President says Shenzhen, marking four decades as economic pioneer, should serve as example for cities of modern socialist nation
President Xi Jinping reaffirmed on Wednesday China's commitment to
forging ahead with reform and opening-up as he outlined a new vision for
Shenzhen 40 years after it was set up as the country's first special
economic zone.
In a speech delivered at a celebration marking the 40th anniversary
in Shenzhen, Xi urged the city to develop into a pilot zone for
socialism with Chinese characteristics and set an example for cities of a
modernized socialist nation.
He said reform will not come to a standstill, and opening-up will only go further.
"Reform and opening-up must be moved forward at a higher level, and
new advances must be made in work on the fronts of special economic
zones", said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of
China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military
Commission.
Xi outlined the new historic mission for Shenzhen in the new era,
saying that the city must bolster its capacities and levels to implement
the new development philosophy, strive to deepen reform and expand
opening-up in a comprehensive manner and promote the development of the
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
In addition, the city should enrich the new practice of "one country,
two systems" and take the lead in achieving socialist modernization, he
said.
In his speech, Xi also recalled the decision-making process for
setting up the special economic zones 40 years ago, which also include
Zhuhai and Shantou in Guangdong province and Xiamen in Fujian province.
Their establishment was a great pioneering act for the Party and the
country to promote reform, opening-up and socialist modernization, Xi
said.
Shenzhen has become a new city built by the Party and the people
after reform and opening-up and is also a marvelous illustration of
socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.
Hailing the city's development as a miracle created by the Chinese
people, he mentioned that the city's GDP surged to 2.7 trillion yuan
($401 billion) in 2019 from 270 million yuan in 1980 in what he
described as "a historic leap from a backward border town to an
international metropolis with global influence".
The successful use of special economic zones, including Shenzhen, has
proved that the strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee is
absolutely right, he said, adding that the development of SEZs must be
continued at a better and higher level.