On the afternoon of September 28th, 2020, the Senior Consultative Conference on Innovation and Intelligent Manufacturing to Promote the Integrated and Coordinated Development of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region was held in Xiangtan. The conference was chaired by Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI. Jiongfang CAO, Secretary of Xiangtan Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Xiangtan Municipal People’s Congress, delivered a speech. Yingchun ZHANG, Deputy Secretary of Xiangtan Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Xiangtan, and leaders of relevant departments also attended the conference.

On the basis of in-depth understanding of Xiangtan’s development and field research, Member of Advisory Committee of RDI such as Zukang SHA, President of China-Pakistan Friendship Association and former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Junli WANG, Vice Chairman of China Reform Forum, Xisheng ZHOU, former Vice President of Xinhua News Agency, Xiaogang ZHAO, former Chairman of China South Rail Corporation (CSR), Jing GENG, Board Director of China Cultural Heritage Foundation, Biao QIAO, Deputy Chief Engineer of CCID, and Yiming CHEN, Excutive Director & Executive Secretary-General of the Commerce Economy Association of China, elaborated on topics including “Developing New Technologies to Modernize the Industrial System” and “Pursuing the Dual Circulation Strategy and the B&R Coordinated Development”.

The High-level Consultative Conference on Innovation and Intelligent Manufacturing to Promote

the Integrated and Coordinated Development of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region

Zukang SHA, President of China-Pakistan Friendship Association, former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, said that the new development pattern centering on domestic circulation provides strategic opportunities for Xiangtan’s high-quality development. In order to achieve high-quality economic growth, Xiangtan needs to empower its traditional manufacturing industry with scientific and technological innovation and transform it into industrial and economic advantages. As an important part of the core growth pole of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region, Xiangtan enjoys increasingly prominent transportation advantages, gradually consolidated industrial foundation and more mature form of industrial park economy. As it continues to open up, Xiangtan can do a lot of work in the process of its integration into the B&R. Xiangtan’s entrepreneurs are active contributors to the regional economic development and should unit further to facilitate Xiangtan’s industrial upgrading. In addition, Xiangtan should made the following efforts: 1) building the CPC’s Red cultural industry to ensure the sustainable and healthy development of the cultural industry; 2) enhancing the regional characteristic economy to promote the integrated and coordinated development of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region; 3) innovating the development philosophy to enjoy the benefits of “New Infrastructure”; and 4) optimizing the business environment to promote innovation-driven development.

Zukang SHA delivering the keynote speech entitled “Exploring Innovative Development

in Xiangtan in the Face of Changes Unseen in A Century”

Junli WANG saying that Xiangtan must keep itself updated on the core high-end technology capability and technological innovation of renowned Chinese IT enterprises to help develop its industrial ecology

Junli WANG, Vice Chairman of China Reform Forum and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, pointed out that the basis of information transformation and emerging industries’ upgrading in the new era is to develop arithmetic power, transportation and connecting capacity. The key to its planning and practice is to lay the solid foundation first and then to build the development struture. To successfully implement the plan, Xiangtan should for the planning with guiding function and employ national A-class smart city operators to promote the construction. Xiangtan must keep itself updated on the core high-end technology capability and technological innovation of renowned Chinese IT enterprises to help develop an industrial ecosystem and ensure social progress. All plans should be based on the integration of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region to create a new digital management ecosystem at an advanced level and to bring up a group of new talents.

Xisheng ZHOU saying Xiangtan must seek assistance while focusing on innovation

Xisheng ZHOU, former Vice President of Xinhua News Agency and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI said that Xiangtan should learn from the advanced philosophy and the success of developed coastal areas and foreign countries, and deal with problems in economic growth through applying new development concept and conducting supply-side structural reform. On the one hand, Xiangtan needs to know its priorities, stagger competition and focus on supporting chains instead of the whole industrial chain. On the other hand, the business environment must be upgraded to better attract well-developed industries around the world. What makes Xiangtan’s innovative industries and products valuable is not their quantity but their quality. To further enhance its soft power, Xiangtan must tell its own amazing stories to fellow countrymen and the rest of the world.

Xiaogang ZHAO pointing out that innovation and manufacturing always go hand in hand

Xiaogang ZHAO, former Chairman of CSR and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, noted tha Xiangtan should develop itself by combing innovation and intelligent manufacturing, with more foucus on innovation. The next two or three decades will be a critical period for China to shift from a large manufacturing country to a manufacturing power, from a country following others’ development strategies to the one leading others in the same area and from a country that develops through technological imports to the one that develops through independent and self-controllable technologies. Xiangtan serves as an important business hub with excellent logistics, a significant factor to drive manufacturing forward. It is believed that its people can uphold the spirit of Hunan featuring “Diligence, Insistance and Patience” to help Hunan to build “Three Highlands” proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection to Hunan, namely national advanced manufacturing center, scientific and technological hub with core competitiveness and inland reform and opening up highland.

Jing GENG offering support for strategic cooperation to Xiangtan

on behalf of the national cultural and educational organization

According to Jing GENG, Board Director of China Cultural Heritage Foundation and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, in the extremely complex international landscape, it is of profound significance to inherit and promote the spirit of the Red Culture. The Red Culture of Shao Mountain, represented by Mao Zedong Thought and the spirit of Shao Mountain, will be the spiritual source and motivation to lead the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The Foundation, a national cultural and educational organization, will spare no effort to support the projects in Xiangtan and Shao Mountain with financial assistance by establishing the China Red Culture Special Development Fund with the Xiangtan Municipal Government. The Foundation will build an independent cultural brand for innovative Red tourism projects in Shao Mountain and set up the Foundation’s Red Culture Research and Learning Cemonstration Base here. It will also assist in project designs, enrich project forms and contents, and introduce major resources of cooperation and industry as well as strategic capital so as to bring new dimensions to them.

Biao QIAO suggesting that manufacturing in Xinagtan must look at “One High and Two New”

Biao QIAO, Deputy Chief Engineer of CCID and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, pointed out that Xiangtan is an old industrial base and many of its industries have unique advantages in Hunan province. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the manufacturing industry in Xiangtan should consider to solve the following two issues: 1) letting demand play a leading role, promoting the construction of industrial chain and industrial ecology; and 2) taking advantage of the integration of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region to cope with the siphon effect brought by Changsha. The manufacturing industry in Xiangtan must focu on “One High and Two New”, that is to say, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy automobiles and new generation of information technology, to build an industrial system that could give full play to its unique advantages and have a place in Changzhou-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region.

Yiming CHEN giving advice on how to cope with the syphon effect

Yiming CHEN, Excutive Director & Executive Secretary-General of the Commerce Economy Association of China and Member of Advisory Committee of RDI, said that when it comes to the integration of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region, Xiangtan must figure out how to break away from the siphon effect of Changsha. Fist, It should look beyond Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region and the rising Central Region and shit its focus to the Yangtze River Delta Region. Second, it should develop its vertically and horizontally and work hand in hand with other industrial cities to establish communication mechnism. Thid, it needs to increase channels for financial development and help enterprises go public through leveraging capital. Fourth, it should establish financial cooperation mechanism with enterprises via RDI platform, so that more funds of banks can contribute to the socio-economic development of Xiangtan. Fifth, it must create demonstration bases and academic highlands of industrial “Dual Circulation”, turn its partial disadvantages into development advantages, so as to make it a renowned city of innovation and industry in the Central China. Xiangtan has to fully understand the important speech of General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection to Hunan and utilize the resources on the RDI platform to turn its shortcomings into advantages, so as to stay immune to the siphon effect.

Ke MA identifying the momentum of cultural tourism industry in Xiangtan

Ke MA, Vice Chair of the Cultural Committee of CDL, said that Xiangtan’s cultural tourism industry has ushered in the new development era and will gain more to catch up in the future. People favor more “Overnight Tour” “Destination Tour” “LLeisure and Vacation Tour” rather than “Cross-border Tour” “Group Tour” “Sightseeing Tour” right now, which will thrive the culture and tourism industry. Xiangtan should have strong confidence in its culture and promote integrated development with high-quality of the culture and tourism industry by forming good environment for people’s to enjoy a better life.

Baige ZHAO presiding over the Consultative Conference and delivering concluding speech

Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI, concluded that RDI will give full play to its platform advantages in intellectual resources, strengthen the communication and cooperation with governments and enterprises in Xiangtan, and provide support for Xiangtan’s industrial planning, investment matching as well as industrial and enterprise training, so as to contribute to Xiangtan’s high-quality development.

Jiongfang CAO speaking at the High-level Consultative Conference

Jiongfang CAO, Secretary of Xiangtan Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Xiangtan Municipal People’s Congress, expressed his heartfelt thanks to RDI for its valuable insights and suggestions about Xiangtan’s development. He said that nowadays think tanks are playing the role of “External Brain” of governments, contributing wisdom and resources. Xiangtan has great geographical edges, transportation advantages and human resources. In the process of developing intelligent manufacturing and accelerating the integrated development of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region, Xiangtan urgently yearns for more external guidance and intellectual support. It is hoped that RDI continue to closely follow the development of Xiangtan and offer advice for its high-quality development to make sure that the cooperation between the two sides would deliver greater results. Xiangtan will also establish cooperation mechanism with RDI, strengthen communication and coordination, make full use of think tank resources, and facilitate the sharing of information and resources. At the same time, experts’ opinions and suggestions will be considered according to Xiangtan’s actual situation and be transformed into concrete actions to promote the development of Xiangtan as soon as possible, so that the power of knowledge could be translated into achievements in industry and development.

Photo of guests at the RDI-Xiangtan High-level Consultative Conference

RDI pays close attention to the construction progress of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Region and will continue to enhance practical cooperation with these three cities, deepen close collaboration, help them implement the strategy of innovation-driven development and rising via opening-up, and strive to make them a bright pearl in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and even among all urban agglomeration in the entire country.