Friday 5 December 2008
Guangdong Told to Find Answers to Crisis
Maintaining economic growth amid the financial crisis would test the competence of government leaders, Vice-President Xi Jinping said on a fact-finding tour to Guangdong, urging them to “seek ways proactively” to keep up the growth rate, state media reported.
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Guangdong Told to Find Answers to Crisis
Fiona Tam
5 December 2008
Maintaining economic growth amid the financial crisis would test the competence of government leaders, Vice-President Xi Jinping said on a fact-finding tour to Guangdong, urging them to “seek ways proactively” to keep up the growth rate, state media reported.
At a meeting on Wednesday attended by 10 provincial Communist Party chiefs, including Guangdong’s Wang Yang , Mr. Xi urged them to “earnestly implement” a list of policies recently issued by the central government to boost domestic demand, Xinhua said.
“Your competence and confidence in solving conflicts and problems will be tested,” Xinhua quoted Mr. Xi as saying. “The crisis also presents opportunity.”
He also urged Guangdong manufacturers to gear up for technological innovation and to take the global financial crisis as an opportunity for an industrial upgrade, according to Xinhua.
It was the vice-president’s second visit to Guangdong’s manufacturing hubs within five months, ahead of next week’s Central Economic Working Conference, according to mainland media.
Analysts say frequent inspections appear to reveal that the conference’s keynote will focus on trying to sustain the province’s manufacturing for the sake of economic growth while gradually overhauling the structure of high value-added industries.
Meanwhile, Shenzhen seemed to take advantage of Mr. Xi’s two-day trip in the province to push further for greater autonomy on political and economic reforms, local media reported.
The city was expected to cut taxation on imports and exports to emulate Hong Kong’s success and boost value-added cross-border co-operation in financial and hi-tech industries, the Southern Metropolis Daily said yesterday.
The newspaper said Shenzhen was also seeking Beijing’s approval for a reform plan that involved streamlining government bureaucracy and loosening administrative controls on businesses to prevent the manufacturing heartland from sinking into recession.
In response to a proposal by 51 Hong Kong and Macau members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Shenzhen has promised a more transparent and efficient government by introducing online business application approvals and public supervision.
The proposal, submitted in April, lists 12 strategies to realise greater co-operation between the two cities. They include integrating economies, joint financing of environmental protection and infrastructure, allowing Shenzhen residents easier access to Hong Kong, and developing the Lok Ma Chau Loop development zone.
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