Xi inspects Wuhan, stresses sci-tech innovation, COVID-19 control, community management

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, communicates with residents at a residential community in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, June 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

*  Xi urged efforts to strengthen technological research and development and called for speeding up the realization of the country's scientific and technological self-reliance.

*  Xi said Wuhan's swift control of several COVID-19 cluster infections shows that the epidemic response measures laid out by the CPC Central Committee are correct and effective, and must be upheld unwaveringly.

*  If China had adopted the "herd immunity" policy or a hands-off approach, given its large population, the country would have faced unimaginable consequences, Xi said.

WUHAN -- President Xi Jinping has stressed building up China's strength in the science and technology sector, sticking to the dynamic zero-COVID policy and improving community management.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province, on Tuesday.

Xi underscored the need to foster more advanced technologies and sectors, blaze new spheres of economic development, and create new advantages in international competition.

While inspecting HGLaser Engineering Co., Ltd., a laser equipment company based in Wuhan, Xi noted that optoelectronic information is a high-tech industry in which China has the conditions to take the lead in achieving breakthroughs.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a workshop of HGLaser Engineering Co., Ltd. in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, June 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

He urged efforts to strengthen the relevant technological research and development, master more core technologies with independent intellectual property rights, expand innovation chains, and improve industrial chains.

Breaking through bottlenecks in core technologies in key fields has been a pressing task, Xi said, calling for speeding up the realization of the country's scientific and technological self-reliance.

High-end manufacturing is an important pillar of high-quality economic development, Xi said.

Xi had cordial conversations with the employees of the company. Noting that China is the world's second-largest economy but still has some weak links, Xi said further development must be based on innovation.

He then visited a residential community named Zhiyuan in the Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone.

Xi said that Wuhan has swiftly controlled several COVID-19 cluster infections over the past two years since the city won the battle against the outbreak in 2020.

This shows that the epidemic response measures laid out by the CPC Central Committee are correct and effective, and must be upheld unwaveringly, Xi noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a residential community in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, June 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Communities play a very important role, whether in emergency epidemic response or in routine epidemic prevention and control, said Xi.

Highlighting the importance of early detection and swift response, as well as the unity of the general public, he noted that communities are the foundation of the fight against COVID-19.

Urging improvements in community-based COVID-19 prevention and control on a regular basis, Xi underscored carrying out decisive, science-based and strict measures at the community level when new infections are detected.

Communities are the basic units of a city's governance system, Xi noted. One advantage of China's state governance system is the strong primary-level communities across the country's urban and rural areas, he said, calling for efforts to strengthen Party organizations, IT application, emergency response capabilities and services at the community level.

Speaking to community residents, Xi said that the people in the heroic city of Wuhan have always been close to his heart, praising the contribution of community workers who have been on the front line of the fight against COVID-19 since early 2020 and extended his greetings to all community workers across the country.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, communicates with residents at a residential community in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, June 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Li Tao]

Speaking about the country's overall fight against COVID-19, Xi said China's response measures and anti-epidemic policy have protected people's lives and health to the greatest extent.

If China had adopted the "herd immunity" policy or a hands-off approach, given its large population, the country would have faced unimaginable consequences, Xi said.

China's dynamic zero-COVID policy was formulated by the CPC Central Committee based on the Party's nature and purpose, as well as the country's national conditions, Xi noted.

"Even if there are some temporary impacts on the economy, we will not put people's lives and health in harm's way, and we must protect the elderly and the children in particular," Xi said.

"If we make an overall evaluation, our COVID-19 response measures are the most economical and effective," he said.

With the leadership of the Party and the grassroots foundation formed by communities, China has the capability and strength to implement the dynamic zero-COVID policy until the final victory is secured, Xi said.

Noting that the pandemic is not yet over, Xi warned against any tendency to lower the guard, grow weary of the fight, or slacken prevention and control efforts.

The utmost efforts must be made to promote steady and sound economic development, Xi said, urging Party committees and governments at all levels to help address people's difficulties and reduce the impact on the economy and the work and lives of the people.

"We are confident in our ability to strike a balance between COVID-19 response and economic and social development, and strive for a relatively good performance in this year's economic development," Xi said.