—A Report on Interviews with the Sichuan Delegation at the National Two Sessions

Wang Pu, Chief Reporter, Asia News Weekly
Tan Guoqi, Liu Min

      The annual National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (the “Two Sessions”) have always been major events that attract global attention and capture the nation’s focus. Like thousands of other news outlets in China and abroad, *Asia News Weekly* closely follows this grand event, promptly conveying the spirit of the Two Sessions to the world. During the coverage of the Two Sessions, the Sichuan delegation’s open day drew significant media attention. On the morning of March 8, *Asia News Weekly*’s correspondents covering the Two Sessions, along with more than 130 journalists from over 50 domestic and international media outlets, arrived at the venue where the Sichuan delegation was based.

     Once the delegates and reporters had taken their seats, Wang Dongming—Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Congress, and head of the delegation—who was presiding over the meeting, warmly addressed the reporters: “ We sincerely invite everyone to visit Sichuan, take a look around, and experience firsthand the province’s beautiful natural scenery, the vibrant momentum of development across the Ba-Shu region, and the warm hospitality of the Sichuan people. We also hope that everyone will continue to care about, pay attention to, support, and promote Sichuan.”

     From how to effectively carry out the targeted campaign to alleviate poverty to advancing the development of the Tianfu New Area to high standards; from Sichuan’s experience in comprehensive innovation and reform to its implementation of the philosophy that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”; and on to issues of widespread public concern, such as the high-quality recovery and reconstruction of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake-affected areas—reporters eagerly raised their hands and vied to ask questions. Yin Li, Deputy Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, Governor of Sichuan Province, and Deputy Head of the Delegation, Fan Ruiping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Chengdu Municipal Party Committee, and Deputy Head of the Delegation; Wang Ning, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Governor, and Deputy Head of the Delegation; Yang Kening, Deputy Secretary of the Aba Prefectural Party Committee, Governor of Aba Prefecture, and Deputy to the National People’s Congress; and Yu Huiwen, Director of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment and Deputy to the National People’s Congress, among other delegates, responded actively to the journalists’ questions.

     Striving to Take the Governance and Development of Sichuan to New Heights: As we enter the decisive stage of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Sichuan’s achievements in making new contributions have already left a lasting impression on journalists from home and abroad.

Focus on Meeting Precise Requirements and Make Every Effort to Win the Battle Against Poverty

     The first question was posed by a reporter from the People’s Daily covering the Two Sessions. He asked the host: “On the eve of this year’s Spring Festival, General Secretary Xi Jinping made a special trip to Liangshan Prefecture in Sichuan to investigate the targeted poverty alleviation efforts and personally presided over a symposium on winning the battle against poverty.” We know that in recent years, Sichuan has consistently treated poverty alleviation as the province’s top priority, taking a down-to-earth and hands-on approach, applying meticulous attention to detail, and achieving decisive progress. However, we also recognize that the task of lifting people out of poverty in Sichuan’s deeply impoverished areas remains arduous. Please outline the measures and plans for the next phase of poverty alleviation efforts.

     Deputy Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, Governor, and Deputy Head of the DelegationYin Li responded cheerfully, saying, “I would like to thank our friends in the media and people from all walks of life for their concern and support for Sichuan’s poverty alleviation efforts! On this day last year—also March 8—General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the deliberations of the Sichuan delegation and urged us to apply the precision of ”embroidery’ to our poverty alleviation efforts.” On the eve of this year’s Spring Festival, the General Secretary once again visited Sichuan to inspect our work, traveling deep into the heart of the Daliang Mountains to conduct research on poverty alleviation. This fully demonstrates his care and concern for people living in poverty, as well as the high priority he places on poverty alleviation in deeply impoverished areas; it also serves as an affirmation, encouragement, and spur for Sichuan’s poverty alleviation efforts.”

     Sichuan is one of the six provinces in China with the heaviest burden of poverty alleviation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have conscientiously implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important strategic thinking on poverty alleviation and development, as well as the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. We have applied the meticulous care of an embroiderer, focused on meeting the requirement of “precision,” and made every effort to win the battle against poverty. The number of people living in rural poverty across the province fell from 7.5 million at the end of 2012 to 1.71 million at the end of 2017, and the poverty incidence rate dropped from 11.5% to 2.7%, marking decisive progress in the fight against poverty.

     Over the past five years of the poverty alleviation campaign, we have first and foremost engaged in systematic planning and deployment. We have consistently treated poverty alleviation as the province’s top priority, used it to guide the overall economic and social development, and scientifically planned, organized, and advanced the effort. The Provincial Party Committee issued relevant decisions, the Provincial People’s Congress enacted regulations on poverty alleviation and development, and the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government issued an implementation outline. We also rolled out 10 specialized plans covering areas such as industrial poverty alleviation, education, and healthcare, as well as several implementation plans each year, forming a “3+10+N” comprehensive strategy. Second, we adhered to the principle of targeted poverty alleviation. In accordance with the central government’s requirements for categorized policies and targeted assistance, we utilized a big data platform for poverty alleviation to launch special action plans targeting the primary causes of poverty and relapse into poverty—such as illness and natural disasters—striving to ensure precision in identifying those in need, arranging projects, allocating funds, implementing measures at the household level, providing village-based assistance, and measuring the effectiveness of poverty alleviation. Third, we focused on tackling key challenges. We set the goal of ensuring people had enough to eat and wear, developed industrial poverty alleviation plans for each impoverished county and village, facilitated the transfer of 850,000 impoverished workers into employment, and provided a safety net for 1.21 million impoverished people covered by the minimum living allowance program. We focused on ensuring housing safety, compulsory education, and basic medical care, completing the relocation of more than 720,000 people through poverty alleviation relocation programs, improving the conditions of more than 10,000 under-resourced schools, waiving tuition and providing grants to more than 1.36 million high school and vocational school students, and limiting the share of out-of-pocket expenses for impoverished patients hospitalized within their counties to 10% or less. Fourth, we innovated poverty alleviation methods. We established the “Four Poverty Alleviation Funds,” with a total scale of 11 billion yuan, benefiting more than 1.91 million people in total. We innovatively carried out “spiritual poverty alleviation,” adhering to the principle of combining material assistance with fostering motivation and education. We established more than 18,000 “Four-Good Villages”—where residents live in good homes, lead good lives, cultivate good habits, and foster good social norms—and opened more than 40,000 “Farmers” Night Schools“ to organize the public to study new ideologies, culture, policies, laws, and technical skills. We innovatively implemented paired assistance programs, arranging for relatively economically developed cities and counties within the province to provide support to 45 deeply impoverished counties. Fifth, we have reinforced accountability at every level. From the provincial to the township level, we have established poverty alleviation leading groups at every tier, implemented a ”dual-leader“ responsibility system with the top Party and government officials serving as co-chairs, fully implemented the ”Five Ones“ village-based assistance program, strengthened the overall responsibility of the top Party and government officials, and ensured that ”secretaries at all five levels work together on this task.” More than 50,000 village-based assistance cadres across the province are stationed at the grassroots level year-round, working tirelessly on the front lines of poverty alleviation. Provincial leaders led 12 rounds of comprehensive supervisory inspections covering all 160 counties with poverty alleviation tasks and all impoverished villages.

     We will continue to adhere to these proven practices and constantly refine and innovate them in practice. At the same time, we clearly recognize that the task of poverty alleviation in Sichuan remains arduous and formidable, as the remaining people living in poverty represent the poorest of the poor and the most disadvantaged among the disadvantaged. This is particularly true in the Tibetan and Yi ethnic regions, where people have “leaped forward a thousand years in a single step.” These areas combine the characteristics of ethnic minority regions, historic revolutionary bases, and remote areas, and deep-seated poverty is intertwined with factors such as natural conditions and social governance, making the fight against poverty even more unique and challenging. There are also issues in some localities, such as uneven progress and inadequate policy implementation, which we will address with decisive measures. Moving forward, we will fully implement the spirit of the General Secretary’s important instructions from his inspection tour of Sichuan. We will continue to treat poverty alleviation as the province’s top priority, adopt even more robust measures and more meticulous approaches, target the primary issues in deeply impoverished areas, and further apply the “embroidery-like precision” required for this work.

     We will adhere to the current poverty alleviation standards and focus on improving the quality of poverty alleviation. Over the next three years, we will create 300,000 new jobs through labor transfer, facilitate the relocation of more than 430,000 people as part of the poverty alleviation relocation program, and continue to implement 15 years of free education in ethnic minority areas, the “9+3” free vocational education program, and the “One Village, One Kindergarten” initiative, with a focus on breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. We will innovate and integrate support policies to strengthen our efforts in the battle against poverty. We will innovate preferential support policies in areas such as finance, land use, and talent development, integrate various resources, and concentrate our efforts on winning the battle against poverty. Over the next three years, we plan to allocate 227.5 billion yuan in fiscal poverty alleviation funds, of which 86.9 billion yuan will come from provincial-level budgets. We will establish a long-term mechanism for poverty alleviation and focus on stimulating endogenous motivation. We will organically integrate the fight against poverty with the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, strengthening the coordination of planning, policies, and mechanisms. We will deepen the “Four Good Villages” initiative, strengthen the integration of material assistance with fostering motivation and knowledge, and stimulate the internal drive of impoverished populations to lift themselves out of poverty and achieve prosperity. We will further strengthen work discipline in the fight against poverty, focusing on ensuring that poverty alleviation measures are fully implemented. We will strengthen organizational safeguards, ensure responsibilities are firmly upheld at every level, resolutely reject formalism, and strictly investigate illegal and disciplinary violations in the field of poverty alleviation, ensuring the effectiveness of poverty alleviation through a rigorous work ethic.

Maintain a Global Perspective and Build the Tianfu New Area to High Standards

     No sooner had Governor Yin Li finished speaking than reporters began raising their hands to ask questions. A reporter from the Economic Daily was given the floor and said, “Tianfu New Area is a key hub for the ”Belt and Road’ Initiative and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Since the main part of Tianfu New Area is located in Chengdu, how will the planning and construction of the Chengdu section highlight the characteristics of a ‘park city’ and create a new growth pole?”

     Fan Ruiping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Chengdu Municipal Party Committee, and Deputy Head of the Delegation, responded: “I would like to thank our friends in the media for their long-standing attention to and coverage of Chengdu.” On the eve of this year’s Spring Festival, during his inspection tour of Sichuan, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Tianfu New Area is a key hub for the “Belt and Road” Initiative and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. He stressed that it must be carefully planned and constructed, with particular emphasis on highlighting its characteristics as a “park city,” taking ecological value into account, and striving to create a new growth pole and build a high-ground for an open inland economy.

     We understand that a “Park City” is a beautiful urban form where agrarian, industrial, and ecological civilizations complement one another, and where “people,” “ industry,” “environment,” and “city” are in a state of high harmony and unity. It fully embodies the philosophy that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” in urban planning and construction, aligns with the earnest aspirations of Chengdu’s citizens for a better life in the new era, and is consistent with Chengdu’s resource endowments, cultural characteristics, and the intrinsic laws governing the city’s future development. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and heartfelt exhortations have charted the course for Tianfu New Area to serve national strategies and have clearly defined the practical path for Chengdu to achieve high-quality development.

     Tianfu New Area is the fifth national-level new area approved following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. From the very beginning of Tianfu New Area’s establishment, the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government clearly stated that the planning and construction of Tianfu New Area is a “century-long project and a major undertaking for Sichuan,” requiring us to adhere to a global perspective, an international outlook, and high standards and quality in its planning and construction. In the more than three years since the New Area’s establishment, a cumulative total of 100 billion yuan has been invested in ecological and environmental protection and development, driving more than 640 billion yuan in industrial investment and generating a cumulative regional gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 760 billion yuan, thereby initially establishing the New Area’s capacity to drive regional development.

     We will earnestly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s new requirements for the Tianfu New Area, proactively define our role within the broader context of national strategy and strengthen our sense of responsibility, focus on the “Three Major Strategic Positions,” and provide important strategic support for the “Belt and Road” initiative and the new round of development and opening-up of the western regions.

     First, we will focus on building the most dynamic emerging growth hub in the western region. We will concentrate on creating a new engine to lead the future development of the west, adhere to high-end leadership and innovation-driven development, accelerate the upgrading of high-end growth industries such as electronic information, biopharmaceuticals, and smart manufacturing, expedite the development of emerging, pioneering service sectors including headquarters economy, technology services, and modern finance, and actively foster new forms of the economy, new industries, and new business models. We will accelerate the development of industrial functional zones such as the Western International Trade Expo Zone, the Tianfu Center Headquarters Economy Zone, the Science City, and the Luxi Smart Valley Innovation Cluster, thereby significantly enhancing Tianfu New Area’s capacity to lead innovation and elevate the level of industrial development.

     Second, we will focus on building an international, modern new city that is conducive to business, living, and commerce. Guided by the concept of a “park city,” we will carry out urban planning and design, coordinate the layout of production, living, and ecological spaces, ensure that ecological land across the entire Tianfu New Area accounts for no less than 70%, strive to build a beautiful and livable park city, and enhance the soft power of the Tianfu New Area. We will accelerate the development of the Tianfu Greenway system, using large-scale ecological corridors as organic dividers to fully showcase the natural ecological beauty and the picturesque landscapes of mountains, waters, and farmland in Tianfu New Area. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to “preserving open spaces and increasing greenery,” planning and constructing urban scenic areas that follow the contours of mountains and waterways. We will undertake landscape restoration and develop urban agriculture to high standards, transforming ecological wetlands, vegetable gardens, and farmlands into beautiful urban landscapes. We will construct a five-tier ecological green network comprising ecological zones, greenways, parks, small gardens, and micro-green spaces to comprehensively enhance the unique charm of this “City of Leisure” and “Liveable City.” We will thoroughly implement new talent policies to attract “Chengdu-bound” talent to Tianfu New Area for innovation and entrepreneurship. We will plan and construct talent apartments, commercial centers, and international communities to high standards, forming a new urban model characterized by the integration of industry and the city and a balance between work and living.

     Third, we will focus on building a hub for an open inland economy. We will integrate resources in foreign affairs, foreign investment, and foreign economic relations; strengthen the development of strategic open corridors and platforms for foreign cooperation; and actively integrate into the “Belt and Road” initiative. We will build an international gateway hub to serve the overall national strategy. In accordance with the “Four Major Priority Projects” established by the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, we will accelerate the construction of Tianfu International Airport and the International Airport New City, striving to ensure the successful takeoff of the first flight from Tianfu International Airport in 2020, thereby establishing the nation’s fourth aviation hub and gateway for opening up to the west and south. We will accelerate the development of the Western Financial Center and the Center for International Exchange, strive to enhance the service capabilities of the “Belt and Road” Exchange Center and the European Trade City, and focus on strengthening our capacity to attract advanced international resources. We will further deepen reforms in the Free Trade Zone, strengthen capacity-building for two-way opening-up and collaboration, and promote two-way cooperation between regional central cities both within and outside the province. We will accelerate the development of the Comprehensive Cross-Border E-Commerce Pilot Zone to enhance its influence and drive for development.

     Finally, we warmly welcome all our friends in the media to Chengdu, where you can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the “Land of Abundance”—a place where dreams come true and careers flourish.

Comprehensive Innovation and Reform Pilot Program Injects New Vitality into Economic Development

     Regarding how comprehensive innovation and reform are injecting new vitality and momentum into economic development, a Xinhua News Agency reporter asked: On the eve of this year’s Spring Festival, while inspecting and providing guidance on work in Sichuan, General Secretary Xi Jinping fully affirmed that Sichuan’s adherence to the principle that “transformation is the key to better development, and even latecomers must start from a high baseline” embodies the requirements of high-quality development. We also understand that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Sichuan has prioritized comprehensive innovation and reform as its “top priority,” accelerating its development into a national pioneer province for innovation-driven development, and has achieved remarkable results in promoting high-quality development, particularly in the area of comprehensive innovation and reform. Please describe Sichuan’s approach, achievements, and future plans regarding comprehensive innovation and reform.

     Wang Ning, Member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor, and Deputy Head of the Delegation, responded with pleasure: “I would like to thank our friends in the media for their attention to Sichuan’s comprehensive innovation and reform efforts.” The Comprehensive Innovation and Reform Pilot Program is an important reform initiative entrusted to Sichuan by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. The Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attach great importance to this initiative and are resolutely implementing the decisions and directives of the Central Committee and the State Council. We have designated it as the “top priority project” to lead Sichuan’s transformation and development, mobilizing the entire province’s resources to advance it, and have already achieved significant phased results. When General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Sichuan before the Spring Festival this year, he fully affirmed our province’s work on the Comprehensive Innovation and Reform Pilot Program.

     Regarding Sichuan’s approach to and achievements in comprehensive innovation and reform, I believe these are primarily reflected in the following three aspects: First, we have achieved a number of results from pilot innovation and reform initiatives. The State Council has authorized our province to carry out 30 pilot reform tasks; for each task, we have formulated a work plan, implemented checklist-based management and visual progress tracking, and focused our efforts on tackling key challenges. By the end of last year, 15 of these tasks had been substantially completed, 9 had made significant progress, and the remaining 6 were also advancing at an accelerated pace; second, we have generated a number of experiences and outcomes that are replicable and scalable. On the one hand, we have explored and, with national endorsement, promoted certain pilot experiences; on the other hand, we have replicated and promoted some of these experiences and outcomes within the province. Third, we have realized the benefits of reform, which have powerfully propelled the high-quality economic development of the entire province.

     Through two years of efforts, comprehensive innovation and reform have injected new vitality and momentum into the province’s economic development. Under their guidance, the quality and efficiency of our province’s economic development have been further enhanced, and the transition from old to new growth drivers is accelerating. I have a set of figures here: in 2017, the province’s main business revenue from military-civilian integration exceeded 300 billion yuan; the province has established 1,478 science and technology innovation platforms, including 7 major national science and technology infrastructure projects and 122 national and provincial-level key laboratories; the total output value of the province’s high-tech industry exceeded 1.8 trillion yuan—2.3 times that of 2012—and the contribution rate of science and technology to economic growth reached 54%, an increase of 7.5 percentage points compared to 2012. It can be said that comprehensive innovation and reform have become a strategic pillar driving the high-quality economic development of the province.

     Moving forward, in accordance with the spirit of General Secretary Xi’s important speech delivered during his inspection tour of Sichuan, we will further expand our thinking and measures to effectively implement and advance the “Top Priority Project” of comprehensive innovation and reform. Specifically, this will encompass the following four aspects: First, “launching one initiative,” namely, vigorously implementing key reform initiatives to ensure the successful completion of the pioneering reform tasks entrusted to Sichuan by the state; Second, “achieve one breakthrough,” namely, driving major breakthroughs in the in-depth development of military-civilian integration; third, “achieve two outcomes,” namely, achieving significant results in integrating science and technology with the economy and with the financial sector; Fourth, “enhancing three areas of competitiveness,” which means comprehensively enhancing the competitiveness of the region, enterprises, and industries; transforming the Chengdu-Deyang-Mianyang region—the main battleground of the province’s reform and innovation pilot zone—into a regional innovation hub with global influence; fostering a group of leading enterprises with innovative capabilities; and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system.

Upholding the Priority of Ecological Conservation and Green Development and Devoting Our Full Efforts to Building a Beautiful Sichuan

     Resolutely pursuing a path of green development that prioritizes the environment is a key aspect of development today. In this regard, a reporter from *Guangming Daily* asked: Sichuan has always been a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters; it holds a unique position in terms of its ecological environment, yet it also faces pressures regarding ecological and environmental protection. During last year’s central environmental protection inspection, ordinary people at the grassroots level reported numerous ecological and environmental issues. How does Sichuan put into practice the philosophy that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”? How does it transform its ecological advantages into development advantages and effectively implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s directive to “make sure we write a good chapter on ecological civilization”?

     Yu Huiwen, a deputy to the National People’s Congress and director of the Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, responded to this, saying: “Sichuan boasts stunning natural landscapes and has long been renowned for its ”Jianmen Pass—the most perilous under heaven,’ ‘Qingcheng Mountain—the most serene under heaven,’ Emei is the most picturesque, and Jiuzhai is the most wondrous.” It is also known as the “Province of a Thousand Rivers” and serves as a vital ecological barrier and water conservation area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, shouldering a crucial mission for national ecological security. At the same time, Sichuan is a major economic, populous, industrial, and agricultural province, and the tension between development and conservation has always been particularly pronounced.

     Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government have resolutely implemented the series of decisions and policies issued by the Party Central Committee, with Xi Jinping at its core, regarding the advancement of ecological civilization. With a sense of responsibility toward the land they inhabit, as well as toward history and the people, they have conscientiously put into practice the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” consciously shouldered the responsibility of safeguarding national ecological security, and steadfastly pursued a path of green development that prioritizes the environment.

     First, we focused on developing a top-level design for ecological civilization and establishing an overall framework for building a “Beautiful Sichuan.” As early as 2013, we proposed the initiative to build a “Beautiful Sichuan,” and immediately thereafter implemented an innovation-driven development strategy, eliminating GDP performance evaluations for 58 counties designated as key ecological function zones and ecologically fragile counties prioritized for national poverty alleviation. The Eighth Plenary Session of the 10th Provincial Party Committee adopted a resolution on building a “Beautiful Sichuan” and deployed the “Three Major Campaigns”—large-scale greening across the province and the prevention and control of water, air, and soil pollution. The 11th Provincial Party Congress set the goal of taking ecological civilization construction to a new level. Following General Secretary Xi Jinping’s inspection tour of Sichuan before this year’s Spring Festival, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government swiftly further refined their measures, detailed the division of labor, and reinforced accountability, transforming the General Secretary’s deep care and earnest hopes into a powerful driving force for advancing the “Beautiful Sichuan” initiative. Second, we have resolutely transformed our development model and adjusted our economic structure to promote high-quality economic development. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Provincial Party Committee has clearly articulated that “transformation is the key to better development, and even latecomers must start from a higher level.” With resolute determination, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government have shut down 753 small coal mines, ceased approving the construction of small hydropower projects with a capacity of less than 50,000 kilowatts, phased out 1,488 enterprises with outdated production capacity, and rectified more than 35,000 scattered, disorderly, and polluting enterprises. Energy consumption per unit of industrial value-added has decreased by 35%, and emissions of major pollutants have continued to decline. Installed capacity of clean energy has reached 80.59 million kilowatts, firmly ranking first nationwide; clean energy accounts for 90.3% of total electricity generation; and last year, 138.95 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity were transmitted to other regions, making a significant contribution to national emissions reduction. At the same time, we have prioritized the cultivation and expansion of seven key industries, seven strategic emerging industries, five high-end growth industries, and five emerging pioneering service sectors, building a green industrial system that generates new momentum and drives new growth, thereby continuously optimizing the economic structure. Third, efforts to strengthen ecological and environmental protection and governance have led to the basic completion of the ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The entire province has coordinated the systematic management of mountains, waters, forests, farmland, lakes, and grasslands; implemented major ecological protection and restoration projects; and advanced the large-scale greening initiative across Sichuan. bringing the forest coverage rate to 38.03%. We have advanced the comprehensive management of rock desertification, desertification, and soil erosion; expanded the program to convert farmland back to forests and grasslands; launched the Giant Panda National Park pilot project; and taken the lead in designating 30.42% of the province’s land area as an ecological protection red line, thereby effectively safeguarding key ecological functions. We have thoroughly implemented the “Three Major Campaigns” for pollution prevention and control, designating the improvement of air quality on the Chengdu Plain as the province’s “No. 1 Environmental Protection Project” and prioritizing the remediation of the water environment in the Tuo and Min Rivers. We advanced the three-year action plan for urban and rural sewage and solid waste management; by the end of last year, 683 projects for the prevention and control of water, air, and soil pollution had been launched simultaneously, with an investment of 127.9 billion yuan. In 2017, the province’s rate of days with good or excellent air quality reached 82.2%, and the rate of water quality monitoring sections meeting or exceeding standards reached 78.2%. Improvements in the Chengdu Plain were particularly notable, and the public’s sense of well-being has significantly increased. At the same time, responsibilities were firmly assigned to departments at all levels to ensure the implementation of decisions on ecological and environmental protection. The province took the lead nationwide in achieving full coverage of provincial-level environmental protection inspections, underwent a comprehensive review by the Central Environmental Protection Inspection Team, assigned provincial leaders to personally oversee the resolution of prominent environmental issues, and increased the weighting of ecological and environmental protection in performance evaluations from 8% in 2013 to 13%. revised and improved the plans for the division of environmental protection responsibilities among Party committees, governments, and relevant departments at all levels, and established a sound assessment system for the environmental protection responsibilities of leading Party and government officials.

     At the end of last year, the Central Environmental Protection Inspection Team provided feedback to Sichuan on the results of its inspection. While fully acknowledging the achievements, the team also pointed out a number of issues. The Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government clearly stated that they would accept all findings without exception, would not cover up or evade any issues, and would take a pragmatic and decisive approach to ensure that each issue is rectified thoroughly. For issues that can be rectified in the short term, corrective actions have already been organized, with deadlines set for their resolution. For issues requiring a longer time to resolve, clear roadmaps, timelines, responsible units, and individuals have been established; work schedules have been backward-planned to ensure progress is tracked and completed on schedule. Sichuan has also formulated a rectification plan, specifying the lead agencies, responsible departments, and concrete measures for each of the 89 issues across five areas. The plan has now been submitted to the State Council. This year has been designated as the “Year of Environmental Issue Rectification” for the province. Sichuan has established a comprehensive set of mechanisms—including reporting, performance evaluations, and assessments—to drive progress, and has taken the lead nationwide in introducing specific procedures for closing out resolved issues.

     Over the past few years, Sichuan has consistently adhered to green development, placing the construction of a “Beautiful Sichuan” at the forefront of its priorities. Not only has industrial transformation accelerated and upgrading advanced, with the transition from old to new growth drivers gaining momentum, but the province’s total economic output has also surged to sixth place nationwide. Ecosystem services have continued to strengthen, environmental quality has steadily improved, and the overall level of ecological civilization construction has risen—thus safeguarding both “lucid waters and lush mountains” and creating “mountains of gold and silver.”

Scientifically Promoting Green Development Accelerating the Construction of a Beautiful New Jiuzhai

     Post-disaster reconstruction has been a major challenge for Sichuan in recent years, and how well this work is carried out is crucial to the well-being of the people. In this regard, a reporter from China Central Television asked: The Jiuzhaigou earthquake-affected area serves as a vital ecological barrier and water conservation area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, with a high concentration of nature reserves. Notably, this marks the first instance in China where a World Natural Heritage site has been damaged by an earthquake. How will Sichuan promote high-quality recovery, reconstruction, and development in the Jiuzhaigou earthquake-affected area?

     Yang Keneng, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, Deputy Secretary of the Aba Prefectural Party Committee, and Governor of Aba Prefecture, replied: “ Following the ”8·8” 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Jiuzhaigou, under the strong leadership of the Central Government and with the wholehearted support of all sectors of society, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government organized rescue and relief efforts in a scientific and efficient manner. They evacuated and relocated more than 60,000 people in the shortest possible time, minimizing losses to people’s lives and property to the greatest extent possible and achieving a major victory in disaster response and relief efforts.”

     Following the transition from earthquake relief efforts to post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, and in accordance with the Provincial Party Committee’s “Decision on Promoting Scientific Reconstruction and Green Development in the Jiuzhaigou Earthquake-Affected Area and Accelerating the Construction of a Beautiful New Jiuzhaigou,” the “Master Plan for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction of the ‘August 8’ Jiuzhaigou Earthquake” and five specialized implementation plans were finalized after nearly three months of careful planning. A number of projects—including geological hazard mitigation, housing reconstruction, school repairs and reinforcement, and infrastructure development—have already been launched or completed. Jiuzhaigou remains as beautiful as ever in the aftermath of the earthquake. With the exception of the Nuorilang Waterfall and Sparkling Lake, which sustained relatively severe damage, the other major scenic spots have remained largely undamaged.

     Starting today (March 8), the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area will open select attractions to the public in accordance with the principles of “restricted areas, limited visitor numbers, designated time slots, and specific access methods.”

     Not long ago, during his inspection tour of Sichuan, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to advance the recovery, reconstruction, and development of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake-affected areas with high quality, striving to make the region a model for promoting green development and lifting ethnic areas out of poverty toward prosperity, so that the people in the disaster-stricken areas can lead happy and healthy lives as soon as possible. We will keep General Secretary Xi’s warm concern and earnest instructions firmly in mind and focus our efforts precisely on the following five areas.

     Emphasizing the guiding role of planning, we will advance recovery and reconstruction in a coordinated manner. In accordance with the Provincial Party Committee’s “Decision” and “Plan” on post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in Jiuzhaigou, we will establish a timeline and and a roadmap to fully implement the five specialized implementation plans for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in Jiuzhaigou. We will coordinate the advancement of major projects such as ecological and environmental restoration and protection, geological disaster prevention and control, scenic area restoration and enhancement, and industrial development. We will focus on exploring new models for the emergency rescue, restoration, protection, and development of World Natural Heritage sites, and accelerate the construction of a beautiful new Jiuzhaigou. In 2018, all reconstruction projects commenced in full, with a planned investment of 3.846 billion yuan, accounting for 32.87% of the total planned investment.

     Emphasizing the core principle of environmental protection, we are systematically restoring damaged ecosystems. With the goal of “creating a new model for ecological civilization,” and in accordance with the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, we are coordinating the advancement of 19 ecological restoration projects with a total investment of 840 million yuan. We are prioritizing the conservation of heritage sites such as the Nuorilang Waterfall and Huohua Lake, strengthening the restoration of earthquake-damaged forests, grasslands, and wetlands as well as habitats for rare and endangered animals, and simultaneously implementing comprehensive soil and water conservation measures in small watersheds to restore natural ecological functions to the greatest extent possible. Adhering to the principles of prevention first, tailored measures, reasonable avoidance, and targeted remediation, we have systematically strengthened the prevention and control of geological disasters to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property to the greatest extent possible.

     Emphasize industrial support to fully energize the engines of development. Focus on striking the right balance between opening scenic areas to the public and restoring them, carry out protective restoration of core landscapes in a scientific and orderly manner, and enhance the appeal of this world-class tourist destination. We will emphasize the integration of ecological, business, and cultural elements, as well as the synergy among micro-landscapes, micro-pastoral settings, and micro-environments. We will deeply explore the tourism resources of Greater Jiuzhaigou, consolidate the “string-of-pearls” model of all-for-one tourism, cultivate new tourism formats, and enrich visitor experiences to promote the development of tourism across the entire region, encompassing all elements and the entire industrial chain. We will plan and construct Zhangza Town to high standards and at a high level, advance the development of the Nanping Tourism Town, improve public services, and build a charming international eco-tourism town, thereby driving income growth for local residents through the revitalization of the tourism industry.

     Prioritizing people’s livelihoods, we are making every effort to safeguard production and daily life. To address issues such as the limited income-generating capacity of residents in disaster-affected areas, we have planned projects—including public welfare positions for ecological conservation, ecological agriculture, and specialty crop and livestock farming—with a total investment of 150 million yuan, tailored to local conditions and characteristics; To address long-standing issues affecting transportation accessibility in disaster-stricken areas, access to scenic spots, and the quality of public services, a total investment of 5.58 billion yuan has been allocated to implement 122 related projects; For housing damaged by the earthquake, building upon initiatives such as poverty alleviation relocation and the construction of new homes in Tibetan areas, a total investment of 200 million yuan has been allocated for urban and rural housing reconstruction, with eight projects already completed.

     Emphasize strict oversight to ensure clean reconstruction. Establish a working mechanism featuring “on-site supervision, online coordination, and overarching planning,” strengthen audits and dynamic management throughout the entire reconstruction process, and strictly enforce the project legal person system, the bidding and tendering system, the engineering supervision system, and the completion acceptance system, to ensure the quality and safety of reconstruction projects and public satisfaction. We will strengthen supervision and inspection of key areas prone to corruption—such as the management of reconstruction funds and materials—and strictly enforce disciplinary rules and accountability, imposing severe penalties to fully promote transparent and clean reconstruction.

     Through interviews with the Sichuan delegation, this reporter was deeply impressed that Sichuan truly lives up to its reputation as the “Land of Abundance.” Under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, Sichuan has indeed developed rapidly, undergoing earth-shattering changes in both its economy and culture, and achieving remarkable accomplishments. This magnificent Land of Abundance deserves to be celebrated in great detail. May you grow even more prosperous and soon embark on the broad path toward a happy and fulfilling life of moderate prosperity.