Li: Accelerate western development
(China Daily) 08:25, August 24, 2018
Premier Li Keqiang presides over a meeting of the State Council leading group for promoting western development on Aug 21, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]
Advance infrastructure, industry upgrades for region, premier urges
A number of major projects, including the Sichuan-Tibet and Chongqing-Yunnan railways, should be accelerated in the western regions of China to help prioritize economic structure and expand domestic consumption, Premier Li Keqiang said.
These projects should focus on western China’s shortcomings and also be in line with national planning, Li said when presiding over a meeting of the State Council leading group for promoting western development on Tuesday.
The strategy for western development has aimed for balanced regional growth in China for about two decades. It benefits 12 provincial regions, including Chongqing, the provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, and China’s five autonomous regions, such as Tibet.
The premier said western regions have made enormous achievements in their social and economic development in the past five years. But they still need to rely on reform and opening-up to increase development momentum and realize industrial upgrading and improvement of people’s livelihoods.
The central government will offer support, and western regions should actively encourage the participation of private capital in those major projects, Li said. Some key water diversion projects in the provinces of Yunnan, Qinghai and Gansu and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region should be promoted, he said.
Li called for faster infrastructure construction to dispose of wastewater and trash under an innovative mechanism of investment and management to promote a new-type urbanization.
Consumption potential should be tapped by encouraging emerging online shopping and consumption in cultural and healthcare sectors, he said.
The western regions should reduce institutional costs and improve the competitiveness of their industries, targeting key issues that hamper the development of enterprises and the public welfare, Li said.
In addition, Li urged winning the battle of poverty alleviation in the west and improving public services such as education, healthcare and employment by using new means such as the internet, especially for remote and poverty-stricken areas.
The leading group was reshuffled last month, following the new lineup of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, in March. The leading group has promoted the strategy of western development since 2000. Li became head of the leading group in 2013 after he assumed office.
Western regions cover an area of more than 6.8 million square kilometers with nearly 30 percent of the country’s population. Last year, they accounted for one-fifth of China’s GDP.
Over the past five years, economic growth of these western regions went up by 8.8 percent annually, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. The increase was 7.4 percent in the first half of this year.
Fixed-asset investment rose by 13 percent per year. More than 35 million people were lifted out of poverty during those five years.
李克强主持召开国务院西部地区开发领导小组会议
新华社8月23日消息，8月21日，中共中央政治局常委、国务院总理、国务院西部地区开发领导小组组长李克强主持召开国务院西部地区开发领导小组会议，部署深入推进西部开发工作。
中共中央政治局常委、国务院副总理、国务院西部地区开发领导小组副组长韩正出席。
会上，国家发展改革委汇报了西部开发进展等情况。西部各省区市政府负责同志发了言。李克强说，党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，西部地区经济社会发展取得了新的历史性成就，对全国发展起到了重要支撑作用。西部地区是我国发展的巨大战略回旋余地，也是全面建成小康社会、实现现代化的重点难点。当前，面对国内外环境的新变化，要按照向高质量方向发展、解决发展不平衡不充分问题的要求，紧紧依靠改革开放创新，促进西部地区发展动力增强、产业结构升级、民生不断改善，为全国经济保持稳中向好拓展空间。
李克强指出，西部地区要提高自我发展能力，必须进一步营造更具竞争力的“软环境”。要立足深化“放管服”改革释放活力，着力解决阻碍企业发展、群众办事难等突出问题，在降低制度性交易成本上迈出更大步伐。要立足自身实际推创新，以“双创”为抓手，促进提升西部产业竞争力，在培育新动能和传统动能改造升级上迈出更大步伐。要立足区位特征推开放，积极打造内陆开放高地，在提升对内对外开放水平上迈出更大步伐。
李克强说，要把调整优化经济结构和扩内需更好结合起来，突出重点补短板，抓紧推进一批西部急需、符合国家规划的重大工程建设。国家将加大支持，西部地区也要通过深化改革积极吸引民间资本进入。加快开工建设川藏铁路、渝昆铁路等大通道，打通公路“断头路”，进一步推动电力、油气、信息等骨干网络建设。推进滇中引水、桂中抗旱二期、引黄济宁、引洮二期等重大引调水工程，加大对三北防护林等重大生态工程的支持。结合推进新型城镇化，创新投资和运营机制，加快城镇污水、垃圾处理设施建设，发挥改善生态环境和满足民生急需的双重效益。优化消费环境，鼓励发展网购、文化、健康等新兴消费，更大释放西部市场消费潜力。
李克强指出，要坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，立足我国仍是最大的发展中国家和仍处于社会主义初级阶段的基本国情，尽力而为、量力而行，促进西部地区民生不断改善。坚决打赢精准脱贫攻坚战，坚决兜住保障困难群众基本生活的底线。着力推动基本公共服务均等化，运用“互联网+”等新模式使边远贫困地区享有更多优质教育、医疗资源，提高西部就业、养老等公共服务水平。
李克强强调，西部地区开发领导小组成员单位和西部各省份要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，奋发有为、主动作为，推动西部地区改革开放和经济社会发展取得新成就。
孙春兰、刘鹤、王勇、肖捷、巴特尔、何立峰出席。
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