Since the reform and opening up, the social and economic development of coastal areas has been advancing by leaps and bounds. Under the current development plan for the new era, the rise of Central China is becoming increasingly clear. 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" was released recently, which outlines a blueprint for creating a new situation for the rise of the Central Region. On the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the strategy to promote the rise of the central region, what is the significance of the opinions? What major opportunities will it provide for high-quality development in the central region?

Important decision-making and deployment to meet the new requirements of the new era

"Faced with the complicated international situation and the arduous and arduous tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability, especially the severe impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the issuance of this programmatic document is the Party Central Committee’s overall planning of the domestic and international situations, based on the current situation, focusing on the future, and making decisions in a timely manner. Important decision-making deployment." said Xiao Weiming, director of the Regional Department of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, the central region connects the east and the west, and connects the south to the north, with abundant resource elements, huge market potential and profound cultural heritage. Since the implementation of the strategy to promote the rise of the central region, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the central region’s position as a food production base, energy raw material base, modern equipment manufacturing and high-tech industrial base, and comprehensive transportation hub has been consolidated. However, the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development is still prominent.

Xiao Weiming said that the six provinces in the central region have different levels of development, and the economic ties and integration within the region are not high. Promoting high-quality development in the central region is conducive to accurately grasping the new development stage and playing a greater role in promoting coordinated regional development. Respond to and resolve various domestic and international risks and challenges.

Wu Xiaohua, deputy dean of the China Academy of Macroeconomics, said that giving full play to the industrial foundation, market advantages, scientific and educational resources and human resources advantages of the central region will help narrow the gap in regional development, accelerate industrial transfer, promote the transformation of momentum, and form a strong domestic market. It is of great significance to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern.

The central region has agglomeration of advantageous industries and a complete industrial chain, but the industrial structure has been “heavy” for a long time, and the investment in innovation is insufficient; the permanent population exceeds 370 million, the market potential is huge, but the per capita disposable income in 2020 is only 85% of the national average. The eastern region About 65% of the total.

"The release of opinions will help the central region take greater steps to promote high-quality development, open up new paths in enhancing the coordinated development of urban and rural areas, and contribute new forces in building a new development pattern." Wuhan University Central China Development Research Said Yang Gangqiang, deputy dean of the hospital.

Formation of high-quality development in the central provinces of competition and cooperation

A "valley" affects a city. Since the establishment of iFlytek, a leading enterprise in 2013, to the end of 2020, China (Hefei) Sound Valley has settled more than 1,000 enterprises with an output value of more than 100 billion yuan. The "magnet effect" drives Hefei's artificial intelligence industry to accelerate the concentration of technology, capital and other essential resources.

"Grasp the high-quality development opportunities in the central region, promote the "four chains in one" of the industrial chain, innovation chain, capital chain, and talent chain, give play to the industrial concentration effect, and create a world-class industrial landmark." Information Industry in Anhui Province, responsible for the operation of Sound Valley Qi Dongfeng, President of Investment Holding Co., Ltd. said.

"Insist on innovative development and build a modern industrial system supported by advanced manufacturing" "Insist on coordinated development and enhance the synergy of urban and rural regional development" "Insist on green development and create a beautiful central part of harmonious coexistence between man and nature" "Insist on open development and form The inland high-level opening up new system" "persist in shared development and improve the level of public service security"... The opinions focus on the new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing, and put forward a series of concrete and pragmatic support measures.

"Opinions will provide a major opportunity for high-quality development in Central China. The six provinces in Central China should actively link up with national strategies, stimulate endogenous motivation, refine implementation paths for high-quality development, and form a co-opetition effect for high-quality development." Yang Gangqiang said.

Construct China (Wuhan) Optics Valley and China (Hefei) Sound Valley along the Yangtze River; promote the Wanjiang Urban Belt, the Golden Triangle of the Yellow River in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Jingzhou, Hubei, Southern Jiangxi, Southern Hunan and Western Hunan to undertake industrial transfer demonstration zones, and northern Anhui to undertake industrial transfer clusters District construction; speed up the construction of Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center...Innovation, as the first driving force for development, is particularly prominent.

Hubei, which has been severely hit by the epidemic, is being reborn from the ashes. In the first half of 2021, the added value of Hubei's high-tech manufacturing industry increased by 51.7% year-on-year, which was 16.8 percentage points higher than the growth rate of industries above designated size; Hubei's economy grew by 28.5% year-on-year, with an average growth rate of 1.8% over the two years. "Hubei Province must take reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system, and become an important growth pole for high-quality development in the central region." Yang Gangqiang said.

Explore new growth points in high-quality development

When Wang Lili, a citizen of Hefei, passed the Jinzhai Road Elevated Expressway in the morning and evening, she felt that it was not as congested as before. In order to alleviate the traffic pressure on the elevated expressway, Hefei has launched the "Elevated Expressway Intelligent Management and Control Platform".

Chen Jianmei, deputy head of the traffic police detachment of the Hefei Public Security Bureau, introduced that this "traffic ultra-brain" integrates massive traffic data and generates a signal timing optimization plan every two minutes. The queue length at key intersections in the region is reduced by about 15%. The traffic efficiency has increased by 14%.

"Insist on innovation and development is the core driving force for the accelerated rise of the central region, and achieving common prosperity is the starting point and goal of high-quality development in the central region in the new era." said Jia Ruoxiang, director of the Comprehensive Research Office of the National Development and Reform Commission's Institute of Land Development and Regional Economics.

A major coal province is undergoing a profound transformation. Song Weining, president of the Shanxi Institute of Clean Carbon Economy Industry, said that the carbon capture and conversion device they independently developed and invested in can capture carbon dioxide from the flue gas of thermal power plants and convert it into strategic new materials, carbon nanotubes and their downstream products.

Yang Jun, president of Shanxi Normal University, said that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shanxi should use its own ecological advantages to explore new growth points in high-quality development. Whether it is the coordinated development of urban and rural areas, or the creation of a beautiful central part where man and nature coexist harmoniously, the starting point and end point of development is to realize, maintain, and develop the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. The six provinces of central China have been linked with major strategies in many countries and regions, and they have been continuously given new momentum in the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up.

Zhu Tian, a professor of economics at China Europe International Business School, said that Anhui is located in the strategic overlapping area of the country and region, and Anhui has entered a key development opportunity period: integrate into the Yangtze River Delta to the east, give full play to the advantages of a large science and technology province, and develop high-tech industries; integrate into the west The rise of Central China, deepen cooperation with the city clusters in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and create a growth pole for industries in Central China...

The rise of the central region is the fundamental requirement for achieving common prosperity in the new era. In the future, we will ensure that Hubei Province’s policy package is implemented as soon as possible, promote policy guidance in the central region, and continue to implement policies related to the development of the western region. Relevant policies for industrial bases...Xiao Weiming emphasized that it is necessary to continuously establish and improve supporting policy systems, improve fiscal, investment, and financial policies and measures, and enhance policy pertinence, accuracy, and effectiveness. Editor/Xu Shengpeng