China's Political Season: President Xi joins Guangdong delegation for panel discussion

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So just how did the Guangdong deputies see their panel discussion with the Chinese president? Our reporter Zou Yun found out.

For most of these deputies, it's their very first time to meet the president in person.

LI JINDONG NPC DEPUTY "For grassroots deputies like me, to meet the head of the state who cares so much about our livelihoods, I was almost in tears."

LI XIA NPC DEPUTY "He said that whatever our people are unsatisfied with or unhappy about, we will try to make it better. This impressed me a lot, because it shows our government prioritizes the interests of the people and cares about their livelihoods."

Guangdong has been at the frontline of China's reform and opening-up drive since the policy was introduced. It now ranks among the top tier regions in terms of economic growth and free trade. President Xi's sharing of his personal experiences, as well as China's firm stance on further opening-up were welcomed by the deputies.

LI QINGQUAN NPC DEPUTY "He said it took him 12 hours to go from Guangzhou to Shandong by Jeep 20 years ago. So we could imagine just how underdeveloped the region's transportation system was at that time. 40 years of opening up and reform have brought dramatic changes."

LIU GUANGHE NPC DEPUTY "The president raised some new points as well as hope for more reform and opening up. We will follow his guidelines, and make great efforts to realize this goal."

Guangdong has become a dynamic innovation hub that gave birth to many Chinese high-tech giants, such as Tencent and Huawei.

MA HUATENG NPC DEPUTY "President Xi said there should be more high-tech firms like Tencent, and he encouraged us to make greater efforts. I think this capacity for innovation is also Guangdong province's competitive advantage. Personally, I made some proposals on how to boost the digital economy and help transform the real economy."

ZOU YUN BEIJING "It has become almost a tradition for the president to attend a couple of panel discussions during the 2 sessions. This year's discussion with NPC deputies from Guangdong province will not only help the leadership get first-hand information on the situation there, but also reflects the government's commitment to further pushing its opening-up and reform policies. ZY CGTN BJ"