Shandong's development in 70 years highlighted

Updated: Jul 17, 2019 chinadaily.com.cn Print

Share - WeChat

The State Council Information Office convened a special news conference themed on "New Era, New Growth Drivers, New Shandong" to introduce Shandong province's economic and social development since the founding of the People's Republic of China on July 16 in Beijing.

Liu Jiayi, Party secretary of Shandong, gave a brief introduction to the province's development in seven decades.

According to Liu, over the past 70 years, the people of Shandong, under the strong leadership of the CPC, have made pioneering efforts and forged ahead, achieving transformative changes in the province.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Shandong has been implementing principles of major instructions made by the central government, acting on the new development philosophy, and undertaking eight major development strategies, including economic growth drivers transformation, rural revitalization, maritime powerhouse, three critical battles, military-civilian integration, new heights of opening-up, coordinated regional development, and major infrastructure construction.

Since the founding of PRC, Shandong has gradually developed a complete range of industries and achieved phenomenal economic growth.

Historical leaps have been made in terms of economic strength. Shandong's GDP grew to 7.65 trillion yuan ($1.13 trillion) in 2018 from 4.38 billion yuan in 1952, an increase of 344.4 times in comparable prices.

The wealth created in a single day now is 4.8 folds the whole year of 1952. The per capita GDP rose to 76,000 yuan in 2018 from 91 yuan in 1952 with an average annual growth of 8.2 percent, an increase of 181 times in comparable prices.

Over the years, Shandong's economy had been mainly driven by traditional growth drivers. Shandong has seized the crucial opportunity of building China's first comprehensive pilot area of shifting economic growth drivers in Shandong approved by the central government to implement the major program of economic growth drivers transformation.

It has transformed and upgraded five advantageous industries, including high-end chemical industry, modern high-efficiency agriculture, culture and creativity, quality tourism, and modern finance and solid steps have been taken to develop such projects as Yulongdao integrated oil refinery in Yantai, high-end aluminum sector, and fine steel base in Rizhao.

It has focused on fostering five emerging industries, including new generation of information technologies, high-end equipment, new energy and new materials, modern ocean sector, medical and elderly care, and health.

Shandong has focused on integrating the urban and rural structures. Permanent urban residents as a share of total population rose to 61.18 percent in 2018 from 7.3 percent in 1953.

Shandong has been implementing strategies of invigorating the province through science and education and innovation-driven development. Solid progress has been made in building Shandong into a province of innovators.

Liu said that the Shandong people will continue to free minds, transform the mindset, encourage bold explorations, work with resolve to remove difficulties and challenges curbing economic and social development, and unleashed the vitality of institutions and mechanisms.

Liu and Gong Zheng, governor of Shandong province also answered questions from journalists.

A news conference is held by the State Council Information Office on July 16 in Beijing to detail Shandong province's economic and social development since the founding of the People's Republic of China. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]