Xi Jinping's speech at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone

Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades:
Today, we are here to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Shenzhen and other special economic zones, sum up the experience in the construction of special economic zones, promote reform and opening up from a higher starting point, and mobilize the whole party, the whole country and the whole society to take advantage of the situation to start a new journey of building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, march towards the second centenary goal and forge ahead in unity.
The establishment of special economic zones is a great pioneering work carried out by the party and the state to promote reform, opening up and socialist modernization. In December 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made a historic decision to shift the work center of the party and the state to economic construction and carry out reform and opening up, mobilizing the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to carry out a new long march for socialist modernization. In April 1979, the person in charge of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee proposed to the leading comrades of the central government to establish an export processing zone and promote reform and opening up. Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly pointed out that it is better to call it a special zone. The central government can give some policies. You can do it yourself and fight your way out. In July of the same year, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council approved Guangdong and Fujian provinces to implement "special policies, flexible measures, and take the lead" and set up export special zones on a trial scale. In August 1980, the party and the state approved the establishment of special economic zones in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen. In April 1988, they approved the establishment of the Hainan Special Economic Zone, which clearly required the special economic zones to be an important window and demonstration for the country's reform and opening up and socialist modernization. effect.
For a long time, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the strong support of the whole country, all special economic zones have emancipated their minds, reformed and innovated, bravely shouldered their missions, and forged ahead. In the great process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, they have written a magnificent chapter of bravely standing up to the forefront and forging ahead, and have made great contributions to the national reform and opening up and socialist modernization drive.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
Guangdong is the vanguard, pioneer, and experimental area of reform and opening up. It is the province with the earliest and largest number of special economic zones. Shenzhen is a brand-new city created by the party and the people after the reform and opening up. It is a wonderful interpretation of socialism with Chinese characteristics on a blank sheet of paper. The vast number of cadres and masses in Shenzhen have gone through the course of hundreds of years in some international metropolises abroad in 40 years. This is a miracle in the history of world development created by the Chinese people.
-- Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen has made great efforts to liberate and develop social productive forces and vigorously promote scientific and technological innovation. Its GDP has increased from 0.27 billion yuan in 1980 to 2.7 trillion yuan in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 20.7 percent. Its total economic output ranks fifth among Asian cities, and its fiscal revenue has increased from less than 0.1 billion yuan to 942.4 billion yuan, realizing a historic leap from a backward border town to an international metropolis with global influence.
-- Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen has persisted in emancipating the mind, keeping pace with the times, taking the lead in carrying out market-oriented economic system reform, initiating more than 1000 reform measures, playing a strong voice of the times of working hard to rejuvenate the country, and realizing a historic leap from economic system reform to comprehensive deepening reform.
-- Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen has persisted in "bringing in" and "going out", actively making use of both international and domestic markets and resources, and actively attracting global investment. The total volume of foreign trade imports and exports has jumped from US $0.018 billion in 1980 to US $431.5 billion in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 26.1 per cent, realizing a historic leap from import and export trade to all-round and high-level opening up to the outside world.
-- Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen has persisted in developing socialist democratic politics, respecting the dominant position of the people, strengthening the building of socialist spiritual civilization, and actively cultivating and practicing socialist core values. it has realized a historic leap from economic development to the overall development of socialist material civilization, political civilization, spiritual civilization, social civilization and ecological civilization.
-Over the past 40 years, Shenzhen has insisted on putting the people at the center, and the people's living standards have been greatly improved. Education, medical care, and housing have achieved earth-shaking changes. In 2019, the per capita disposable income of residents was 62500 yuan, an increase of 31.6 times over 1985; it was the first to complete the comprehensive construction The goal of a well-off society has achieved a historic leap from solving food and clothing to high-quality and comprehensive well-off.
40 years of spring breeze and rain, 40 years of spring and autumn. At that time, the sound of guns in Shekou was still in our ears. Today, the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone is full of vitality, showing the world the majestic power of China's reform and opening up, and the bright prospect of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
It seems ordinary and most strange, but it is easy but hard. Shenzhen and other special economic zones along the way, every step is not easy, every step has paid hard work. The achievements in the reform and development of Shenzhen and other special economic zones are the result of the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the result of the broad masses of cadres and the masses, and the result of the extensive support of the people of the whole country and all sides. Here, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to the builders of the special economic zones and to all comrades who have contributed to the construction of the special economic zones! I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the guests and people from all walks of life at home and abroad who care about and support the construction of special economic zones!
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
The successful practice of Shenzhen and other special economic zones has fully proved that the strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee on the establishment of special economic zones is completely correct. The special economic zones should not only continue to be run, but also be run better and at a higher level.
The 40 years of reform and opening up in Shenzhen and other special economic zones have created great miracles, accumulated valuable experience, and deepened our understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialist special economic zones with Chinese characteristics. First, we must adhere to the party's leadership over the construction of special economic zones and always maintain the correct direction of the construction of special economic zones. Second, we must adhere to and improve the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and promote the socialist system with Chinese characteristics to become more mature and stereotyped through reform and practice. Third, we must insist that development is the last word, dare to try, dare to be the first, and lead the reform to break through with ideas. Fourth, we must persist in opening up to the outside world in all directions, and constantly improve the attractiveness of "bringing in" and the competitiveness of "going out. Fifth, we must insist that innovation is the first driving force and win the initiative in the global scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. Sixth, we must adhere to the people-centered development thinking, so that the results of reform and development can benefit the people more and more equitably. Seventh, we must adhere to scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, fair justice, and law-abiding by the whole people, so that the rule of law becomes an important guarantee for the development of special economic zones. Eighth, we must practice the concept that green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains, and realize the comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development of economic society and ecological environment. Ninth, we must comprehensively and accurately implement the basic principle of "one country, two systems" and promote the integrated development and mutual promotion of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. Tenth, we must persist in giving better play to the radiating and leading role of special economic zones in a game of chess across the country and contribute to the development of the whole country.
The above ten articles are the valuable experience accumulated by the special economic zones in the past 40 years of reform, opening up, innovation and development, and have important guiding significance for the construction of special economic zones in the new era. They must be cherished, adhered to for a long time, and constantly enriched and developed in practice.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, with the global pandemic of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic accelerating the evolution of this major change, economic globalization encountering a countercurrent, protectionism and unilateralism on the rise, the world economy in the doldrums, international trade and investment shrinking sharply, the international economy, science and technology, culture, security, politics and other patterns are undergoing profound adjustments, and the world has entered a period of turmoil and change.
China is in a critical period of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the economy has shifted from the stage of rapid growth to the stage of high-quality development. The main contradictions in our society have changed, the people's demand for a better life has been continuously improved, the economy has been improving for a long time, the market space is broad, and the development resilience is strong. A new development pattern is being formed with the domestic cycle as the main body and the domestic and international double cycles promoting each other. At the same time, my country's economy is in a critical period of transforming development mode, optimizing economic structure, and transforming growth momentum. There are still many shortcomings and weaknesses in achieving high-quality development. The development of special economic zones is also facing some difficulties and challenges.
The new situation requires new responsibilities and calls for new actions. The construction of special economic zones in the new era must hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, coordinate the promotion of the "five in one" overall layout, coordinate the promotion of the "four comprehensive" strategic layout, proceed from the overall situation of my country's entry into the new development stage, implement the new development concept, and closely promote High-quality development, build a new development pattern, with an indomitable attitude of struggle, unimpeded reform, opening up, promote the work of special economic zones to create a new situation and make new and greater contributions to the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country and the realization of the second centenary goal.
The Party Central Committee has high hopes for Shenzhen's reform and opening up, innovation and development. In August last year, the Party Central Committee issued opinions on supporting Shenzhen's construction of a pilot demonstration zone of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and comprehensively deployed relevant work. Shenzhen should build a pilot demonstration zone of socialism with Chinese characteristics, create a city example of a modern and powerful socialist country, improve the ability and level of implementing the new development concept, form a new pattern of comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively expanding opening up, promote the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, enrich the new practice of the development of the cause of "one country, two systems", and take the lead in realizing socialist modernization. This is the historical mission entrusted to Shenzhen by the Party Central Committee in the new era.
First, unswervingly implement the new development concept. Guangdong and Shenzhen have a higher level of economic development, face tighter resource constraints, and are under greater pressure from international competition in technology, talent and other fields. Implementing new development concepts and promoting high-quality development is the fundamental way out. We should adhere to the principle that development is the first priority, talent is the first resource, and innovation is the first driving force. We should take the lead in promoting quality change, efficiency change and power change, and strive to achieve higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable and safer development.
We should adhere to the main line of supply-side structural reform, make production, distribution, circulation and consumption rely more on the domestic market, improve the adaptability of the supply system to domestic demand, and meet the escalating domestic market demand with high-quality supply. We must unswervingly implement the innovation-driven development strategy, cultivate new kinetic energy, enhance new potential energy, and build a technological and industrial innovation highland with global influence. It is necessary to deploy the innovation chain around the industrial chain, lay out the industrial chain around the innovation chain, forward-looking layout of strategic emerging industries, cultivate and develop future industries, and develop the digital economy. It is necessary to increase investment in basic research and applied basic research, give full play to the advantages of Shenzhen's deep integration of industry, university and research, and actively integrate into the global innovation network. It is necessary to benchmark against the international first-class level, vigorously develop modern service industries such as finance, research and development, design, accounting, law, and exhibitions, and enhance the development level and competitiveness of the service industry. It is necessary to implement a more open talent policy, introduce and train a group of international-level strategic scientific and technological talents, scientific and technological leaders, young scientific and technological talents, and high-level innovation teams, and gather talents from all over the world to use them.
Second, keep pace with the times and comprehensively deepen reform. Reform is always on the road, and there is no smooth road to reform. At present, the reform has reached a new historical juncture. Many of them are unprecedented new problems. The complexity, sensitivity and difficulty of promoting the reform are no less than that of 40 years ago. We must, with greater political courage and wisdom, adhere to the combination of crossing the river by feeling the stones and strengthening the top-level design, seize the opportunity and steadily deepen the reform in important areas and key links, Pay more attention to the systematicness, integrity and coordination of reform, improve the overall effectiveness of reform.
After in-depth study, the CPC Central Committee decided to take the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the special economic zone as an opportunity to support Shenzhen in implementing the pilot comprehensive reform, give Shenzhen more autonomy in the reform of important areas and key links by means of list batch authorization, and launch a package of 27 reform measures and 40 first batch authorization items. The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone must shoulder its responsibilities, firmly grasp the correct direction, emancipate the mind, keep integrity and innovate, and strive to introduce a number of major reform measures in important areas, and form a number of major institutional innovations that can be replicated and promoted. We must focus on solving the practical problems encountered in high-quality development, focusing on the needs of building a higher-level socialist market economic system, planning more strategic battle reforms, and promoting more creative and leading reforms, we will try first in key areas such as improving the institutional mechanism for the market-oriented allocation of factors, the institutional mechanism for the integrated development of the innovation chain and industrial chain, the market-oriented and rule-of-law international business environment, the high-level open economic system, the supply system for people's livelihood services, the ecological environment and the urban spatial governance system. It is necessary to optimize government management and services, fully implement the power list, responsibility list, and negative list system, and accelerate the construction of pro-Qing political and business relations. It is necessary to further stimulate and carry forward the entrepreneurial spirit, protect the legitimate rights and interests of entrepreneurs in accordance with the law, protect property rights and intellectual property rights in accordance with the law, and encourage entrepreneurs to start their own businesses.
Third, we are determined to open up in an all-round way. At present, the world economy is facing many complex challenges. We must not be hindered by headwinds and waves. We must stand on the right side of history, unswervingly expand opening up in an all-round way, promote the construction of an open world economy, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The new development pattern is not a closed domestic cycle, but an open domestic and international double cycle. It is necessary to optimize and upgrade the production, distribution, circulation and consumption systems, deepen internal economic ties, increase economic depth, enhance the function of unblocking the domestic cycle and connecting domestic and international double cycles, accelerate the opening up of institutional systems such as rules and standards, and take the lead in building a new system of higher-level open economy. It is necessary to explore a more flexible policy system and a more scientific management system in the areas of domestic and foreign trade, investment and financing, finance and taxation, financial innovation, and entry and exit, and strengthen multi-level and multi-field practical cooperation with countries and regions along the "Belt and Road Initiative" route. The more open we are, the more we must pay attention to safety, coordinate the two major issues of development and safety, and enhance our own competitiveness, open supervision capabilities, and risk prevention and control capabilities.
Fourth, innovative ideas to promote the modernization of urban governance system and governance capacity. After 40 years of rapid development, profound changes have taken place in the urban spatial structure, mode of production, organizational form and operating mechanism of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, facing many challenges such as obvious pressure on urban governance and insufficient development space. It is necessary to establish a full-cycle management awareness, accelerate the modernization of the urban governance system and governance capabilities, and strive to find a new path of governance that conforms to the characteristics and laws of super-large cities. It is necessary to strengthen governance according to law, be good at using legal thinking and legal methods to solve the problem of urban governance, and make the rule of law a social consensus and basic criterion. We must pay attention to scientific, refined, and intelligent efforts, give full play to the advantages of Shenzhen's information industry development, promote the innovation of urban management methods, management models, and management concepts, and make the city operate smarter and smarter.
Fifth, do solid work and practice the people-centered development thought. The Communist Party of China is rooted in the people and its blood is in the people. People's yearning for a better life is our goal. The starting point and goal of the reform and development of the special economic zone must focus on this goal.
Whether life is good or not, the people have the most say. Starting from the problems that the people are generally concerned about, strongly reflected, and recurring, we should take more reform and innovation measures to solve the problems of employment, education, medical care, social security, housing, pension, food safety, ecological environment, and social security one by one, and strive to make the people's sense of gain better, happiness more sustainable, and sense of security more secure. It is necessary to respect the pioneering spirit of the people and constantly absorb the innovative and creative vitality of the development of special economic zones from the people. We should put the improvement of development balance in an important position, constantly promote the extension of public resources to the grass-roots level, build a high-quality and balanced public service system, and build a sustainable social security system with full coverage. We should not relax to grasp the normal epidemic prevention and control, seriously sum up the lessons learned, and make up for the short board of public health.
Sixth, actively promote the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national development strategy, and Shenzhen is an important engine for the construction of the Greater Bay Area. It is necessary to seize the major historical opportunities in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote the convergence of rules and mechanisms for the economic operation of the three places, speed up the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area intercity railway, promote the efficient and convenient flow of personnel, goods and other elements, and enhance the level of market integration. It is necessary to deepen the reform and opening up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, plan and build the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, and accelerate the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone. We should take the construction of the comprehensive national science center in the Greater Bay Area as the starting point, and strengthen the coordination with the innovation resources of Hong Kong and Macao. It is necessary to continue to encourage and guide compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese to give full play to the important role of investment and business development and two-way opening up, and make new contributions to the development of special economic zones. It is necessary to make full use of the major cooperation platform between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to attract more young people from Hong Kong and Macao to study, work, and live in the mainland, promote extensive exchanges, comprehensive exchanges, and in-depth integration among young people from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and enhance their centripetal force towards the motherland.
The relevant departments of the Central Committee and the state should accurately grasp the strategic intention of the Party Central Committee, fully support the reform and development work of Shenzhen and other special economic zones, and in accordance with the requirements of comprehensively promoting the "five in one" overall layout and coordinating the promotion of the "four comprehensive" strategic layout, support special economic zones in deepening reform and opening up, carrying out forward-looking scientific and technological innovation, developing strategic emerging industries, developing high-level opening up to the outside world, strengthening the construction of democracy and the rule of law, strengthening the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, strengthening the protection and improvement of people's livelihood, reforming and innovating social governance, and strengthening the construction of ecological civilization, so as to provide scientific guidance and strong support for the reform and development of special economic zones in the new era.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
A single flower is not spring, a hundred flowers bloom in spring garden. We unswervingly pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win strategy of opening up, which not only draws development momentum from the world, but also allows China's development to better benefit the world. The 40-year practice of the construction of special economic zones is inseparable from the joint participation of all countries in the world, and it has also created a broad space for development and shared development benefits for all countries. Countries around the world are welcome to participate more in the reform and opening up and development of China's special economic zones, and to build a new pattern of extensive consultation, joint contribution, sharing and win-win results.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
The special economic zone is at the forefront of reform and opening up, and there are higher requirements for strengthening the party's overall leadership and party building. It is necessary to thoroughly implement the general requirements of party building in the new era, take the lead in strengthening the party's overall leadership and party building with the spirit of reform and innovation, and expand the coverage of grassroots party organizations and work. The majority of party members and cadres must strengthen their ideals and beliefs, update their knowledge and concepts, master strong skills, and consciously stand on the overall situation of the party and the country to think about problems and do things. It is necessary to establish and improve the incentive mechanism, promote the formation of the correct orientation of the capable, the excellent, the mediocre, and the inferior, so as to be responsible for the reformers and the responsible, and stimulate the enthusiasm and enthusiasm of Party members and cadres to start their own businesses. We must persevere in rectifying the wind and discipline, unswervingly punish corruption, resolutely oppose formalism and bureaucracy, and create a clean and upright political ecology.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics is socialism with all-round development of material civilization and spiritual civilization. The special economic zones must adhere to the principle of "grasping with both hands and being hard on both hands", and must hand in excellent answers in the construction of material civilization and spiritual civilization. It is necessary to strengthen the education of ideals and beliefs, cultivate and practice the core values of socialism, deepen the publicity and education of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese dream, and educate and guide the broad masses of cadres and the masses, especially young people, to strengthen their confidence in the road, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to carry forward the national spirit with patriotism as the core and the spirit of the times with reform and innovation as the core, continue to carry forward the special zone spirit of daring to try, dare to be the first, and work hard, and encourage the cadres and the masses to be the "pioneers" of the new era ". It is necessary to carry out in-depth mass spiritual civilization creation activities, extensively carry out social ethics, professional ethics, family virtues, and personal ethics education, and continuously improve the people's civilization and social civilization. It is necessary to strengthen the construction of public cultural facilities, promote the high-quality development of the cultural industry, and better meet the new expectations of the people's spiritual and cultural life.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades!
Forty years of magnificent, the new journey is inspiring. The vicissitudes of life in the special economic zones have been the result of generations of special zone builders who have worked hard. At a new starting point, the broad masses of cadres and masses in the special economic zones must unswervingly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, always maintain the spirit of "pioneering", "creative" energy, and "dry" style, and strive to continue to write more "spring stories" ", and strive to create new and greater miracles that will impress the world!

Source: People's Daily