HAIKOU: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for accelerating the development of Hainan into a free trade port with Chinese characteristics and global influence. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour of south China’s Hainan Province from Sunday to Wednesday. He demanded deeper reform and opening-up across the board, continued innovation-driven development, coordination between COVID-19 response and economic and social development, as well as a balance between development and security. Xi said that Hainan will become a paradigm of reform and opening-up in the new era. Xi went to the cities of Sanya, Wuzhishan and Danzhou. While visiting a seed laboratory in Sanya on Sunday, Xi said seed resources must be “firmly held in our own hands” to ensure food security. He stressed achieving self-reliance in seed technology and ensuring that China’s seed resources are self-supporting and under better control. Xi then travelled to a research institute of the Ocean University of China to learn about the development in marine science and technology. Via video link, Xi talked to the staff working on the Deep Sea No.1, the country’s self-operated deep-water gas field, and extended greetings to them. Calling for more ground-breaking sci-tech innovation, Xi said China must strive to exploit petroleum and natural gas resources with its own equipment to ensure the country’s energy security. During Sunday’s inspection, Xi stopped by an evergreen tree which he planted 12 years ago and tended to it. He told local officials to make ecological conservation an important task. On Monday, Xi went to an international duty-free shopping mall in Sanya to inspect the offshore duty-free policies. He stressed leveraging the advantages of China’s huge market size, fostering a favorable market environment with the rule of law, and attracting customers with trusted business operations and quality services Inspecting a tropical rainforest national park in Wuzhishan, Xi highlighted the importance of tropical rainforest preservation, and the synchronized progress of ecological conservation, green development and people’s well-being. In the village of Maona, Xi visited the home of a family of the ethnic Li people, checking their courtyard, living room and bedrooms. At a tea-making workshop, Xi took part in frying tea leaves and bought two packets of tea. While speaking with local officials, Xi said a contingent of competent officials, with a strong record of political integrity and excellent conduct, must be trained to assist in rural revitalization. “We have attained a moderately prosperous society in all respects and will continue to promote common prosperity for all the people as we are developing a modern socialist country,” Xi said at the village’s public square, urging solid efforts to consolidate poverty relief achievements and align them with the full advancement of rural revitalization. He said officials at all levels should spare no effort in ensuring good lives for the people. During the trip to the Yangpu economic development zone in Danzhou on Tuesday, Xi visited an exhibition hall and a container terminal, where he learned about the development of the zone. Xi urged efforts to better serve the construction of the new land-sea transit routes for western China and the Belt and Road Initiative. On Wednesday morning, Xi heard work reports from the provincial Party committee and the provincial government, acknowledged the progress made by Hainan and encouraged it to build the free trade port into a shining Chinese model in the world. Xi described developing the Hainan free trade port as a complex and systematic project that requires long-term preparation and endeavors. Xi said the integrated institutional innovation must be placed in a more prominent position. He called for ensuring the smooth launch of independent customs operation of the free trade port as scheduled. Efforts should be made to unswervingly safeguard national security, identify and guard against major risks, and coordinate reform, development and stability, Xi said. He stressed that Hainan should step up its construction of a modern industrial system, focusing on tourism, modern services industry, high-tech industry, and tropical high-efficiency agriculture. Work should be done to eliminate institutional barriers in all aspects and open up wider at a higher level, Xi said. Xi also demanded a deepened fight against pollution and solid efforts to develop the national ecological conservation pilot zone in Hainan. He said cultural and ethical progress must be advanced in tandem with the deepened reform and expanded opening-up. He urged efforts to solve the urgent problems and worries of the people, and actively explore ways to achieve common prosperity. The policies of reducing burdens, stabilizing jobs and increasing employment should be sustained, Xi noted, stressing the importance of work to improve the mechanism ensuring the supply and stabilizing the prices of important commodities for people’s livelihoods. Xi also stressed advancing the full and rigorous governance over the Party at all fronts and maintaining tough crackdown on corruption, in particular fixing loopholes in land lease, real estate development, investment attraction, and project development. As the world is still facing the severe challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, prevention and control efforts should not be relaxed, Xi said. In response to new features of the mutated virus, Xi stressed the need for efforts to enhance capabilities in scientific and precise prevention and control, improve various contingency plans, and strictly implement regular prevention and control measures to minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development. Xinhua