16-11-2020 The Asian Independent

26 16-11-2020 to 30-11-2020 WORLD
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Nanjing : Chinese President Xi
Jinping has stressed efforts to implement
the spirit of the fifth plenary session
of the 19th Central Committee of
the Communist Party of China (CPC)
and promote the high-quality development
of the Yangtze River Economic
Belt. Jinping, also General Secretary
of the CPC Central Committee and
chairman of the Central Military
Commission, made the remarks on
Saturday in Nanjing, Jiangsu
Province, at a symposium he chaired
on comprehensively advancing the
development of the Yangtze River
Economic Belt, the Xinhua news
agency reported.
He called for efforts to write a new
chapter in prioritizing ecological conservation
and boosting green development,
create a new model for regional
coordinated development, create a
new height for high-level opening-up,
foster advantages in innovation-led
development, and draw a new painting
featuring harmony between nature, the
people and the cities.
Such efforts are aimed at turning
the Yangtze River Economic Belt into
the country's main focus for green
development, the major artery for a
smooth "dual circulation" of domestic
and international markets, and the
main force spearheading high-quality
economic development, he said.
After hearing reports from seven
officials that include ministers and
provincial Party chiefs, Jinping said
over the past five years, transitional
changes have taken place in the ecological
and environmental protection
Xi urges high-quality development
of Yangtze River Economic Belt
along the Yangtze River Economic
Belt while historical achievements
have been achieved in the area's economic
and social development.
Provinces and municipalities
along the Yangtze River have done a
good job in handling the Covid-19
epidemic and coping with the shocks
brought by huge floods as well as
external environmental changes,
making a prominent contribution for
China to first restore positive growth
among major economies, he said.
Jinping said that promoting the
development of the Yangtze River
Economic Belt is an important strategy
that has a bearing on the overall
national development, noting that the
Yangtze River Economic Belt consists
of 11 provinces and municipalities
and accounts for about half of
China's population and GDP.
Efforts should be made to
strengthen the protection and restoration
of ecological and environmental
systems and coordinated work of the
upper, middle, and lower reaches of
the Yangtze River, Jinping said.
The Chinese President called for
comprehensively improving the efficiency
of resource utilization and
accelerating green and low-carbon
development on the premise of strictly
protecting the ecological environment.
The restoration of the ecological
environment of the Yangtze River
should be a major priority, he said,
adding that the establishment of a
mechanism should be accelerated
whereby protection and restoration of
the ecological environment shall be
reasonably rewarded, while those
responsible for the ecological environment
destruction shall pay their due
price. Jinping stressed efforts to
explore effective ways conducive to
promoting smooth domestic circulation,
advance the coordinated development
of the upper, middle, and lower
reaches of the Yangtze River, promote
people-centered new urbanization, and
increase people's life quality and
income.
To create a new height for highlevel
opening-up, the Chinese
President urged efforts to promote
innovative development of trade and
make better use of foreign capital.
Provinces and municipalities along
the Yangtze River should find their
respective positions in the new development
pattern of "dual circulation"
and take the initiative to open up their
markets to the world, Jinping said.
Efforts should also be made to better
integrate the development of the
Yangtze River Economic Belt and the
Belt and Road Initiative, he added.
He stressed the need to accelerate
the upgrading of the industrial base
and the modernization of the industrial
chain.
"We should take bold steps in innovation
and focus on the real economy
to boost economic development," he
said, adding that the country should
speed up breakthroughs in key and
core technologies.
He also urged efforts to strengthen
the dominant position of enterprises in
innovation, foster advanced manufacturing
clusters with international competitiveness,
and build independent,
controllable, safe and efficient industrial
and supply chains that serve the
whole country.
Noting that Yangtze River is the
icon of the Chinese nation and the
symbol of Chinese civilization,
Jinping called for protecting, inheriting
and carrying forward the Yangtze
River culture, as well as protecting its
cultural relics and heritage.
He also stressed the need to conduct
in-depth research on the key
issues that currently constrain the
development of the Yangtze River
Economic Belt.
Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member
of the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee and head of the leading
group for promoting the development
of the Yangtze River Economic Belt,
attended the symposium.
To promote the development of the
economic belt, authorities should
apply the new development philosophy
throughout the whole process and
in all areas, set a good example in promoting
high-quality development, and
make greater contribution to speeding
up the establishment of the new development
pattern, Zheng said.
Clashes underway
in Afghan district
Kabul : Heavy clashes between Afghan security forces and the
Taliban was underway on Monday in Kunduz province's Dasht-e-
Archi district, officials said.
The clashes erupted on Sunday night after the Taliban attacked
security outposts in Dasht-e-Archi, TOLO News quoted a provincial
government spokesman as saying.
Muradi said "reinforcements have been sent to the province to
support security forces in the district".
"Three security forces were killed and three more were wounded
in the ongoing clashes," he said.
The spokesman added that Air Force is also supporting the security
forces in the clashes.
"So far, eight Taliban members have been killed and 13 more were
wounded. The security forces are trying to push back the Taliban
attack," he added.
This latest development comes as violence has remained high in
various parts of the country amidst ongoing efforts to move the peace
process forward.
Intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the
Taliban in Doha have also stalled.