Xi Jinping chairs leadership meeting on Yangtze River Economic Belt development, CPC leadership over foreign affairs

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Monday held a meeting to review guidelines on policies and measures for further promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired the meeting, which also deliberated a set of regulations on CPC leadership over foreign affairs.

It was noted at the meeting that the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee.

Advancing the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt relies fundamentally on the sound ecology of the Yangtze River basin, it was noted.

The importance of high-level protection of the Yangtze River basin was stressed, and it was emphasized that the ecological red line that had been drawn must be upheld and placed under oversight.

Efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, increase vegetation and pursue growth should be advanced in a coordinated manner, it was noted.

The role of scientific and technological innovation in promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt was underlined, and efforts to coordinate the layout and transfer of industries along the Yangtze River were called for.

It was noted that the level of regional transport integration needs to be raised, the security and stability of key national industrial and supply chains should be maintained, and disaster prevention and mitigation capacity in the river basin needs to be improved.

Policy support was pledged for the area, with a number of major reforms in key areas.

(Cover: The Yangtze River National Cultural Park in Jiujiang, east China's Jiangxi Province, November 24, 2023. /CFP)