Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Huangqihai Lake nature reserve on Friday during an inspection tour of Ulanqab, a city in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
At the reserve, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was briefed on Inner Mongolia's efforts to strengthen ecological and environmental protection, as well as local progress in advancing comprehensive environmental governance and ecosystem restoration at the lake. He also inspected the waterfront and mudflat ecology and observed the lake's bird habitats.
An inland-closed lake in Ulanqab's Qahar Right Wing Rear Banner, the Huangqihai Lake historically had a vast expanse of water and lush vegetation. However, it was once close to drying up due to climate change and other factors.
To strengthen the lake's protection and management, a banner-level nature reserve was established in 1993. It was upgraded to a league-level nature reserve in 1999 and, in 2003, approved by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Government as a regional-level reserve.
A set of measures has since been rolled out as part of a comprehensive, multi-tiered ecological protection effort, restoring the lake to its scenic splendor of lush grass and clear waters.
Xi visits lake nature reserve during inspection trip to Inner Mongolia
Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological conservation and pursuing green development.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, placed the emphasis during an inspection trip on Friday to the city of Ulanqab, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Xi urged efforts to coordinate high-quality development and high-standard environmental protection, take a holistic and systematic approach to the conservation and improvement of the ecosystems of mountains, waters, forests, farmland, lakes, grassland and deserts, and promote carbon emission reduction, pollution reduction, enlargement of green belts and economic growth in a coordinated way, resolutely taking the path of prioritizing ecological conservation and green development.
At the Huangqihai Lake nature reserve, Xi learned about Inner Mongolia's work on strengthening ecological environment protection. He called for further endeavor on respecting, adapting to and protecting nature, fully implementing the Wetlands Conservation Law, strictly enforcing ecological conservation redlines, and enhancing the quality and stability of ecosystems.
At a local hi-tech development zone, Xi visited an exhibition on advancing construction of hub nodes for the "East Data, West Computing" project and the development of green computing. Xi stressed strengthening scientific planning and security guarantee in furthering the construction, while promoting in-depth integration of the digital economy and real economy.
Xi also watched a display of local agricultural and livestock specialties. He encouraged local authorities to boost the connection between production and marketing to help increase the residents' incomes.
During the inspection, Xi also said that different regions in China should fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, and make progresses in high-quality development based on local conditions.
Xi stresses prioritizing ecological conservation, pursuing green development
