Protect the Mother River and bear the responsibility of Nanjing

Recently, the city held a leading group meeting to promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Zhang Jinghua, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, stressed that the prominent problems in the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River should be solved with a high degree of political consciousness and the spirit of grasping the moment, and more efforts should be made to promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic belt.

The Yangtze River is the mother river of the Chinese nation and an important support for the development of the Chinese nation.  This major strategic thought provides scientific guidance and fundamental compliance for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

From the perspective of national regional layout, Nanjing is the central fulcrum city in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and plays an important gateway role in driving the development of the central and western regions. In terms of its own characteristics, Nanjing is the only city in Jiangsu with a layout across the Yangtze River. It has changed from the "Qinhuai River era" when it relied on the South of the Yangtze River to the "Yangtze River Era" when it embraced the Yangtze River. Nanjing's special status and important role determine its historical responsibility. We must improve our position, consciously position and plan Nanjing in the overall situation of high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and carry this major political task on our shoulders and grasp it at hand. If the two banks along the Yangtze River in Nanjing are well established, it will play an important role in demonstrating and supporting the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in the whole province and the whole country. We must have such a sense of mission and sense of responsibility, and Nanjing is well positioned to make greater contributions.

The prerequisite and primary task of promoting the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt is to win the battle of pollution control and emission reduction. In recent years, Nanjing has earnestly implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and steadily promoted the green development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which has achieved initial results, but there are still many prominent problems and obvious weaknesses. We need to take a problem-oriented approach, increase our sense of urgency, promptly investigate and rectify the situation comprehensively, and seriously investigate and punish environmental violations and regulations. Restoring the ecological environment of the Yangtze River is an overwhelming priority. That is to say, all work on the Yangtze River must serve the ecology. Pollution control is not conditional, space is strictly controlled, and ecological restoration is not compromised.

The development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt is a systematic project. "Jointly pursuing large-scale protection and not engaging in large-scale development" is not to refrain from development, but to refrain from destructive development and achieve high-quality development under the premise of large-scale protection.  In order to fully solve the prominent problems such as the "chemical industry surrounding Yangtze River", we will ultimately rely on industrial transformation and upgrading. We will reduce the elimination of outdated and excess production capacity and add to reform and innovation and stimulate new drivers of growth. As an important hub city in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Nanjing should take the lead in ecological protection and play a leading role in green development, high-quality development and coordinated regional development. In line with the general requirements of "strong, rich, beautiful and high" and the new vision of "famous innovative city and beautiful ancient capital", we should plan and balance the industrial, spatial, ecological and cultural aspects on both sides of the Yangtze River, balance the two dimensions of protection and development, and build Nanjing into a city with unique characteristics and charm in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

It is the bountiful mission of our generation and the responsibility of anyone who chooses to protect and develop while developing, and leave a clean and beautiful long river to future generations.

Article source: Nanjing Daily