Xi Jinping's Important Speech at Private Enterprise Symposium Sparks Enthusiastic Response: Contributing Anew and Greatly to Advancing Chinese Modernization
General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the symposium for private enterprises has sparked enthusiastic responses from all sectors. Everyone stated that the General Secretary's speech built broad consensus and instilled strong confidence for promoting Chinese modernization. On the new journey, it is essential to promote the entrepreneurial spirit, focus on making enterprises stronger, better, and larger, unswervingly follow the path of high-quality development, and strive to create a new landscape for the development of the private economy. At the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China's private economy has now formed a considerable scale and holds a significant weight, laying a solid foundation for promoting its high-quality development. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics has multiple significant advantages, and the socialist market economic system and the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics are continuously improving and perfecting, which will provide stronger guarantees for the development of the private economy. Addressing some of the current difficulties and challenges faced by the private economy, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to see prospects, brightness, and a future amidst difficulties and challenges, maintain development resolve, enhance development confidence, and uphold a spirit of daring to struggle and striving for success. The private economy has broad prospects and great potential, and it is the right time for private enterprises and entrepreneurs to demonstrate their capabilities. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that earnestly implementing policies and measures to promote the development of the private economy is the current focus of work. Party committees and governments at all levels should proceed from reality and coordinate the implementation of policies and measures to promote the development of the private economy. Everyone stated that they would transform the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech into solid measures for the high-quality development of enterprises, continuously improve enterprise quality, efficiency, and core competitiveness, and strive to promote scientific and technological innovation and cultivate new productive forces, making new and greater contributions to economic and social development.
CCTV Quick Comment: Embrace National Ambition, Focus on Development, Operate Lawfully and Ethically, Lead the Way to Common Prosperity
Our station broadcast CCTV's quick commentary, "Embrace the Ambition to Serve the Country, Focus on Development, Operate Lawfully and Ethically, and Promote Common Prosperity Through Initial Prosperity."
Han Zheng Meets with International Olympic Committee President
On February 18, Vice President Han Zheng met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach in Beijing. Han Zheng stated that China highly appreciates President Bach's significant contributions to promoting cooperation between the IOC and China during his tenure, and President Xi Jinping highly commends the work of President Bach and the IOC. The Harbin Asian Winter Games just concluded successfully, presenting the world with a high-level ice and snow sports event that was "distinctly Chinese, showcased Asian flair, and was splendid and exciting." China has always attached great importance to developing sports, actively participated in international Olympic affairs, and is willing to deepen cooperation with the IOC in more areas to jointly promote the development of the Olympic movement and make new contributions to promoting world peace, unity, and progress. Bach congratulated the Harbin Asian Winter Games on its complete success, thanked China for its long-term support to the IOC, and stated that the IOC is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to jointly uphold multilateralism and achieve greater accomplishments in the Olympic cause.
China Achieves Positive Results in Consolidating and Expanding Poverty Alleviation Achievements
The reporter learned from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs that since the transition period for consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation achievements and effectively linking them with rural revitalization, China has firmly held the bottom line of preventing large-scale return to poverty. Since the transition period, more than 5.4 million monitoring objects in poverty-stricken areas have stably eliminated the risk of returning to poverty, and assistance measures have been implemented for all other monitoring objects, with risks generally under control. The central government has allocated a cumulative 673.1 billion yuan in connection funds, the assisted industries have continued to develop and grow, the scale of employment for the labor force lifted out of poverty has steadily increased, and the per capita disposable income growth rate of rural residents in poverty-stricken counties has been faster than the national rural residents' income growth rate for four consecutive years. This year is the last year of the five-year transition period, and all regions and departments will give full play to the role of big data information systems and continue to optimize and improve the monitoring and assistance mechanism to prevent return to poverty. In terms of industrial assistance, efforts will be made to promote the full-chain development of characteristic leading industries in counties, and support will be given to accelerate the补上 shortcomings in agricultural product processing, storage, preservation, and cold chain logistics. In terms of employment assistance, in-depth actions to prevent return to poverty through employment will be carried out, leveraging the role of east-west labor collaboration, rural public welfare jobs, employment assistance workshops, and "work-relief" projects to ensure that the scale of employment remains stable at over 30 million people. For 160 key counties for national rural revitalization assistance and 35,000 centralized resettlement areas for relocation, continuous increased support will be provided to firmly hold the bottom line of preventing large-scale return to poverty.
Key Infrastructure Construction Accelerates in Western Regions
Since the beginning of this year, construction of a number of major projects and key facilities in the western region has accelerated. Development and opening up are spearheaded by transportation. At the construction site of the Guangxi section of the Huangtong-Baise Railway, a landmark project of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, over 2,800 construction workers are racing against time, fighting on the front lines, striving to achieve excavation into all 33 tunnels in the Guangxi section by the first half of the year. The Huang-Baise Railway is expected to be completed and open to traffic in 2028, becoming a convenient passage from northern Guizhou to the Beibu Gulf area of Guangxi. National key water conservancy projects are accelerating their improvement. In Yunnan, the construction of the Honghe section of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project is continuously accelerating. As the largest water diversion project currently under construction in China, the main line of the first phase of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project is over 664 kilometers long. After completion, it will effectively alleviate the water supply for urban production and living in the Central Yunnan region, directly benefiting over 11 million people. To accelerate the cultivation of new productive forces, a number of new infrastructure projects are in full swing in the western region. As an important part of China's "East Data, West Computing" project, the Qingyang Data Center Cluster has built and put into operation 31,000 standard racks, with a computing power of 50,000 P, and is expected to reach 100,000 P by the end of this year, focusing on serving the computing needs of regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Currently, the local area has attracted more than 350 digital economy enterprises, including half of the domestic leading artificial intelligence enterprises. In the construction of national computing hubs for the "East Data, West Computing" project, multiple projects have started construction in Ningxia. In the Yinchuan Economic Development Zone, the first phase of the Zhongchuang Puhui Intelligent Computing Center project is nearing completion and is expected to be put into operation by the end of March. Currently, Ningxia has built 9 large and super-large data centers, with 25 data center projects under construction, and the digital economy scale is striving to reach 220 billion yuan in 2025.
[Stories of Deputies and Members Performing Duties] Meng Aijun: Polishing the "Village" Brand to Make Traditional Culture Shine with Contemporary Radiance
In recent years, a series of "village-branded" activities, such as "Village BA," "Village Super League," and "Village Gala," have been thriving in the vast countryside. This has attracted the attention of CPPCC National Committee member Meng Aijun. During his year of performing duties, he continuously explored the cultural codes behind the "traffic" through his research. Shortly after the Spring Festival, the new season of Guizhou's "Village Super League" is in full swing in Rongjiang County. Among the spectators is a special guest – Committee member Meng Aijun, who is conducting research for his proposals for the National Two Sessions. Meng Aijun discovered that a crucial factor behind the sudden popularity and "breakout" of the Rongjiang inter-village football match, which has a history of several decades, is the organic integration of local characteristic culture. During the match intervals, intangible cultural heritage performances, ethnic costumes, and characteristic food captivated the audience. Today's "Village Super League" is not just a sports event but also a cultural feast. Driven by the "Village Super League," Rongjiang County achieved a comprehensive tourism income of over 10 billion yuan in one year. However, Meng Aijun's research found that to truly retain the "traffic," the "sports + intangible cultural heritage" model still needs continuous improvement. How can tourists remain interested? At last year's National Two Sessions, Meng Aijun proposed that traditional culture, intangible cultural heritage, and rural culture should be fully utilized to inject new vitality into rural revitalization. In his research this year, Meng Aijun discovered a new sample. Baibei Village, an hour's drive from Rongjiang County, was a provincial-level poverty-stricken village ten years ago with no access to electricity, water, or roads, but now it has taken on the spillover tourist flow from the "Village Super League" and has become a well-known rural tourism destination. Chinese modernization is inseparable from the inheritance and promotion of excellent traditional culture. Solid and rich research has broadened Meng Aijun's proposal ideas, and he will offer suggestions at this year's Two Sessions to further enhance the "village-branded" activities.
Post-Holiday Tourism Market Remains Robust, Off-Peak Travel Thriving
As the Spring Festival holiday concluded, air ticket and hotel prices fell, and many people chose to travel during off-peak times, keeping the tourism market lively. Data from online travel platforms shows that from now until before the Qingming Festival, air ticket and hotel bookings in many places remain high, making off-peak travel a new trend. In terms of travel destinations, the north and south remain popular choices for off-peak travel. Driven by the Harbin Asian Winter Games, the popularity of ice and snow tourism in Northeast China remains undiminished after the holiday, with Changbai Mountain, Harbin, and Shenyang being favored by tourists. People are taking advantage of the period when the weather is warmer but the ice and snow have not yet melted to experience the joy brought by the ice and snow world. In the week after the holiday, Harbin Ice and Snow World alone received over 600,000 visitors, almost on par with the Spring Festival holiday. In Yalong Bay, Hainan, classic water sports like "Sea Flying Dragon" are popular; at the inland diving base, the completely simulated natural marine landscape offers tourists a unique experience; in Sanya Tianya Town, the occupancy rate of guesthouses reached 90% after the holiday. Among off-peak travelers, the "silver-haired" group is becoming the main force after the holiday. Data shows that in the week after the holiday, air ticket orders for seniors aged 60 and above increased by 34% compared to the Spring Festival holiday, with avoiding cold, natural scenery, and traditional culture being keywords for their off-peak travel. To maintain the post-holiday tourism热度, many places have introduced a series of new measures. In Jiangsu, Nanjing's Old Men Dong historical and cultural district has created an all-day cultural tourism experience by innovating service models, with an average daily reception of about 60,000 visitors, a year-on-year increase of 50%. In Qinghai, the local area is rewriting the traditional tourism cycle with a new "off-peak economy" model to satisfy tourists who enjoy leisurely holidays. Data shows that since February 5, the number of cultural tourism orders for tickets, accommodation, and transportation at key national scenic spots has increased by 24% compared to the same period last month.
New Year Car Market Surges, Passenger Car Production and Sales See Double-Digit Growth Year-on-Year
In previous years, the period around the Spring Festival was typically a slow season for the automotive market. However, this year, thanks to the intensified and expanded new round of trade-in policies, the new spring car market is experiencing a bustling scene. Shortly after the Spring Festival holiday, many places across the country announced the detailed implementation rules for car trade-in subsidies. Consumers purchasing new energy vehicles generally receive a reduction of 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, coupled with promotions from car manufacturers, leading to a booming automotive market in various regions. In addition to trade-in subsidies, various localities have also introduced a series of supporting measures. Hainan Province simplified the application process to ensure that "real money" subsidies reach consumers faster; Guangzhou, in conjunction with car companies, launched exclusive packages, increasing configurations and extending warranties. Driven by a series of policies, China's automotive industry has seen a good start. The latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that in January this year, China's passenger car production and sales reached 2.151 million units and 2.133 million units respectively, a year-on-year increase of 3.3% and 0.8%, achieving double growth. Among them, new energy vehicles performed exceptionally well, with production and sales increasing by 29% and 29.4% year-on-year respectively, and sales reaching 38.9% of the total new car sales.
New Technologies Foster New Scenarios, AI Industry Accelerates Development
Various regions are seizing the opportunity to develop the artificial intelligence industry, increasing R&D efforts, innovating application scenarios, and accelerating the implementation of AI technology across various industries. Stepping into a robot research and development enterprise in Chengdu, Sichuan, is like entering a bustling robot training ground. Mechanical arms autonomously identify and classify items, and bipedal robots train to climb stairs... a series of AI technology testing scenarios are dazzling. Since the Spring Festival, this place has been operating at almost "full throttle" every day, and the rich testing space allows them to go all out in R&D and quickly bring new products to market. Chengdu Science and Technology Innovation Ecological Island, where this enterprise is located, has registered nearly a thousand science and technology innovation enterprises in just over a year since its operation. Here, from visualized management of the entire island through digital twin technology to robots making latte art coffee for visitors, an "island" is a huge technology verification center. Currently, Chengdu has built over 60 AI-related innovation platforms, with an industry scale exceeding 100 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 39%, and strives to reach 130 billion yuan this year. Not only Chengdu, but many places across the country have also made the development of the artificial intelligence industry a key task for this year. Immediately after the Spring Festival, the first document released by Dongguan City, Guangdong, was to promote the empowerment of manufacturing with artificial intelligence. Henan proposed to vigorously promote the "AI+" action this year to promote industrial renewal and upgrading. A new material enterprise in Jiaozuo recently adopted a large model for safety production. This year, Shanghai will deepen AI applications in finance and manufacturing; Chongqing is planning an artificial intelligence large model public service platform; Qinghai will continue to build a green computing power industry. By leveraging their core resource advantages, various regions will further accelerate the "blossoming" of China's artificial intelligence technology in all walks of life.
Domestic News Briefs
"Your Voice," a documentary film about "Responding to Every Complaint," is released today. The documentary film "Your Voice," produced and co-produced by China Media Group, is being released nationwide today (February 18). The film focuses on Beijing's "Responding to Every Complaint" mechanism, connecting various livelihood scenarios such as old residential community renovations through the circulation of work orders from the Beijing 12345 hotline, telling the Beijing story of "China's governance." On the first day of its release, 270 cinemas in Beijing screened "Your Voice." "Action Plan for High-Quality Development of New Energy Storage Manufacturing Industry" Released. Eight ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, jointly issued the "Action Plan for High-Quality Development of New Energy Storage Manufacturing Industry," proposing to accelerate the iteration and upgrade of mature technologies such as lithium batteries, support disruptive technological innovation, and improve the supply capacity of high-end products. By 2027, China's new energy storage manufacturing industry will significantly demonstrate its international competitive advantage across the entire chain. China Launches New Batch of "Public Data Application Demonstration Scenarios." The National Data Administration announced today (February 18) that China has launched a new batch of "public data application demonstration scenarios," covering 13 provinces in the eastern, central, and western regions. The focus is on promoting the development of scenarios such as used car transactions, efficient consumption of new energy, and tourist guidance at cultural and tourism attractions through multi-source data integration, assisting the growth of new industries, new business forms, and new models. China Strengthens Protection Planning and Land Guarantee for Large Heritage Sites. Recently, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly issued a notice emphasizing strengthening the protection planning and land guarantee for large heritage sites. While ensuring the red line for cultivated land and permanent basic farmland protection, efforts will be made to optimize and adjust the demarcation of permanent basic farmland within the protection scope of large heritage sites, and explore agricultural production models that balance cultural heritage protection with sustainable agricultural development. Chinese Scientists Discover High-Temperature Superconductivity in Nickel Oxides at Ambient Pressure. A joint research team led by Academician Xue Qikun announced a research result today (February 18) – achieving high-temperature superconductivity in nickel oxide materials under ambient pressure. Previously, nickel-based materials could only achieve superconductivity under high pressures exceeding hundreds of thousands of atmospheres, which opens up a new path for research in the field of high-temperature superconductivity. Main Structure of Pier for Yucun-Kunming High-Speed Railway Luozhe River Bridge Completed. Today (February 18), the main structure of the pier for the Luozhe River Bridge of the Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed Railway was completed, and it is expected to be closed within the year. The Yucun-Kunming High-Speed Railway is approximately 700 kilometers long and is expected to be ready for operation by December 2026. At that time, the train travel time from Chongqing to Kunming will be shortened from the current 5 hours to about 2 hours at the fastest. CMG Holds Special Screening Event for "Nezha 2" at UN Headquarters in New York. On February 17, local time, China Media Group held a special screening event for "Nezha Enters the United Nations" at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Over 150 diplomats from the UN and various countries stationed at the UN, as well as media reporters, attended the screening. Poyang Lake Wintering Migratory Birds Gather, Preparing for Northward Migration. As a wintering and stopover site on the East Asia-Australasia migratory bird flyway, wintering migratory birds in the Poyang Lake area have been gathering in recent days, awaiting their northward migration. This winter, over 700,000 waterbirds were monitored and counted in the Poyang Lake area. To ensure their safe foraging, local authorities have carried out joint law enforcement by multiple departments to strengthen daily lake patrols and monitoring.
Russia Claims Strikes on Ukrainian Port Facilities, Ukraine Reports Halting Russian Advance
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the 17th that Russian forces had taken control of a settlement in Kharkiv; Russian forces also carried out strikes on Ukrainian military airfields, port infrastructure, and drone production workshops, among other targets. The Ukrainian side stated that fighting continued in the directions of Kharkiv, Pokrovsk, and other areas, and that Ukrainian forces were taking all necessary measures to prevent the Russian advance. International Oil Pipeline Pumping Station in Russia Attacked by Drone. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium stated on the 17th that one of its oil pumping stations in southern Russia was attacked by a drone that day, leading to a decrease in pipeline oil throughput. Russian media reported that the attack was carried out by Ukraine, to which Ukraine has not yet responded. The company's oil pipeline connects Kazakhstan and Russia. Russian and US Representatives Hold Bilateral Talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia. Russia and the United States held talks today (February 18) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Russian Presidential Aide Ushakov participated in the talks with US Secretary of State Rubio and US National Security Advisor Waltz, among others. The Russian side previously stated that the talks primarily focused on how to initiate negotiations on the Ukraine issue and arrangements for a Russian-US summit. Ukrainian President Zelensky stated on the 17th that any outcome of talks without Ukraine's participation would not be recognized by Ukraine. Leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and other countries held an emergency meeting in Paris, France, on the 17th to discuss the situation in Ukraine and European collective security. No joint statement was issued after the meeting. According to French media reports, there were significant disagreements among the parties regarding whether to send troops to Ukraine. Chinese Representative States China Welcomes All Efforts Towards Peace. On the 17th, the UN Security Council held a meeting to deliberate on the Ukraine issue. The Chinese representative stated that the Ukraine issue is about to reach a crucial moment for a negotiated settlement. We welcome all efforts dedicated to peace, including the consensus reached by the US and Russia on initiating peace talks. At the same time, we also expect all parties concerned and stakeholders to participate in the peace talks process to reach a fair, lasting, binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties concerned. The conflict is happening on European soil, and Europe needs to play a role for peace. We hope all parties will jointly resolve the root causes of the crisis through negotiation, find a balanced, effective, and sustainable security framework, and achieve long-term peace and stability on the European continent.
International News Briefs
Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated on the 17th that a special agency would be established to promote the "voluntary departure" of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also reiterated his support for US President Trump's plan to "take over" and "empty" the Gaza Strip. On the 17th, King Abdullah II of Jordan reiterated his firm opposition to forcing Palestinians to migrate to other countries. Previously, the Palestinian side and the international community had also strongly opposed this US plan. German Central Bank: US Tariff Policy Will Push Up US Inflation Rate. German Central Bank President Nagel stated on the 17th that Germany, as an export-oriented country, would suffer significant losses due to changes in US tariff policy. At the same time, US protectionist measures would also have a negative impact on the US economy itself; declining purchasing power and rising production costs would offset the competitive advantages brought by tariffs to US products. Nagel also pointed out that tariff measures could further push up the US inflation rate. Delta Airlines Plane Crashes Upon Landing, Injuring 18. On the 17th, a Delta Airlines aircraft crashed upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, causing the fuselage to overturn and injuring 18 people. The flight was a Bombardier CRJ-900, departing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, carrying a total of 80 people. Canadian media, citing the Canadian Environment Department and meteorological agencies, reported that the airport was experiencing strong winds and blowing snow, with gusts exceeding 60 kilometers per hour, at the time of the accident. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the cause of the accident. Kentucky Still Affected by Flooding. Severe weather, including storms and heavy rain, continues to affect Kentucky, Virginia, and other US states. According to US media reports on the 17th, the adverse weather has caused 14 deaths. In Kentucky, which is more severely affected, over 300 roads are impacted by flooding, and more than 17,000 utility services are without water. Meteorological departments predict that from the 18th, Kentucky and other areas will also experience a drop in temperature and snowfall, which may further complicate the disaster situation.
The 24 Solar Terms: Rain Water
Rain Water is the second of the twenty-four solar terms. At the end of the program, we enter nature, where spring is budding, to feel the beauty of China during the Rain Water solar term. "East wind thaws, ice and snow all scatter into water, and turn into rain, hence the name Rain Water." The Rain Water solar term means that ice and snow melt and rainfall increases, but the rainfall is mainly light rain or drizzle. "Sweet rain falls in due time, all things flourish." At this time, the south is already an early spring scene, with apricot blossoms and spring rain in Jiangnan, willows sprouting new green leaves, and rape flowers covering the ground in golden yellow. "The seventh nine opens the rivers, the eighth nine brings the geese." The Rain Water solar term is around the "eighth nine" period, and the northward migrating geese bring the news of spring. "Good rain knows its season, it occurs when spring comes." After Rain Water, crops such as wheat begin to turn green, and appropriate rainfall is beneficial for crop growth. There is a folk saying: "Rain in Rain Water means good crops, and both early and late spring crops are treasures." Rain Water arrives, and all things come to life. Rain Water is like notes, composing a vibrant spring.
Xinwen Lianbo 20250218 21:00
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