Xi highlights reform-driven growth

By MO JINGXI | CHINA DAILY | Updated: 2024-05-25 07:10 President Xi Jinping visits Rizhao Port on Wednesday to learn about progress in promoting the smart and green development of the port, and expanding opening-up, in Rizhao, Shandong province. JU PENG/XINHUA President Xi Jinping has urged Shandong, China's second-largest province in population and an important economic powerhouse, to pursue reform-driven high-quality development and build itself into "a hub of high-level opening-up", as he wrapped up an inspection tour to the eastern province on Friday. During his visit on Wednesday afternoon to Rizhao Port, a national model for intelligent and sustainable bulk cargo handling, Xi affirmed the port's efforts in turning itself from a traditional port into a modern one by advancing technological innovation in recent years. During his visit to Tianjin Port in January 2019, Xi stressed that the economy is the top priority in developing a country, and to achieve economic progress, building transportation infrastructure, especially maritime transport, comes first. Xin Ge, a research fellow at the Institute of Public Policy and Governance at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said in an online comment piece that Xi's inspection in Rizhao underscores his dedication to developing a robust port economy that supports high-level opening-up and the Belt and Road Initiative.