Shandong pioneer of country’s development, Wang says

Shandong province has become a pioneer in China’s leapfrog development since reform and opening-up, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

It has done so, he said, with complete industrial sectors, a convenient transportation network, an advanced agricultural system and remarkable economic and social achievements.

Wang made the remark at an event promoting the province’s advantages to foreign diplomatic missions at the ministry in Beijing.

Shandong has an economy exceeding $1 trillion dollars and per capital GDP is above $10,000.

President Xi Jinping has required Shandong to accelerate the development of emerging industries and replace traditional growth drivers with new ones in order to explore new development models and approaches, Wang said.

The Chinese economy is also undergoing the replacement of growth drivers, which not only promotes the transformation and upgrading of the economic structure but also injects new vitality into the global economy, he said.

“China is willing to share its development opportunities with all other countries,” Wang said.

Looking back at history, he said, Shandong has been a wellspring of nourishment for Chinese civilization and Confucianism has been nurturing the Chinese nation for ages.

“China today is actively pursuing the building of a new type of international relations,” Wang said. “We are willing to build a community with a shared future for mankind together with other countries.”

Liu Jiayi, secretary of the Shandong Committee of the Communist Party of China, said the province has achieved huge progress over the past four decades, but traditional economic growth patterns cannot be adapted to the demands for high-quality development, changes in market economy and people’s expectations for a better life.

Gong Zheng, governor of Shandong, invited friends from all other countries to share in Shandong’s development opportunities and open up the new chapter of cooperation.

Over 500 people from more than 140 countries, including diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations in attended the event.

Andrey Denisov, Russian ambassador to China, said Russia, as the sixth-largest trading partner of Shandong, enjoys solid trade ties with the province.

But potential still remains to be tapped in bilateral cooperation in areas such as production capacity and agriculture, he said. China,

FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (fifth from right) and guests watch children recite classic Confucian literature in Beijing on Thursday. It was part of an event to promote Shandong province, home of the philosopher Confucius, to a global audience.