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Governor Li Guoying delivered an annual government work report at the 4th Session of the 13th Anhui Provincial People’s Congress on Thursday. The report reflected on Anhui’s progress in the past year and set priorities and targets for 2021. Achievements in 2020 Economic growth Anhui’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached 3.87 trillion yuan (about US$599.5 billion). It grew 3.9 percent year on year, bringing the province to the 4th place in China. The fixed-asset investment increased 5.1 percent. The province posted a 2.6 percent year-on-year increase in retail sales of consumer goods, and a 13.6 percent rise in foreign trade value. Value-added output of major industrial firms grew 6 percent. Fiscal revenue edged up 1 percent from a year earlier. Urban residents’ disposable income increased 5.1 percent, while rural residents’ disposable income went up 7.8 percent. 663,000 urban jobs were created. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.7 percent. The province ranked 4th in the country as its grain output hit 40.2 million tonnes. Epidemic control The province contained the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic within a month. 991 locally transmitted infections were reported in the province. The cure rate reached 99.4 percent. The province sent 1,362 medical workers in eight groups to Wuhan to help the city fight against the epidemic. Flood control Anhui succeeded in the battle against floods as no heavy casualties were caused, major dikes were not damaged, major national infrastructure was not attacked, and economic and social priorities were not affected. Poverty alleviation The province helped 1.79 million poverty-stricken people return to work and helped sell 20.96 billion yuan of products produced in impoverished areas. The remaining 87,000 people were lifted out of poverty. Sci-tech innovation The province made decisive progress in building national labs. The province saw a number of major innovations emerge and made new breakthroughs in core technological research in integrated circuit and new display industries. Jiuzhang, a light-based quantum computer, was created. Integrated development of Yangtze River Delta The province pushed ahead with regional cooperation in “Five Blockchains”. The industrial transfer cluster in the north of Anhui received special support from the central government. Environmental protection The average density of PM 2.5 fell 15.2 percent. The proportion of surface water of excellent and good quality reached 87.7 percent, while that of inferior Class V surface water was zero. The province began to impose a 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River. The area of newly-created forests totaled 1.526 million mu (101,733 hectares). Reform and opening-up 1.048 million market entities were registered in Anhui, up 5.8 percent. The province completed the pilot reforms of the rural collective property rights system. The trading of pollution discharge rights was realized. China (Anhui) Pilot Free Trade Zone was inaugurated. The province hosted the World Manufacturing Convention Jianghuai Online Economic Forum and the World Conference on Display Industry. The Comprehensive Bonded Zone of Hefei Economic and Technical Development Zone passed checks and became the province’s fourth of its kind. The establishment of a comprehensive bonded zone in Anqing was approved. Livelihood 84.7 percent of the province’s total fiscal expenditure was channeled into livelihood-related areas. The province invested 121.36 billion yuan in 33 livelihood projects. 36 public health projects kicked off. The province built or renovated 478 public kindergartens and built 2,714 rural smart schools. The basic endowment insurance covered 47.74 million people. The basic livelihood of 2.56 million needy people was guaranteed. Targets and priorities for 2021
The report also set the economic growth target at 8 percent for 2021. The province will raise sci-tech innovation capacity, upgrade the manufacturing industry and expand domestic demand in 2021, according to the report. Other priorities included promoting rural revitalization, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region and coordinated regional development, accelerating the development of the Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone, and further improving livelihood.
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