreign companies, according to the provincial government.

"What those international investors care most about is the business environment of Anhui," Wang said in response to a question from China Daily.

In the Business Environment Evaluation for Thousands of Private Enterprises in the past two years, Anhui ranked in the top 10 nationwide in terms of comprehensive scores and had the highest reputation ranking.

The authorities said the province's rapid development in recent years has benefited a lot from the manufacturing sector, as well as scientific and technological innovation.

Anhui's manufacturing industry investment had maintained a consistent growth rate above 18 percent for 26 consecutive months by March, Wang said.

Seven carmakers, including Chery, Nio, Volkswagen and BYD, have invested heavily in Anhui, and the province produced 2.49 million automobiles last year, of which 868,000 were new energy vehicles.

Executive Vice-Governor Fei Gaoyun said the province exported about 1.15 million vehicles, with one in four vehicles exported from China made in Anhui.

Anhui is now home to nearly 20,000 national high-tech companies, with more than 4,200 added last year, Wang said.

The ratio of research and development expenditure to GDP, known as R&D intensity, stood at 2.56 percent in 2022, compared with the national average of 2.54 percent, according to statistics released in October. The ratio for Hefei was 3.91 percent.

"Anhui has strong innovation, partly because we have spared no effort in supporting innovation for decades," Wang said.

Anhui is home to more megascience facilities than any other province, and was given approval by the central authorities in 2017 to build the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, one of four such centers across the country.

"Anhui's fiscal spending in the science and technology sector ranks fourth among provincial regions," Wang said.

Adhering to market principles, the province founded the Grand Union of Innovation in Hefei in 2022 to give innovative startups all-around service, including helping them find application scenarios and attract investors.

By the end of March it had attracted 1,391 innovation-oriented enterprises and more than 200 funds of various types, with the capital volume totaling over 230 billion yuan, Wang said.

Jiangxi province is accelerating the development of an open economy by actively promoting high-quality "bringing in" and high-level "going out" initiatives, senior provincial officials said on Thursday.

Last year, Jiangxi's foreign trade reached 569 billion yuan ($78.9 billion). Official data show that exports of the "new three" products — new energy vehicles, photovoltaic products and lithium batteries — increased by 73 percent, accounting for 4.3 percent of the national export volume and ranking sixth nationwide.

One of the engines that promotes the "new three" industries is Jiangxi's abundant lithium resources. Data from the Ministry of Natural Resources show that the city of Yichun has lithium oxide reserves exceeding 9 million metric tons, and over 20 lithium mica mines, including the largest in Asia, which account for 40 percent of the national reserves.

"Jiangxi's development is open and inclusive. Over the past four years, Jiangxi has actively promoted the construction of an inland open economy pilot zone with high standards, accelerating the establishment of a comprehensive new open pattern," Ye Jianchun, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiangxi Provincial Committee, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

In April 2020, the State Council approved the establishment of an open economy pilot zone in Jiangxi.

Ye, also governor of the province, said that Jiangxi has implemented a more efficient customs clearance model, reducing transport times from Jiangxi to coastal ports from an average of 70 hours to less than 30.

He added that Jiangxi's export clearance efficiency now ranks fifth in the country.

Jiangxi is also promoting the development of cross-border e-commerce. The province's total cross-border e-commerce import and export volume reached 463 billion yuan last year, ranking sixth nationwide.

"Jiangxi is also actively integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative. Next, we will focus on accelerating reform and opening-up and injecting vigorous momentum into the development of Jiangxi," Ye said.

Riding on a more open development strategy, Jiangxi's GDP increased from 1.28 trillion yuan in 2012 to 3.22 trillion yuan in 2023. Per capita GDP rose from 28,600 yuan to 71,200 yuan during the same period.

Song Dexiong, head of the province's Science and Technology Department, said Jiangxi is also ramping up efforts to drive technological innovation, achieving breakthroughs in sectors like large civilian helicopters and semiconductor light-emitting devices.

Song said that over the past three years, Jiangxi has implemented six major actions to promote science and technology, leading to a positive trend in technological innovation.

The growth of technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises has surged by 73.8 percent, and technology contract transactions have nearly tripled, Song said.

While accelerating high-quality development, Jiangxi is also coordinating efforts to ensure the wellbeing of its people.

Ren Zhufeng, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee and executive vice-governor of the province, emphasized that ensuring people's livelihoods remains a top priority.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, over 5 trillion yuan has been spent to promote employment, income growth and prosperity for ordinary people, Ren said, adding that more than 220 billion yuan in entrepreneurial guarantee loans have been disbursed, ranking first nationwide.

He said that last year, Jiangxi provided free HPV vaccinations for 487,000 eligible girls and established over 1,000 childcare institutions.

"This year, we have introduced services for caring for disabled individuals and developed elderly meal assistance services," he said. "Through these small but significant improvements in livelihood, we aim to ensure the people benefit."

Shanxi province, a major coal supplier in China, has accelerated the reform of its energy sector by promoting green and intelligent mining and the application of new energy, senior provincial officials said on Wednesday.

Last year, the production of raw coal in Shanxi grew 4.4 percent year-on-year to reach 1.37 billion metric tons, about 29 percent of the national total, making it the biggest raw coal producer among all provincial-level regions, data from local authorities showed.

"While ensuring safety, we rely on intelligent and green transformation to further increase mining efficiency and boost energy supply," said Wu Wei, executive vice-governor of Shanxi, at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

Currently, all underground coal mining activities in Shanxi are mechanized, and 54 percent of the province's coal production capacity is achieved through intelligent mining, Wu said, adding that many companies such as technology giant Huawei have come to Shanxi to help with its digital transformation.

The province is also promoting green mining technologies, including solid filling mining, water conservation mining and the simultaneous exploration of coal and gas resources, to solve problems of traditional coal mining such as road fractures and farmland sinking.

The production of unconventional natural gas in the province reached 14.59 billion cubic meters in 2023, up 9.6 percent year-on-year, according to the Shanxi statistics bureau.

Last year, Shanxi generated 446.1 billion kilowatt-hours of power, an increase of 6.6 percent compared with 2022, with 157.6 billion kWh transmitted outside the province, according to the bureau.

Wu said new and clean energy currently accounts for 46.4 percent of installed capacity in the province. "The amount of green electricity we transmitted outside ranks first nationwide," he said.

Wu added that the Communist Party of China Central Committee has designated Shanxi as a national pilot for reform of energy transformation, pointing out a new path for the province's green development. "Our goal is to take practical actions, not to be the coal powerhouse, but to lead the transformation toward green energy."

Shanxi has also introduced the country's first local regulations on the clean and efficient use of coal, promoted green, low-carbon and energy-saving technologies, and accelerated the formation of new energy consumption patterns, he said.

Over 90 percent of new buildings in Shanxi are green structures, with clean heating coverage in urban and rural areas exceeding 90 percent. All buses and taxis in urban areas of 11 cities in the province have been replaced with new energy vehicles.

In the first three years of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), Shanxi's energy consumption intensity cumulatively dropped 10.9 percent, ranking first nationwide.

Zhuangshang in the city of Yuncheng became the first zero-carbon demonstration village in China, where people do not depend on the local power grid and rely solely on rooftop solar panels.

Wu said the province is further expanding its energy cooperation. It is cooperating with international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank to implement a series of green and low-carbon development demonstration projects.

The inland province is also enhancing opening-up in more areas. Last month, a China-Europe freight train departing from the city of Jinzhong arrived in Barcelona, Spain.

Jin Xiangjun, governor of Shanxi, said there are currently 15 regular China-Europe freight train routes operating in the province, reaching 48 cities in 16 countries.

"We've improved policies to support the export of bulk commodities, attracted the transfer of foreign manufacturing industries from eastern regions, and promoted innovation in the opening-up of service trade," Jin said.

In addition, Shanxi is deepening cooperation with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and promoting multimodal transportation via road-rail, rail-sea and air-rail routes. It has increased the number of passenger routes between the province and Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, and expanded cargo routes to the United States and Europe.

chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn

Hunan province in Central China has intensified efforts to advance international economic and trade cooperation, senior officials said at a news conference on Friday.

It is trying to capitalize on its strengths in technology, industry and policies, they said.

"An open Hunan is accelerating its embrace of the outside world. At present, our economic and trade 'friend circle' spans more than 200 countries and regions. Furthermore, 211 projects and enterprises from the Fortune Global 500 list have established their presence in Hunan, with the total import and export value surpassing $110 billion," said Mao Weiming, governor of the province.

Mao said Hunan has global influence thanks to its advanced technologies in fields like agriculture, railways, electric locomotives, mechanical engineering and Beidou satellite navigation.

With regards to trading partners, Hunan has attached higher importance to trade relations with Africa, because of the profound and long-standing friendship between the two, the complementary basis for cooperation and the vast market prospects, said Chen Xianchun, deputy secretary-general of the Hunan provincial government.

"By hosting the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Hunan has emerged as a leading province in China for economic and trade engagements with Africa. For five consecutive years, the province has ranked eighth nationwide and first in the central and western regions in terms of trade volume with Africa," said Chen, adding that the province has experienced an average annual growth rate of 23.1 percent in trade with Africa over the past three years.

The inaugural China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in 2019 established a permanent base in Hunan. During the 3rd expo last year, exhibitors saw an increase of 70 percent and exhibits saw an increase of 165.9 percent from the previous session in 2021, and they unveiled 34 cooperation achievements, the provincial government said.

The State Council issued a foreign economic and trade cooperation plan on the establishment of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone in 2020 and approved a general plan to build a pilot zone for in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation in January this year.

Currently, the economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa covers a wide range of fields, and trade routes of the two sides are becoming increasingly accessible.

For instance, there are passenger air services linking Changsha, the capital of Hunan, with Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, as well as air freight routes connecting Changsha to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

There are relay air routes linking the significant port city of Yueyang in the northeastern part of Hunan to Africa.

Furthermore, the Hunan-Guangdong-Africa rail-sea intermodal transport service extends to 11 pivotal seaports in Africa and 20 highways and railways leading to inland Africa.

Leveraging its advanced technology and strong manufacturing bases, Hunan has facilitated infrastructure construction in African countries, including the rainwater treatment project in Cotonon, a coastal city in Benin long plagued by waterlogging, and Africa's first wrestling stadium in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

The province has also facilitated the entry of a batch of high-quality agricultural products from Africa, such as Rwandan hot peppers and Madagascan lamb, into the Chinese market. At the same time, the Hunan-developed hybrid rice is highly favored by farmers across African countries.

Chen said Hunan will continue to help more African agricultural products to enter the Chinese market. The province plans to enhance professional skills training and technological advancements in local areas, and boost support for the growth of novel business formats and models, including cross-border e-commerce, offshore trade and overseas warehouses.

Contact the writers at limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn

Henan aims to accelerate the development of its transportation capabilities and further develop the "air silk road" connecting its capital, Zhengzhou, with cities in Europe and Southeast Asia, the province's top leadership said on Thursday.

Wang Kai, governor of Henan, said Zhengzhou airport ranks among the top 40 airports in the world for cargo freight, and the Zhengzhou international land port is capable of handling 10,000 China-Europe freight trains a year.

In December, a plane carrying 146 passengers landed at Luxembourg Airport after a flight from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, marking the official opening of the first direct passenger flight route between China and Luxembourg.

Zhang Min, vice-governor of Henan, said the "air silk road" between Zhengzhou and Luxembourg is an example of the city's advances in high-level opening-up.

The Zhengzhou-Luxembourg airfreight route, which opened in June 2014, now connects with services to more than 200 cities in 24 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas, Zhang said.

It has facilitated the transport of goods such as salmon from Northern Europe, cherries from South America, and the latest fashion from Italy, allowing them to reach cities across China within 12 hours of arrival at the Zhengzhou airport, she said.

Meanwhile, products made in Henan such as smartphones, precision machinery and beauty products use the "air silk road" to reach global markets.

"Henan is actively developing aviation-preferred industrial clusters in sectors including electronics, biomedicine and modern services, fostering robust energy for the development of new quality productive forces," Zhang said.

With the efficient operation of the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg tourism visa platform and the smooth opening of passenger flight routes, Henan is enjoying more convenient connectivity and closer exchanges with the world.

Almost 200 Fortune Global 500 companies have established a presence in Henan, and Henan-based enterprises have expanded to over 100 countries and regions worldwide, Zhang said.

A Luxembourg Cultural Relics Exhibition kicked off recently at the Henan Museum in Zhengzhou. It will display 210 treasures from Luxembourg until August.

Next month, the second Air Silk Road for International Cooperation Forum will be held in Luxembourg to promote exchanges of goods, people and ideas, Zhang said.

"Projects like the construction of Zhoukou Port and six other modern ports are underway to facilitate inland waterway transportation to reach the sea," she said.

More technological and innovative projects will be launched in Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province, as it welcomes top talent, universities, tech companies and investment from Beijing and Tianjin, officials said at a news conference in Beijing on Monday.

The aim is to promote an innovation-driven economy, they said.

Xiong'an, which is only 50 minutes away from the capital by high-speed rail, was designed to take over Beijing's noncapital functions. Now, seven years after it was established, Xiong'an is moving forward on high-tech development and the collaborative innovation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

"Xiong'an New Area has progressed from nothing to something, from a blueprint to reality. With every step and every year, we are striving to advance toward the goal of building a high-level modernized city," said Wang Zhengpu, governor of Hebei.

Four central State-owned enterprises — China Satellite Network Group, Sinochem Group, China Huaneng Group and China Mineral Resources Group — are moving their headquarters to Xiong'an. In addition, domestic companies such as Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, JD, State Power Investment Corp, China Mobile and China Telecom and Japanese company Hitachi have set up offices in the new area.

Four universities, including the University of Science and Technology Beijing and Beijing Forestry University, are building campuses there.

Xiong'an currently focuses on seven innovative areas, such as satellite internet, the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, the intelligent network sector and Harmony OS, which is Huawei's self-developed operating system.

In addition, China Mobile released its new vessel management and emergency response applications for Baiyangdian Lake in Xiong'an, using high-precision positioning with 5G and Beidou, last week.

The system includes boat scheduling, electronic nautical charts and drone inspections, enabling services such as water area mapping, vessel operations monitoring and dynamic visualization of docks. It aims to better ensure navigational safety, enhance navigational efficiency and reduce water-related accidents, according to the company.

Zhao Dachun, vice-governor of Hebei: "We are committed to building Xiong'an as a leading area for innovation-driven development, and have introduced 18 substantial incentive policies … infusing the air in Xiong'an with an atmosphere of innovation."

The Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an has attracted 70 companies in high-tech industries since opening in August. It has organized salons, fairs and road shows covering artificial intelligence, technological financing, life science and other cutting-edge areas, to attract more entrepreneurs.

Hebei is making efforts to encourage more application in the province of research and development achievements from Beijing and Tianjin, and is enhancing cooperation in basic research with the two cities, Zhao said.

The turnover in Hebei of technology contracts from Beijing and Tianjin reached 81 billion yuan ($11.2 billion) last year, which was double the figure of the previous year and 12 times that of 2014, he added.

Hebei's GDP grew 5.6 percent in the first quarter of this year, with investment in high-tech industry increasing 45.1 percent, data from local authorities showed. Traditional industries are also becoming more high-end, intelligent and green.

HBIS Group Zhangxuan Technology in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, became the first in the world to realize green steelmaking by using hydrogen from coke oven gas, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 800,000 metric tons per year, according to Li Lijie, an engineer at the company, who said there was "zero pollution throughout the entire process".

Vice-Governor Zhao said Hebei will leverage its geographical advantages to further deepen collaborative innovation within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It also will utilize the innovative capabilities of Xiong'an New Area to facilitate the rapid aggregation of innovation resources and the accelerated transformation of innovative achievements.

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn

CHEN MEILING in Beijing and ZHANG YU in Shijiazhuang

Heilongjiang province is spearheading efforts to advance modern agriculture, aiming to bolster China's food security as a key economic stabilizer, top provincial officials said on Friday.

Heilongjiang, located in one of the world's most fertile agricultural regions, boasts 17.2 million hectares of arable land, ranking first nationwide. The province's commitment to diverse and quality grain production through the implementation of major production enhancement plans has led to significant achievements.

"The province's grain production reached about 77.88 million metric tons last year, accounting for 11.2 percent of the national total, and ranking first in terms of total output, commercial output and outbound volume in the country," Liang Huiling, governor of Heilongjiang, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Friday.

Liang announced goals to further elevate the province's grain production capacity. "By 2026, we aim to increase our comprehensive grain production capacity to 90 million tons," she said. This initiative will involve maintaining grain cultivation acreage and significantly boosting yield per unit area through a combination of policy support, project implementation and agronomic practices.

A crucial aspect of Heilongjiang's strategy is the conservation and improvement of its highly fertile black soil. "We prioritize developing black soil into high-standard farmland," said Liang.

The province is also turning to biotechnology and digital technology to improve the management and utilization of its black soil.

"Strict measures will be taken against unauthorized occupation and destruction of arable land to achieve the sustainable use of black soil," she said.

Heilongjiang, a leader in harnessing agricultural science and technology to enhance productivity and sustainability, will double down on its natural and technological advantages. "We will carry out vigorous implementation of the revitalization of the seed industry and establish national soybean breeding bases and japonica rice seed production bases," said Liang.

The province is leveraging its position as a leading global animal husbandry belt to develop modern animal husbandry, aiming to become the largest national production base for high-end infant formula, and a strategic guarantee base for meat, eggs and dairy products.

Heilongjiang has over 6.3 million hectares of green organic food certification acreage. Vice-Governor Xu Xiangguo highlighted the province's success in building a series of characteristic agricultural brands in recent years, now recognized as green labels for local agricultural products.

"So far, there have been 221 stores in 63 cities in the country selling famous Heilongjiang-produced agricultural products," said Xu.

"We are dedicated to promoting the high-quality development of the agricultural processing industry," he said.