China Daily:

My question is about the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. Since General Secretary Xi Jinping announced that the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta has been upgraded to a national strategy, there have been many highlights in its implementation and progress in Shanghai, such as the Lingang Special Area, the integrated demonstration zone, and the recent Hongqiao International Hub for Opening Up. Could you tell us your specific progress so far? What new measures are there for the next step? Thank you.

Chen Yin:

Thanks for your question. The integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta is a national strategy. Shanghai must actively take the initiative to play its leading role; focus on the two key points of integration and high quality; achieve two big tasks on opening up to the domestic and outside world; focus on three key zones that are the Lingang Special Area of the pilot free trade zone, the integrated demonstration zone, and Hongqiao International Hub for Opening Up; and spare no efforts to explore new paths to foster a new development paradigm.

For the Lingang Special Area in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the central government has issued an overall construction plan. The area was officially inaugurated in Shanghai on Aug. 20, 2019. It has been 20 months until now. A total of 78 tasks are specified in the overall plan, and currently almost 90% of the tasks have been implemented. Up to now, the construction of the special area has gathered momentum and achieved visible results, which is mainly reflected in the "three batches." First, a batch of major institutional innovations have been introduced. The entire Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Zone is conducting independent customs operation after passing acceptance inspection, and the administration power concerning administrative approval and enforcement for 1,170 items at city and district levels are delegated to the administrative committee of the special area. Second, a batch of major projects have begun. Up to now, nearly 600 projects have been signed, with a total investment of nearly 400 billion yuan, most of which are focused on key areas such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence (AI), biomedicine and aerospace. Third, a batch of major projects have started construction, including 18 projects on social undertakings and people's livelihood. Next, the Lingang Special Area will be guided by the "five important" tasks set by General Secretary Xi Jinping. (These are to build Lingang Special Area into an important base for gathering talent at home and abroad to carry out international innovation and collaboration; to build an important hub for coordinating the development of onshore and offshore businesses; to build an important springboard for enterprises to go global; to build an important channel to make better use of domestic and international markets; and to build an important experimental field for participating in international economic governance.) We will go forward with unabated fever, unabated momentum, unabated intensity of reform and innovation, and achieve more visible and influential actual results.

The second key zone is the demonstration zone for the eco-friendly integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. This area spans the three administrative regions of Shanghai, Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province. Last year, we formed a national land and space plan covering 2,413 square kilometers of the demonstration zone. We have made 32 integrated institutional innovation achievements, which are currently being replicated and promoted in other regions. At the same time, we promoted 60 key and highlight projects last year and achieved a good start. Next, it is necessary to gain a keen sense of coordinating all the activities like playing a chess game. We will focus on eight aspects such as planning management, ecological protection, land management and factor flow, and deepen our exploration, so as to form more easily replicated and popularised institutional innovations.

The third key zone is the Hongqiao International Hub for Opening Up. The overall construction plan for this zone was approved by the State Council on Feb. 24 this year, and was issued for implementation. In the overall plan, the functional layout of "One Core and Two Belts" was determined. "One Core" is Hongqiao Central Business District, with an area of 151 square kilometers, including the Hongqiao transportation hub, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and its surrounding business districts, industrial districts, and residential districts. "Two Belts" refer to the north and south belts linking Shanghai and related areas of Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang, covering an area of 7,000 square kilometers, including 2,100 square kilometers in Shanghai. Next, in accordance with the requirements of the overall plan approved by the State Council, we will work together with the three provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, working hard towards the "four efforts." This includes putting effort into building a high-standard international central business district; building a new platform for an international trade center with high-end resource allocation; improving the management of the comprehensive transportation hub; and improving the ability to serve the Yangtze River Delta and link the international community. Thank you.

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