Speech at the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Establishment of Hainan Province Economic Zone
April 13, 2018
Xi Jinping
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades,
This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, as well as the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hainan Province Economic Zone. Today, as we gather here solemnly, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hainan Province Economic Zone, our goal is to fully affirm the historical achievements of the economic zone construction, deeply summarize the valuable experiences of economic zone construction, comprehensively implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics in the new era, continue to push forward the comprehensive deepening of reform from the new starting point of the new era, and provide strong impetus for achieving the “Two Centenary Goals” and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The establishment of economic zones is a major decision made by our party and country to promote reform and opening up and socialist modernization. In December 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made the historic decision to shift the focus of the party and state work to economic construction and implement reform and opening up, mobilizing the entire party and people of all ethnic groups in the country for a new Long March towards socialist modernization. This is a significant turning point in the history of our party and country since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In order to promote reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China decided to establish four economic zones in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen, implementing special policies and flexible measures, and playing an important role as windows and demonstrations for national reform and opening up and socialist modernization.
In 1984, Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed after inspecting the economic zones of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Xiamen: “We also need to develop Hainan Island. If we can rapidly develop the economy of Hainan Island, it will be a great victory.” In 1987, Comrade Deng Xiaoping said during a meeting with foreign guests: “We are establishing an even larger special economic zone, which is the Hainan Island Economic Zone. Hainan Island is about the same size as Taiwan,” and “developing Hainan Island well is remarkable.” According to the decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in April 1988, the First Session of the Seventh National People’s Congress officially approved the establishment of Hainan Province, designating Hainan Island as an economic zone. Since then, this beautiful island of our motherland has received unprecedented development opportunities and entered a new historical stage of deepening reform and expanding opening up.
Over the past 30 years, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the vigorous support of the whole country, the Hainan Economic Zone has persistently pursued reform, daringly breaking through the shackles of the traditional economic system, and has achieved remarkable results in economic and social development. In 1987, the GDP of the Hainan region was only 57.28 billion yuan, with local fiscal revenue of less than 3 billion yuan. By 2017, the GDP of the Hainan region reached 446.25 billion yuan, with a per capita GDP of 7,179 US dollars, and local general public budget revenue of 67.4 billion yuan. The regional GDP, per capita GDP, and local fiscal revenue increased by 21.8 times, 14.3 times, and 226.8 times respectively. Modern services, tropical agriculture, and new industries have rapidly grown, and infrastructure such as transportation, electricity, water conservancy, and communication has become increasingly complete. Significant breakthroughs have been made in reform and opening up, leading the country in areas such as the reform of the agricultural and land system, the integration of multiple regulations, the reform of the administrative management system of provincially-administered municipalities and counties, and the opening of aviation rights. International exchanges and cooperation have expanded unprecedentedly, successfully hosting the annual Bo’ao Forum for Asia for 18 sessions. Hainan has taken the lead in building an ecological province, maintaining leading levels in air and water quality. People’s livelihoods have significantly improved, and social undertakings such as education, health, and culture have accelerated development, leading to profound changes in urban and rural areas. Through 30 years of unremitting efforts, Hainan has transformed from a remote island into an important window for China’s reform and opening up.
The Hainan Economic Zone is a vivid epitome of China’s economic special zones, and the achievements of the Hainan Economic Zone are a vivid epitome of the historic changes and achievements China has made since the reform and opening up.
Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, and Hainan, the five economic special zones, have lived up to their missions. They have written magnificent chapters of standing at the forefront and forging ahead in the great historical process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. They have played the role of “experimental fields” in institutional reform and the important role of “windows” in opening up to the outside world, making significant contributions to the reform and opening up and socialist modernization construction nationwide.
The achievements in the reform and development of the economic special zones are the results of the strong leadership and careful guidance of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. They are the results of the pioneering spirit and hard work of the vast number of builders, as well as the results of the support and participation of people from all over the country. On this occasion, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, I extend warm congratulations and sincere greetings to the more than 9 million people of Hainan, to the vast number of builders of the economic special zone, and to all comrades who have made contributions to the construction of the economic special zone. I express heartfelt thanks to all the guests and people from all walks of life at home and abroad who care about and support the construction of the economic special zone.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
The successful practices of economic special zones like Hainan fully demonstrate that the basic theory, line, and strategy of the Party formed since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee are entirely correct. The road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only way to achieve socialist modernization and create a better life for the people. It proves that no matter what changes are made and at what stage, we must adhere to the leadership of the Party, ensuring that the Party sets the direction, plans the overall situation, and formulates policies, and ensuring that the Party always coordinates all aspects. It fully demonstrates that reform and opening up are the key choices that determine the fate of contemporary China, the source of vitality for the development and progress of contemporary China, and an important weapon for the Party and the people to keep pace with the times and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. It fully demonstrates that the strategic decision of the Party Central Committee to establish economic special zones is entirely correct. In the journey to achieve a moderately prosperous society in all respects and win great victories in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, economic special zones should not only continue to be established but also be operated better and achieve higher standards. It fully demonstrates that the people are the main force of reform, and we must adhere to the principle of putting the people first and relying on the people in all aspects, give full play to the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of the broad masses of the people, and make the broad masses of the people a powerful force driving reform and opening up.
After long-term efforts, especially over the past 40 years of unremitting struggle in reform and opening up, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The Nineteenth National Congress of the Party has outlined the magnificent blueprint for achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects and winning great victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, further indicating the direction for the progress of the Party and the country. To achieve our strategic goals, we must firmly adhere to the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and resolutely follow the correct path of reform and opening up, the path of strengthening the country, and the path of enriching the people.
New situations, new tasks, and new challenges endow economic special zones with new historical missions. Economic special zones must not forget their original aspirations and keep their missions in mind. They should seek new directions in the great struggles, great projects, great undertakings, and great dreams and grasp new strategic positions.
Economic special zones should become important windows for reform and opening up. Economic special zones were the first areas in China to open up to the outside world, the most active regions in foreign economic exchanges, and the regions that best represent the image of reform and opening up. Economic special zones should continue to play their important role as windows for reform and opening up, adhere to the policy of opening up for construction, give equal emphasis to bringing in and going out, expand bilateral trade and investment with other countries, and jointly build an open world economy. They should significantly relax market access, especially in the service industry and finance, to create a more attractive investment environment. They should strengthen international cultural exchanges and promote mutual understanding and cultural integration.
Economic special zones should become experimental platforms for reform and opening up. Establishing economic special zones is an important methodology of China’s reform and opening up and has been proven effective through practice. Being the first to explore and experiment is an important responsibility of economic special zones, with the aim of exploring the implementation paths and forms of reform and opening up, and paving the way for national reform and opening up. Only by daring to tread the path less traveled can we enjoy a different landscape. Economic special zones should bravely shoulder historical responsibilities, adapt to new changes at home and abroad, meet new requirements for national development, respond to the new expectations of the people, carry forward the spirit of daring to blaze new trails, being the first to act, and working hard, always stand at the forefront of reform and opening up, take the lead in exploring and boldly experimenting in various aspects of institutional and mechanism reforms, and provide more replicable and promotable experiences for the whole country.
Economic special zones should become pioneers of reform and opening up. The successful practices of economic special zones have provided rich materials and vivid experiences for the formation and development of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the new situation, there are still many major issues that need to be explored and practiced in adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and many new areas need to be explored and innovated. Currently, reform has entered “no man’s land” in many fields. Economic special zones should adhere to the principle of “crossing the river by feeling the stones,” opening up new paths, and building bridges over water. They should seek truth from facts in practice, find laws in exploration, and constantly develop new experiences, deepen new understandings, and contribute new solutions.
Economic special zones should become practitioners of reform and opening up. Empty talk leads the country astray, while practical work leads the nation to prosperity. Only by taking real actions can we overcome difficulties and make dreams come true. Economic special zones should firmly hold the belief of “if not me, who?,” the determination to be at the forefront, and maintain a sense of pressure to overcome obstacles, a sense of mission to move forward bravely, and a sense of responsibility for entrepreneurship. They should actively cultivate an environment that advocates practical work, seek practical changes, seek practical innovations, and seek practical progress. They should support those who take action and encourage those who work hard, and promote continuous reform and opening up with a positive spirit.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
Hainan, as the largest economic special zone in China, possesses a unique geographical location and boasts the best ecological environment in the country. Simultaneously, it stands as a relatively independent geographical unit, endowed with the unique advantage of becoming a national experimental field for reform and opening up. Hainan holds a special position and plays a crucial role in the overall situation of China’s reform and opening up and socialist modernization.
At the age of thirty, Hainan is poised for great achievements. Since the decision to establish the Hainan Economic Zone was made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, there has been a firm determination to develop Hainan Island comprehensively. If Hainan Island develops better, socialism with Chinese characteristics will be more convincing, and people’s confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics will be strengthened.
In the new era, Hainan must raise high the banner of reform and opening up, innovate ideas, unite forces, highlight its characteristics, and create advantages. It should strive to become a new benchmark for comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up in the new era, forming a new pattern of higher-level reform and opening up. This is the best way for us to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hainan Economic Zone and a significant measure to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has high expectations for the reform and opening up of Hainan and recently formulated the “Guiding Opinions on Supporting Hainan’s Comprehensive Deepening of Reform and Opening Up.” This document assigns new significant responsibilities and missions to the Hainan Economic Zone for reform and opening up, injecting strong momentum into the deepening of reform and opening up in Hainan. This represents a new major historical opportunity for Hainan’s development.
The cadres and masses of Hainan must seize this opportunity, redouble their efforts, fully implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, enhance the “Four Consciousnesses,” strengthen the “Four Confidences,” adhere to the new development concept, coordinate the promotion of the “Five-pronged” overall layout and the coordination of the “Four Comprehensive” strategic layout, take supply-side structural reform as the main line, construct a pilot free trade zone and a free trade port with Chinese characteristics, leverage their own advantages, boldly explore and innovate, focus on building comprehensive deepening reform and opening-up pilot zones, national ecological civilization pilot zones, international tourism consumption centres, and major strategic service guarantee zones, strive to create vivid examples of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and make Hainan a beautiful business card showcasing the Chinese style, demeanour, and image.
Firstly, Hainan must adhere to the principle of prioritizing openness and implement a more proactive open strategy to accelerate the establishment of a new open economic system and promote the formation of a comprehensive new pattern of openness. Economic globalization is an objective requirement for the development of social productivity and the inevitable result of technological progress. Economic globalization provides strong momentum for world economic growth, promotes the flow of goods and capital, technological and civilizational progress, and people-to-people exchanges, which align with the common interests of all countries. Currently, the world economy still faces many complex challenges, with a lack of new growth drivers and increasing differentiation in growth. Blaming economic globalization for the world’s problems, engaging in trade and investment protectionism, and attempting to artificially return the world economy to an isolated past are not in line with the historical trend. The correct choice is to fully utilize all opportunities and cooperate to address all challenges.
As emphasized in my report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China’s door to openness will not close but will only open wider. This is our solemn commitment to the world. We must adhere to the basic national policy of opening up, pursue an open strategy of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, abide by and uphold the world trade rules system, promote economic globalization towards a more open, inclusive, and balanced direction, and make the process of economic globalization more dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable, allowing different countries, classes, and groups to share the benefits of economic globalization.
Here, I solemnly announce that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has decided to support the comprehensive construction of a free trade pilot zone in Hainan and to support Hainan in gradually exploring and steadily promoting the construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics. This decision to establish policies and systems for the free trade port in phases and steps is a significant decision made by the Central Committee of the Party with a view to the overall development, both internationally and domestically. It reflects China’s determination to expand its opening-up and actively promote economic globalization.
The comprehensive construction of a free trade pilot zone in Hainan should prioritize institutional innovation, granting greater autonomy in reform, and supporting bold trials and explorations to accelerate the establishment of a rule of law, internationalized, and facilitative business environment, as well as a fair, open, unified, and efficient market environment. Efforts should be intensified to transform government functions, deepen reforms by streamlining administration and delegating powers, combining decentralization with regulation, and optimizing services, thereby enhancing the overall governance capacity of the government. High-level policies for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation should be implemented, and a pre-entry national treatment plus negative list management system for foreign investment should be comprehensively adopted. Focus should be placed on key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, sports, telecommunications, the internet, culture, maintenance, finance, and shipping to deepen the opening-up of modern agriculture, high-tech industries, and modern services. This will accelerate the development of trade in services, protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors, and promote gradual opening-up in shipping.
The free trade port represents the highest level of openness in the world today. The construction of a free trade port in Hainan should embody Chinese characteristics, align with China’s national conditions, and conform to Hainan’s development positioning. We should learn from and draw upon the advanced management methods and operating models of international free trade ports. We welcome investors from around the world to invest and start businesses in Hainan, actively participate in the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and share the opportunities for development and the fruits of China’s reform.
Hainan’s development should not focus on transit trade and manufacturing processing but rather on leading industries such as tourism, modern services, and high-tech industries. There should be a greater emphasis on fully unleashing development vitality and creativity through comprehensive human development. In terms of domestic and foreign trade, investment and financing, fiscal and taxation, financial innovation, and entry and exit, we should explore more flexible policy systems, regulatory models, and management systems. We should strengthen the construction of risk prevention and control systems and create a new open highland with a higher level of openness, a better business environment, and stronger radiation effects.
Hainan should seize the opportunity to strengthen practical cooperation with countries and regions along the “Belt and Road” initiative, and establish multi-level, multi-sectoral cooperation platforms in culture, education, agriculture, and tourism. This will contribute to the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and take solid steps towards becoming an important strategic pivot on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Secondly, Hainan must plan and promote reforms from a higher starting point, exerting great efforts to eliminate institutional deficiencies and continuously liberate and develop social productive forces. Currently, reform has reached a new historical juncture, with the complexity, sensitivity, and difficulty of advancing reforms no less than 40 years ago. There is no way forward in sticking to the old path or shrinking from opportunities. The process of reform and opening up is a process of ideological emancipation. Without ideological emancipation, there can be no significant breakthrough in reform. Ideological emancipation is not about detached fantasies from national conditions, nor is it about subjective imaginations behind closed doors. It is also not about reckless actions without any method. The purpose of ideological emancipation is to better seek truth from facts. We must adhere to the organic unity of ideological emancipation and seeking truth from facts, starting from national conditions and reality, summarizing successful practices domestically while learning from beneficial experiences abroad, exploring boldly while being grounded, daring to practice, generating experiences that can be replicated and promoted, and driving the pace of reform nationwide. We must adhere to a problem-oriented approach, starting with issues that concern the masses and addressing areas where they are dissatisfied, daring to confront challenges head-on, and bravely tackling tough problems to eliminate institutional deficiencies and adjust underlying interest structures. We must strengthen the systematic integration of reform measures, scientifically allocate resources in all aspects, accelerate the reform of systems and mechanisms for integrating urban and rural development, talent, fiscal and taxation, financial systems, income distribution, and state-owned enterprises, and support Hainan in establishing international trading platforms for energy, shipping, commodities, property rights, equity, and carbon emissions, forming a more mature and standardized institutional system.
Deepening the reform of the Party and state institutions is currently an important task. Hainan must thoroughly implement the spirit of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, deepen local party and government institutional reforms in accordance with the unified deployment of the Party Central Committee, scientifically allocate administrative resources, transform government functions, deepen administrative streamlining and delegation of powers, and combine reform with the improvement of the administrative management system, embarking on new explorations for the modernization of the national governance system and governance capabilities.
Thirdly, Hainan must resolutely implement the new development philosophy and build a modern economic system, leading the nation in promoting high-quality economic development. China’s economy has shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to one of high-quality development, a major judgment made by the Party Central Committee on the characteristics of China’s economic development in the new era. Development is the top priority, and innovation is the primary driving force, serving as the strategic support for building a modern economic system. Hainan must deepen supply-side structural reforms, leverage its advantages, aggregate innovative elements, actively develop the new generation information technology industry and digital economy, promote the deep integration of the Internet, Internet of Things, big data, satellite navigation, and artificial intelligence with the real economy, and overall enhance Hainan’s comprehensive competitiveness. It should strengthen the construction of the National Tropical Crop Research and Development Centre (Hainan), create a national tropical agricultural science centre, and support Hainan in building a global hub for the introduction of animal and plant germplasm resources. The country supports Hainan in laying out and constructing a number of major scientific research infrastructure and condition platforms, building major aerospace technology innovation bases and the Southern Centre for National Deep Sea Bases, and creating a strategic highland for space technology innovation. It should innovate the science and technology management system, establish a science and technology innovation management system and international scientific and technological cooperation mechanisms in line with the laws of scientific research, and set up the Hainan International Offshore Innovation and Entrepreneurship Demonstration Zone.
The modern service industry is a trend in industrial development and is in line with the development needs of Hainan. Hainan should play a demonstrative and leading role in this regard. It should aim to improve its level to international standards, optimize its structure, and focus on developing modern service industries such as tourism, Internet, healthcare, finance, and exhibitions. It should accelerate the innovative development of service trade, promote the optimization and upgrading of the service industry, and shape an industrial structure dominated by a service-oriented economy.
Building an internationally influential tourism consumption centre is a concrete manifestation of the high-quality development requirements in Hainan, and the International Tourism Island is an important calling card for Hainan. Hainan should implement a series of major infrastructure projects to enhance the level of infrastructure network intelligence, increase international flights directly connecting Hainan to major global tourist source markets, and accelerate the construction of a modern infrastructure system. It should implement more open and convenient offshore duty-free shopping policies, achieve full coverage of duty-free shopping for off-island tourists, and increase the duty-free shopping quota. Hainan should support the active introduction of high-quality international capital and intellectual resources and adopt internationally advanced concepts for the protection and development of tourism resources. It should allow joint venture travel agencies registered in Hainan and meeting certain conditions to engage in outbound tourism business except for the Taiwan region. Hainan should foster new formats and hotspots of tourism consumption, enhance service capabilities and standards, promote the development of integrated tourism, and provide more high-quality services to domestic and international tourists as well as local residents, making the International Tourism Island of Hainan shine even brighter.
Hainan is the only tropical province in China. It should implement the rural revitalization strategy, leverage the climate advantages of tropical regions, strengthen and optimize tropical characteristic and efficient agriculture, and build a national tropical modern agricultural base, further promoting the branding of Hainan’s tropical agricultural products. It should also develop rural tourism and create boutique towns reflecting tropical characteristics.
Our country is a maritime giant, and the central government has made a significant deployment to build a maritime power. Hainan, as a major maritime province, must firmly follow the path of harmonious and win-win development, enhance its capability for ocean resource development, accelerate the cultivation of emerging marine industries, support the construction of modern ocean ranches, and vigorously promote the transformation of the maritime economy towards quality and efficiency. We need to develop marine science and technology, strengthen research in deep-sea science and technology, promote the construction of a “smart ocean,” and make Hainan a strong maritime province. We need to create a national demonstration zone for military-civilian integration and innovation, coordinate maritime development and maritime rights protection, promote joint consultation between the military and local authorities, joint promotion of science and technology, joint construction of facilities, and joint logistical support, accelerate the construction of the South China Sea resource development and service guarantee base, and the maritime rescue base, and resolutely guard our country’s southern gate.
Fourth, Hainan must firmly establish and comprehensively implement the concept that green waters and green mountains are indeed mountains of gold and silver. We must take the lead in the reform of the ecological civilization system and set an example for the country’s ecological civilization construction. The construction of ecological civilization is related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and the realization of the “Two Centenary Goals.” Protecting the ecological environment means protecting productivity, and improving the ecological environment means developing productivity. Hainan’s green mountains, green waters, and blue skies have been praised by literati since ancient times. Su Dongpo wrote, “Not like the edge of the sky, rolling up poplar flowers like snowflakes”; Qiu Jun described, “Five peaks like emerald fingers, supporting half of the Yan and Huang plains. Washing the Milky Way for stars at night, exploring the clouds in the morning”; Yang Weizhen wrote, “Wearing green robes, dancing without disturbing the dust, the sea fairies ride fish with grace.” All of these depict Hainan as a picturesque paradise. The ecological environment of Hainan is a precious gift from nature and must be cherished and carefully protected to truly make Hainan a four-season garden of the Chinese nation.
The Central Committee of the Party has decided to support the establishment of a national ecological civilization pilot zone in Hainan, encouraging the province to pursue a path of harmonious development between man and nature, and to explore experiences for national ecological civilization construction. It is necessary to implement the strictest ecological environment protection system, establish an efficient and unified planning and management system, and take the lead in establishing a modern ecological environment and resource protection supervision system. We should actively carry out pilot projects for national park systems, construct national parks such as tropical rainforests, and establish a clear ownership, clear rights and responsibilities, and effective supervision of the natural protected area system. We should improve the assessment and evaluation system oriented towards green development, establish a diverse and performance-oriented ecological protection compensation mechanism. We must strictly protect the marine ecological environment and establish a sound land-sea coordinated ecosystem protection, restoration, and pollution prevention and control regional linkage mechanism.
Fifth, Hainan must adhere to the development ideology centered on the people, continuously meet the growing needs of the people for a better life, and ensure that the achievements of reform and development benefit the people more fairly. Every breakthrough and deepening in understanding and practice, every emergence and development of new things in the reform and opening up, and every creation and accumulation of experience in every field and link of reform and opening up, all come from the wisdom and practice of hundreds of millions of people. Without the support and participation of the people, any reform cannot succeed. Only by fully respecting the will of the people, forming a broad consensus, will the people actively support and participate in the reform. We must adhere to the principal position of the people, give full play to the pioneering spirit of the masses, and rely closely on the people to promote reform and opening up. We should adhere to finding the institutional and systemic shortcomings behind the issues that the people generally concern about, reflect strongly, and repeatedly emerge, and identify the key points and breakthroughs for deepening reform. We must always prioritize the interests of the people, accelerate the reform of the institutional mechanisms in the field of people’s livelihoods, do our best within our capabilities, focus on improving the level of livelihood protection and improvement, continuously improve the public service system, promote social fairness and justice, extend public resources to the grassroots, cover rural areas, and tilt towards vulnerable groups, and focus on solving practical issues of concern to the people.
The success of enterprises relies on talents, and talents are drawn to endeavours. “When talents are sought, more will emerge; when they are placed, they will become more scarce.” The comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up in Hainan is a major national strategy that requires the collective efforts of the entire country and the gathering of talents from all directions. Since the establishment of the economic special zone in Hainan, there has been a magnificent feat of “100,000 talents crossing the strait” in the early stages. Attracting, retaining, and utilizing talents are best achieved in a favourable institutional environment. We should support Hainan University in creating world-class disciplines, encourage renowned domestic universities and research institutions to establish branches in Hainan, promote the introduction of high-quality educational resources from abroad, establish high-level Sino-foreign cooperative educational institutions and projects in Hainan, support Hainan in conducting pilot reforms of international talent management, and allow foreign technical and skilled personnel from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to work and permanently reside in Hainan in accordance with regulations. Excellent foreign students who have obtained master’s degrees or above from Chinese universities should be allowed to work and start businesses in Hainan, expanding the scale of foreign students in Hainan’s universities. Hainan should explore the establishment of a management system to attract foreign high-tech talents. Hainan must adhere to the principle of drawing talents from all quarters, make breakthroughs in deepening the reform of the talent development system, implement more proactive, open, and effective talent policies, innovate mechanisms to support talent cultivation, establish more open talent attraction mechanisms, comprehensively improve the level of talent services, and allow various types of talents to fully contribute and display their talents in Hainan.
The sixth point emphasizes the importance of adhering to and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party to ensure the correct direction of comprehensively deepening reform and opening up. Upholding the Party’s leadership and comprehensively governing the Party with strict discipline are the keys and fundamentals to the success of reform and opening up. Economic special zones are at the forefront of reform and opening up, imposing higher requirements for strengthening the Party’s leadership and Party building. Party members and cadres must firmly uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized and unified leadership, consciously maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in ideology, politics, and actions, and consciously think and act in line with the overall interests of the Party and the country. They should take the lead in practicing the “Four Consciousnesses” and “Four Confidences,” set an example in political awareness, overall consideration, and adherence to rules, and arm themselves with the ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. This is to help party members and cadres strengthen their ideals and beliefs, update their knowledge concepts, and master solid skills to better adapt to the needs of new situations and tasks. Strengthening the construction of grassroots organizations is essential to build each grassroots Party organization into a strong bastion. With the spirit of reform and innovation, efforts should be made to promote Party building, maintain integrity and discipline, deepen the fight against corruption, and educate and guide party members and cadres to consciously resist the erosion of unhealthy practices on the Party’s internal life, creating a healthy political environment with clean and upright conduct.
Central and state departments, starting from an overall perspective, should work with Hainan Province to carry out top-level design, adhere to planning before implementation, actively formulate supportive measures, and jointly promote the implementation and effectiveness of various policies.
Ladies and gentlemen,
History has never favoured those who cling to the old ways and are satisfied with the status quo. Opportunities belong to those who innovate and never become complacent. All great achievements are the result of continuous struggle, and all great undertakings need to be advanced in a continuous manner. Builders of economic special zones in past generations have written brilliant chapters with their wisdom, courage, and sweat. Today, the cadres and masses in Hainan must not forget their original aspirations, keep their missions in mind, maintain historical patience, carry forward the spirit of perseverance, and fulfil their duties in achieving the goal of the “two centenary” goals and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the Chinese Dream. Let’s strive to create new achievements that are worthy of the times on the new journey!
Related article: Compilation of important policies for Hainan Free Trade Port (February 2024)
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