Xi engages in lively discussion with fellow deputies
For the national legislators from Jiangsu province, their panel discussion on Tuesday afternoon with President Xi Jinping at the ongoing two sessions in Beijing was a moment they said that they “have long waited for”.
The meeting, in which Xi, who represents the province as a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress, engaged in lively deliberations with his fellow deputies, was noted for its messages permeated with confidence, encouragement and vigor.
The gathering covered many of the nation’s top issues, such as ensuring self-reliance in science and technology, pursuing high-quality development, better preserving cultural heritage, advancing the common prosperity drive and strengthening craftsmanship.
Xi highlighted the important role of Jiangsu, an economic powerhouse accounting for one-tenth of national GDP, as China forges ahead on the path to modernization.
He urged deputies from the province, located in China’s more developed eastern region, to “assume major responsibilities’’ and contribute to the nation’s overall development with stronger confidence and enthusiasm.
Xin Changxing, the Party secretary of Jiangsu, shared with the president how the vision put forward by Xi on the province’s development has been translated into reality.
Last year, Jiangsu’s GDP grew 5.8 percent year-on-year, higher than the national average of 5.2 percent, with its research and development intensity — the ratio of R&D to GDP — reaching 3.2 percent, higher than the national average of 2.64 percent.
A standout moment at the panel discussion came when Wu Huifang, the Party secretary of Yonglian, a village in Zhangjiagang, shared with the president his personal stories and briefed him on the development of the village.
In 2023, the village’s income from industries and the agricultural sector reached 161.6 billion yuan ($22.4 billion), with the average income of its residents reaching 73,000 yuan.
Xi said the village was a shining example of the nation’s common prosperity, an essential requirement of the Chinese path to modernization.
“On the path of rural vitalization toward common prosperity, you are the forerunners, and (you) should forge this path ahead,” he said.
He also responded positively to the account shared by Sun Jingnan, a welder from CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co.
“Master craftsmen are the cornerstone and pillars of the Chinese nation’s edifice,” Xi said.
“As the transportation sector advances step by step, leading internationally, craftsmen play a crucial role. It’s not enough to have well-designed blueprints, ultimately it depends on the skill of the welders,” Xi said.
He highlighted the need to develop China’s vocational education, foster the spirit of craftsmanship, and ensure good working conditions and treatment for craftsmen.
The president also showed special interest as he listened to the contribution from Song Yan, the deputy head of Nanjing Museum Administration.
He asked Song about the preservation of the ancient city walls of Nanjing, before sharing his personal attachment to museums.
“I have loved visiting museums since I was a child. When I was young, I visited almost all the museums in Beijing,” Xi said as he recollected memories of riding a bicycle to school and how Beijing’s ancient city wall had impressed him.
He called for better construction of museums and fully leveraging their educational function to enhance people’s sense of history through in-depth engagement with museums.
The word “people” was among the most mentioned throughout the discussion, which lasted about 90 minutes.
Xi said he was more than delighted to see the people living happy lives during his two fact-finding trips to Jiangsu last year.
He called for stronger precautionary measures to ensure work safety and protect people’s life and property.
“We must continue to put the people at the center and strive to improve the level of public well-being and consolidate the momentum of economic recovery.”