Xi urges breakthroughs in development of industries of the future

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has urged efforts to leverage the country's comparative advantages, pursue progress while maintaining stability, and promote continuous breakthroughs in the development of industries of the future.

Xi made the remarks while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday.

He noted that cultivating and developing industries of the future is of great significance to gaining a competitive edge in science, technology and industry, as well as to seizing initiative in development. It is also crucial to the development of new quality productive forces, the construction of a modern industrial system, the improvement of the people's quality of life, and the promotion of well-rounded human development and overall social progress, he said.

Industries of the future are characterized by foresight, strategic importance and disruptive potential, requiring scientific planning and holistic coordination, Xi stressed, calling for efforts to strengthen industrial synergy to ensure that future, emerging and traditional industries complement and reinforce one another.

Noting that the extent of sci-tech breakthroughs will largely determine the speed, breadth and depth of the development of industries of the future, Xi said China will leverage the advantages of its new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, intensify efforts in making breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and accelerate the application of sci-tech achievements.

As many industries of the future emerge through step-by-step breakthroughs driven by enterprises, he called for giving full play to the role of enterprises as the main actors, channeling innovation resources to them, and nurturing leading sci-tech firms and high-tech enterprises with core technological strengths and strong innovation capabilities, so as to lead the way in advancing industries toward frontier and high-end domains.

Given the long cultivation cycle and high market risks of industries of the future, Xi said policy support and government services are essential. He called for improving fiscal, tax and other related policies, vigorously developing sci-tech finance and comprehensively enhancing talent cultivation, introduction and utilization, while fostering a strong atmosphere of innovation across society.

Emphasizing the wide-range impact of industries of the future, he stressed the need for a sound governance system, highlighting the importance of balancing development and security, exploring scientific and effective regulatory approaches, and guarding against related risks to ensure both vitality and proper oversight.

Xi called for deepening international cooperation to promote shared standards, jointly discussed rules and mutually reinforced industrial development.

He also urged officials at all levels to strengthen their study of frontier technologies, strive to grasp the development trend of science, technology and industry, and improve their decision-making capabilities.

Xi urges breakthroughs in development of industries of the future

Xi urges breakthroughs in development of industries of the future

International cruise ships brought more than 8,000 tourists to Shanghai over the past weekend, underscoring the growing momentum of the city's tourism market.

Last Saturday, two cruise ships, the Spectrum of the Seas and Mein Schiff 6, arrived in Shanghai with nearly 6,000 tourists, setting a new single day record for daily inbound arrivals at the city's Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

Two more ships, the MSC Magnifica and Adora Magic City, arrived the next day, docking alongside Mein Schiff 6. For the first time this year, the terminal received three cruise ships docked simultaneously.

Impressed by China's customs services, tourists shared their feelings after landing.

"The service is very good, very fast. Everything is very quick," said a tourist.

"We're going to Disneyland. It's a cool trip," another tourist expressed her expectations.

During the two-day period, Shanghai port handled more than 20,000 passenger entries and exits, more than half of which were made by international travelers. Over 90 percent of them are benefiting from the visa-free policies.

"[I traveled from] Chengdu to here. I'm here to Beijing and Beijing to the UK," a tourist talked about his schedule, whose destinations in China all covered in the visa-free policies.

"Very good, excellent policy, and anything that reduces the amount of time. We had a week in ten days in China already, then we're gonna come back into the city to do some shopping," another senior visitor said.

Authorities have also introduced measures to improve the visa process.

"To ensure a smooth entry, officials will get on the ships in advance to perform inspections. So, passengers can start their trips as soon as they disembark. While at the airports, we have also provided an online submission system for arrival cards. That will also save their time," said Zhu Xiaoxiang, Deputy Director of Immigration Inspection Division under Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection.

So far this year, Shanghai's customs and immigration agents have processed more than ten million visitors, with 305,000 international passenger trips through cruise terminals, marking a prosperous tourism market.

Over 8,000 cruise passengers touch down in Shanghai, providing major tourism boost