President Xi visits and encourages Chongqing

Chinese President Xi Jinping talks with workers during his visit to Guoyuan Port in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, Jan 4, 2016. Xi made an inspection tour in Chongqing from Jan 4 to 6.[Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that all the Party members must implement the notions of innovation, coordination, greening, opening up and sharing to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020 on Wednesday in Chongqing, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Xi said, those five concepts are formed from the experience and lessons of the social and economic development at home and abroad. They are also based on the analysis of the future trends of the globe and insights from the laws of economics and social development.

"They are our guidelines in the 13th five-year plan period (2016-2020) and the even further future," he said.

Xi made an inspection tour in Chongqing from Monday to Wednesday. It is his first visit to this southwest municipality since he took office as China’s top leader in 2012.

Many experts said that this tour is a confidence boost for Chongqing, which has been clouded by the corruption scandal of its former Party Chief Bo Xilai, now serving a life sentence.

It is also seen as recognition for its economic and social achievements in recent years. In the first three quarters of last year, Chongqing's GDP growth rate led the country at 11 percent. It is expected that it will maintain the 11 percent growth rate in 2015 while the country’s average is about 7 percent.

He said the Belt and Road Initiative will provide a bigger platform for Chongqing to "go out" and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Zone can help the city better connect with the central and coastal areas of China.

"Chongqing has great potential and a bright future," he said.

He hoped Chongqing plays a major role in the Go West campaign, which actively engages in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Zone and creates new achievements in the process of building a well-off society.

During the stay, Xi also visited a port and an IT company in Chongqing.

The city, almost as big as Austria, is the fourth municipality under the direct leadership of the central government after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, the only one in west China.

Chongqing has long been the economic and trade hub in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and a gateway to the vast inland area.

During President Xi Jinping's state visit to Singapore in early November last year, the two sides announced the third government-to-government project will be located in Chongqing.