He says on inspection tour province has capability to be a development pioneer

President Xi Jinping has called on Jiangsu, an economically advanced province in East China, to act as a pacesetter in the country's modernization drive.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark during a three-day inspection tour to Jiangsu, which concluded on Friday.

In 2022, Jiangsu's GDP was more than 12 trillion yuan ($1.66 trillion), ranking second among all provincial-level regions. Jiangsu plays an important role in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and is a vital cog in the overall high-quality development of the country.

As Jiangsu enjoys a strong industrial base, abundant educational resources, a favorable business environment and a huge market, Xi said that the province has the capability and obligation to be a pioneer in advancing Chinese modernization.

He urged Jiangsu to continue to play an exemplary role in promoting reform, innovation and high-quality development, as well as in contributing to the country's efforts to foster a new development paradigm.

The inspection tour took him to the cities of Suzhou and Nanjing, where he visited an industrial park, enterprises, a historical and cultural block, and a science laboratory. It was his fourth fact-finding inspection tour to Jiangsu since he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2012.

Analysts said that Xi's choice of Jiangsu as the destination of his inspection tour at the midyear juncture is key to formulating development strategies, deploying economic work, and achieving the goals and tasks of economic and social development for the entire year.

"Scientific and technological innovation" was one of key phrases used by Xi during his tour, which he said was crucial to Chinese modernization.

He told local officials that Jiangsu should take the lead in making new breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation, creating an important national hub for industrial technological innovation, and promoting innovation-driven, high-quality development.

Last year, Jiangsu's total R&D investment reached 370 billion yuan, according to the province's Department of Science and Technology. There are more than 37,000 high-tech firms in the province.

When he visited Suzhou Industrial Park on Wednesday, Xi emphasized the important role of high-tech industrial parks in achieving technological self-reliance. He called for strong integration of scientific and industrial innovation, enhancing collaboration between enterprises and universities and research institutions, and speeding up application of scientific and technological achievements in industry.

In Suzhou, he visited HYC Technology, a global leader in providing automatic detection equipment and system solutions, where he observed product development, production, and testing processes.

In Nanjing, Xi toured Purple Mountain Laboratories, a major scitech innovation platform focusing on basic and frontier research on the internet. Established in 2018, the platform has more than 1,000 researchers and has achieved a series of world-leading results in future internet, 5G/6G communication and cybersecurity.

In the laboratories, Xi stressed the importance of innovation in the fastdeveloping field of information technology. He encouraged the researchers to contribute to achieving high-level technological self-reliance.

Xi also stopped at NARI Group Corporation, a major manufacturer of power generation equipment, to learn about progress on scientific and technological breakthroughs, developing advanced manufacturing clusters and promoting high-quality development.

The president emphasized that energy security is crucial for the nation's development and people's well-being. Efforts should be made to accelerate the development of key technologies, and step up the application of new ways to enhance national energy security and supply capabilities, he said.

While addressing a meeting attended by Jiangsu officials, Xi also called for strengthening the real economy and building a modern industrial system, which, he said, are vital for a strong province.

It is also necessary to consolidate the leading position of traditional industries and accelerate the development of strategic emerging industry clusters, he said. Promoting the deep integration of the digital economy with advanced manufacturing and modern service industries, and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone are also necessary.

Xi underscored the need for Jiangsu to facilitate the "dual circulation" paradigm, actively remove barriers, take innovative measures to attract foreign investment, expand openingup, and continuously consolidate and expand the international market.

During the meeting, Xi pointed out that building a modern civilization is an essential requirement for promoting Chinese modernization. He urged Jiangsu to strengthen the protection, inheritance and innovative development of fine traditional culture, and actively participate in building the national cultural parks of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal.

Xi also required Jiangsu to take the lead in improving people's livelihoods and promoting modernization of social governance.