China News Agency, Beijing, September 13 (Reporter Liu Liang) Cong Liang, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, said on the 13th that in the first half of this year, the total economic volume of central China reached 11.8 trillion yuan (RMB, the same below). In terms of price, the central region increased by 14.7% year-on-year, 2 percentage points higher than the national average growth rate, leading the eastern, central, western, and northeastern sectors for two consecutive quarters, playing a key role in supporting the steady development of China's economy.
The "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Central Region in the New Era" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions") was issued recently to outline a blueprint for promoting the high-quality development of the Central Region.
The State Council Information Office held a press conference that day to introduce the situation.
When attending the press conference, Cong Liang pointed out that since China implemented the strategy of promoting the rise of the central region, great achievements have been made in the economic and social development of the central region.
During the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, the average annual economic growth of the central region reached 8.6%, ranking first among the four major sectors in the east, central, west and northeast.
In 2020, the central region will carry 25.8% of the country’s population and contribute 22% of the country’s GDP with 10.7% of the country’s land area.
He pointed out that the central region connects east and west, connects south and north, is rich in resources, well-developed transportation, relatively good industrial foundation, huge market potential, and profound cultural heritage.
The release of the "Opinions" will have overall significance for promoting the high-quality development of the central region.
First, it is conducive to promoting coordinated regional development.
The six provinces in central China have different levels of development, and the problem of inadequate regional development is still quite prominent.
Promoting the high-quality development of the central region is conducive to enhancing the overall strength of the central region, playing a greater role in promoting the coordinated development of the national region, and better responding to and resolving various domestic and international risks and challenges.
The second is conducive to the development of a modern industrial system.
The central region has agglomeration of advantageous industries and a complete industrial chain. The development of equipment manufacturing, biomedicine and other industries is at the forefront of the country, but the industrial structure has long been "heavy", and there are some problems such as low technology content and insufficient innovation investment in some industries.
Promoting high-quality development in the central region is conducive to further optimizing the industrial structure, improving economic quality, efficiency and core competitiveness, accelerating the construction of a modern economic system, and creating a new driving force region for the country’s modernized economic growth.
The third is conducive to cultivating a complete domestic demand system. There is still a gap between the economic and social development level of the central region and the eastern developed regions. In 2020, the per capita disposable income is 27,400 yuan, which is only 85% of the national average and about 65% of the eastern region. Promoting high-quality development in the central region is conducive to further exerting the comparative advantages of the central region, focusing on promoting common prosperity, comprehensively promoting consumption, expanding investment space, accelerating the cultivation of a complete domestic demand system, and forming a strong domestic market. (over)