Changes in Wuxi before and after the 30th anniversary of reform and opening up

My hometown is Wuxi, a bright pearl on the shore of Taihu Lake.

It is an ancient city with a history of more than 3,000 years. It is located in the center of the Yangtze River Delta, adjacent to Shanghai to the east, Nanjing to the west, Zhejiang and Anhui to the south, the Yangtze River to the north, and Taihu Lake in the middle. The city has a total area of ??4788 square kilometers and a population of nearly 4.4 million, of which the urban area is 1,659 square kilometers and the population is 2.159 million.

It currently governs two county-level cities, Jiangyin and Yixing, and seven districts: Chong'an, Nanchang, Beitang, Xishan, Huishan, Binhu and New District.

Wuxi has a subtropical monsoon oceanic climate, which is mild and humid, with four distinct seasons. The average annual temperature is 15.5C, the average annual rainfall is 1,000 mm, the annual frost-free period is about 230 days, and the annual average sunshine hours are about 2,000 hours. With beautiful water, fertile soil and rich products, it is a famous land of fish and rice in the country.

Wuxi is a famous tourist attraction. Wuxi is like a bright pearl on the shore of Taihu Lake. The famous tourist attractions are so beautiful.

The rippling blue waters of Taihu Lake and the leisurely flowing ancient canals. Taihu Lake’s beauty and cultural gathering are condensed into the "Eighteen Scenes of Wuxi Tourism": Yuanzhu Spring Waves, Smooth Qingyun, Lingshan Scenic Spot, Xishan Qingyun , Zhongshi Cinema, Ancient Style of the Canal, Two Springs Reflecting the Moon, Taibo Relics, Shanjuan Cave, Xiake’s Hometown, Smokey Green of Lihu Lake, Elbi Lanjiang River, Fragrant Snow in the Plum Garden, Yixing Bamboo Sea, Xue Family Garden, Taihu Fairy Island , Donglin Academy, Longtou Maji, etc.

Wuxi is a famous historical city in the south of the Yangtze River. It has a long history and a gathering of people, and has given birth to many cultural celebrities and art masters, including the great painter Gu Kaizhi of the Jin Dynasty, the great poet Li Shen of the Tang Dynasty, the great painter Ni Zan of the Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty tourist Xu Xiake, modern times include diplomat and thinker Xue Fucheng, scientists Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin father and son, modern times include scientists Zhou Peiyuan and Qian Weichang, economists Sun Yefang and Xue Muqiao, Chinese traditional culture master Qian Zhongshu, art master Xu Beihong, folk music Jia Hua Yanjun et al.

At present, there are nearly 70 academicians from Wuxi and the two academies, ranking among the best among cities across the country.

Wuxi is the regional transportation hub, with Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Xinchang Railway, Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, Hu-Yi Expressway, Nanjing-Hangzhou Expressway, and Yanjiang Expressway crisscrossing the territory. Intersection is the intersection of three expressways from Shanghai to Chengdu, Heilongjiang to Hainan, and Shanghai to Beijing. It is an important node connecting north and south and connecting east and west.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passes through Wuxi.

Jiangyin Port is one of the important transshipment ports at the Yangtze River estuary.

With the opening of Wuxi Airport, the completion of the Nanjing-Hangzhou and Yangtze River expressways, and the construction of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, Wuxi's status as a transportation hub will become more obvious.

Wuxi is an economic center city. In the mid-19th century, Wuxi was already one of the "Four Rice Markets" in the country. It was also the famous "Silk Market" and "Cloth Wharf".

At the beginning of the 20th century, Wuxi gave birth to a group of industrial and commercial tycoons represented by the Rong family, becoming one of the birthplaces of national industry and commerce in my country, and earning the reputation of "Little Shanghai".

In the early 1970s, Wuxi's township industry took the lead in the country's rise.

After the reform and opening up, Wuxi's economic aggregate has always ranked among the top ten large and medium-sized cities in the country, becoming one of the 15 economic center cities and 13 larger cities in the country.

At present, Wuxi accounts for about 5/10000 of the country’s land and 4/1000 of its population, creating 1.6% of the country’s total economic output.

Wuxi is a pioneer area in opening up to the outside world. Wuxi was approved as an open coastal city in 1985. Opening up to the outside world started early and progressed rapidly. The open economy has become an important part of the city's economy.

In recent years, Wuxi's open economy has developed rapidly and has become one of the most economically active cities in the country. A number of world-renowned multinational companies have invested in Wuxi.

“Japanese investment highlands”, “Korean investment sectors”, “Taiwanese investment teams” and “Hong Kong investment groups” have emerged one after another.

Why was Wuxi so grand?

Looking at the past few years, it is not difficult to find that party and government leaders at all levels in Wuxi City, under the guidance of the correct decision-making of the Party Central Committee, have learned from the past and made plans for the future.

Unite the people, pool their efforts, speed up the pace of reform and opening up, maximize strengths and avoid weaknesses, give full play to local advantages, develop what is good, develop where it is suitable, create what is not, and go where it is. This is why we write A new chapter in the construction of such magnificent socialist material civilization and spiritual civilization has opened in Wuxi!

1. About the environment

Everyone knows that economic and social development requires the environment, and the core is the water environment.

Water is the core of the environment, and water is the soul of the environment.

We Wuxi people are even more proud of the water of Taihu Lake, and the song "The Beauty of Taihu Lake" has been sung all over the country.

However, in the late 1960s, a movement to reclaim land from the lake ruthlessly changed its appearance.

Enclosing the lake encloses the land and produces food and fresh fish, but at the cost of accumulating a large amount of silt, raising the bottom of the lake, reducing the water capacity, reducing the lake's self-purification ability, and causing secondary pollution of the lake. Secondary pollution, coupled with industrial development, and a large amount of sewage flowing into the lake and rivers, the water quality of the lake has been worse than Category 5 for many years. The water of Taihu Lake once emitted a foul odor, and the fish and shrimp were almost extinct.

The deterioration of the water environment has caused huge losses to Wuxi’s economic and social development.

Due to water pollution, the Wuxi water source Meiyuan and Wuli Lake water intakes were forced to close.

Every time a sudden water pollution incident occurs in Meiliang Lake, the economic loss is billions of yuan, the water environment deteriorates, the quality of life of citizens is greatly reduced, and the tourism environment and investment are seriously affected. environment and ecological environment.

When guests and merchants from other places come to the "Jiangnan Water City", Wuxi people are ashamed to take them to the rivers and lakes.

In response to the increasingly serious water pollution, the Water Conservancy Bureau has made water environment improvement the top priority of current water conservancy work in accordance with the new water management concept of "people-oriented, respecting laws, and harmony between man and water".

The step-by-step implementation of projects such as the Li Lake comprehensive improvement project, urban flood control and water diversion projects, and urban river improvement projects has greatly improved the urban and rural water environment.

Now people can fish in the river and take a leisurely stroll in the waterside leisure places... As the poem says: "The long willow embankment, the annual spring breeze, the fragrance is always the green acacia "Fire trees and silver flowers all over the lake bloom in the red rain after washing..."

The water of Taihu Lake has become clearer, and the soul of Xicheng has been deeply purified, adding a lot to this lakeside city. Reiki.

Wuxi people's brows began to relax, and their proud smiles returned. This year's "May Day Golden Week" saw an average of 40,000 people a day vying to see the beautiful scenery of Wuli Lake.

Wuxi people are even more determined that at present and in the future, our water conservancy construction must closely focus on the overall goal of the city's economic and social development, in accordance with the new water management concept of "people-oriented, respect for laws, and harmony between man and water". Based on the three basic tasks of flood control and security, water resources supply, and water environment protection, fundamentally solve the three major problems of too much water, too little water, and dirty water, and ensure the safety of drinking water, flood control, food production, economic development, and ecology. The demand for water safety provides good water services for the city to achieve a comprehensive well-off society, take the lead in basically realizing modernization, and provide a good water environment for sustainable social and economic development.

2. In terms of economic construction and development

For more than two decades, under the trend of reform and opening up, the people of Wuxi have firmly grasped the center of economic construction, emancipated their minds, boldly explored, seized opportunities, and developed innovatively, making Wuxi Earth-shaking changes have taken place in all aspects of urban and rural economic and social aspects.

The comprehensive economic strength has achieved a major leap.

In the twenty-five years from 1978 to 2003, the city's total economic output increased sixfold. In 2003, the city's GDP reached 190.12 billion yuan, ranking 9th among large and medium-sized cities in the country, with a per capita GDP of 190.12 billion yuan. 5,200 US dollars, the overall development level is taking the lead in moving towards the third step strategic goal.

Breakthrough progress has been made in opening up to the outside world.

With the unswerving implementation of the opening-up strategy, the "three foreign countries" work has been comprehensively promoted, the level of economic internationalization has been continuously improved, and it has developed into one of the most open and dynamic regions in my country.

The city has approved more than 8,300 foreign investment projects, and the actual utilization of foreign investment reached US$14.9 billion.

The vitality of institutional mechanisms has been fundamentally enhanced.

With the continuous deepening of reforms in all aspects of economic and social aspects, state-owned enterprises and township enterprises have gained new vitality, the private economy has grown rapidly, the social security system has become increasingly complete, and the operating mechanism of the socialist market economy has been basically established. The people The enthusiasm and creativity of the masses have been fully stimulated.

Urban and rural construction shows a new image.

The process of urbanization continues to accelerate, the infrastructure system is increasingly improved, the level of urban planning and construction management is rapidly improved, the quality of urban and rural environments is significantly improved, the agglomeration and radiation functions of modern central cities are enhanced, and a gradient division of labor and a reasonable layout and coordinated development of the urban system.

People’s living standards have been significantly improved.

The quality of life of urban and rural people has been fundamentally improved, and the level of education, employment, and medical care has been continuously improved. In 2003, the per capita disposable income of urban residents and the per capita net income of farmers reached 11,647 yuan and 6,329 yuan respectively. The savings reached 24,000 yuan.

In detail, we have made four leaps in understanding and breakthroughs in practice during the reform and opening up:

The first leap in understanding and breakthrough in practice is Vigorously developing township and village enterprises has greatly promoted the development of rural productivity and created a new path for rural industrialization and modernization.

Wuxi is one of the birthplaces of my country’s township industry.

After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, under the guidance of Comrade ***'s ideological line of "emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from reality in everything", Wuxi cadres and the masses boldly broke through the "two whatevers" We have broken the constraints of the traditional planned economy and promoted the township and village enterprises in our city to achieve a sudden rise with the great initiative of "farmers run industry".

After Comrade ***’s Southern Speech was published in 1992, our city’s township enterprises entered a stage of “leap-forward” and “unconventional” rapid development, creating one after another at an extraordinary speed of development. The economic miracle has resulted in the emergence of a number of nationally renowned enterprises and brand-name products such as Huaxi, Sunshine, Hongdou, and Far East. They have become the leading force supporting the industrialization of rural areas and even the city, and have also driven the rapid economic development of Wuxi as a whole in the last century.

The rapid development of township enterprises and the continuous advancement of rural industrialization have not only successfully realized the non-agricultural transfer of rural surplus labor, but also made it possible to "build agriculture with industry" and "build towns with industry". A large number of small towns have emerged rapidly, and the competitiveness of rural areas has rapidly increased.

Relying on the vigorous development of township enterprises, Wuxi's rural economy has maintained rapid development for a long time, laying a solid foundation for achieving regional urban and rural coordination and comprehensive coordinated economic and social development in the new historical period.

?The second leap in understanding and breakthrough in practice is to actively respond to Pudong’s development and opening up and international industrial transfer, vigorously implement the opening-up strategy, and accelerate the marketization and internationalization process of Wuxi’s economy.

"China's development cannot be separated from the world", "opening up to the outside world is the way to a strong country", and is a basic national policy. We must "seize opportunities, use the international peaceful environment, and absorb more information that is useful to us." something".

?Under the guidance of the ideological theory of opening up to the outside world, the people of Wuxi have always placed the expansion of opening up to the outside world in a prominent position in economic work, firmly grasped the development opportunities of Pudong development and opening up, and firmly grasped the opportunities of international capital industry transfer Taking advantage of the favorable opportunity, we vigorously implemented the opening-up strategy and gradually promoted the development of opening-up to a larger scale, higher level, and wider fields, which greatly promoted the rapid development of our city's productivity and the rapid improvement of its internationalization level.

At present, Wuxi's use of foreign capital has entered a new stage of simultaneous development in terms of quality, level, scale and efficiency. Many internationally renowned multinational companies have settled in Wuxi, and 58 of the world's top 500 companies have invested in Wuxi.

In 2003, foreign-invested industries accounted for 25% of the city's total industry, becoming an important force in Wuxi's economy.

What is particularly gratifying is that since the construction of the Wuxi National High-tech Industrial Development Zone began in 1992, various key development and opening parks in Wuxi have flourished and become the city’s most important window and platform for opening up to the outside world. An attractive industrial cluster and “incubator” for scientific and technological achievements.

At present, 85% of the city’s foreign capital is settled in development and opening up parks, and one-third of the GDP and fiscal revenue comes from the parks. The park economy plays an increasingly important role in the city’s economic and social development. effect.

While actively "bringing in", they also vigorously implemented the "going out" strategy, and a number of key enterprises have embarked on a new path of transnational operations.

?The third leap in understanding and breakthrough in practice is to focus on establishing and improving the operating mechanism of the socialist market economy, actively exploring various forms of public ownership, constantly adjusting and improving the ownership structure, and effectively strengthening the endogenous driving force of economic development.

“Revolution liberates productive forces, and reform also liberates productive forces”; “After the basic socialist system is established, we must fundamentally change the economic system that restricts the development of productive forces and establish a socialist economy full of vitality and vitality. system to promote the development of productive forces"; "Socialism can also engage in a market economy."

Inspired and guided by Comrade ***'s famous series of epoch-making thesis, the people of Wuxi boldly broke through the shackles of the surname "public" and "private", and the surname "social" and "capital" , adhere to the "three benefits" as the fundamental criterion, proceed from local realities, vigorously promote ownership reform, and greatly enhance the inherent driving force and vitality of economic development.

In rural areas, we actively guide township and village enterprises to carry out asset reorganization and institutional innovation through joint-stock systems, joint-stock cooperative systems and other forms. Especially after entering the new century, in response to the new situation of rural economic and social development, we strive to explore new ways of collective economy. In the form of implementation, while promoting the "secondary restructuring" of township enterprises and enhancing vitality and competitiveness, it took the lead in carrying out joint-stock reform of village-level collective economies, promoted the separation of rural collective asset ownership and management rights, and opened up a new path for rural reform and development; In cities, we vigorously promote the reform of state-owned enterprises, accelerate the institutional innovation of state-owned enterprises and the strategic adjustment of the state-owned economy, so that state-owned enterprises and the state-owned economy are full of vitality and form new development competitive advantages.

Vigorously develop capital operations, a number of companies such as Weifu, Little Swan, Sunshine, and Sanfangxiang have been successfully listed, forming the "Wuxi Sector" that has a great influence in the capital market.

While accelerating the reform and development of the state-owned and collective economies, we will always adhere to the "six liberalizations" policy, unswervingly support and promote the development of the non-public economy, and actively support the private economy to become bigger and stronger.

Last year, the added value created by the private economy accounted for 31.2% of the city's economy.

The deepening of reform and system innovation of urban and rural enterprises has greatly released the potential and vitality of economic development, promoted Wuxi's comprehensive economic strength to new levels, and provided good conditions for rapid and healthy economic development. Institutional and mechanism conditions.

?The fourth leap in understanding and breakthrough in practice is to seize the major strategic opportunities for development at the beginning of the new century and highlight the interactive progress of new industrialization, internationalization, urbanization and economic and social development. Comprehensively coordinate development and accelerate the process of "two firsts".

The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China made a scientific judgment that the first two decades of the 21st century are a period of important strategic opportunities that must be firmly grasped and can achieve great results.

For us in Wuxi, the key to seizing this strategic opportunity period is to further clarify the development positioning, innovate the development momentum, improve the development level, and promote the new situation and new requirements faced by the new century and new stage. Wuxi's economic and social development is accelerating at a higher level.

The Party Central Committee pays close attention to the development of the eastern region and places high hopes on it.

The two-term general secretary of the Central Committee clearly stated that Jiangsu should take the lead in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and take the lead in basically realizing modernization.

As an important section of Jiangsu and an important pole of southern Jiangsu, Wuxi has no shirk its responsibility to shoulder the important responsibilities for the province’s “two firsts”.

In the face of new development tasks and requirements, the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal *** clearly proposed the goal of striving to create the province’s “two firsts” pilot areas and demonstration areas, and strive to be the first in the province to build high-tech Standard and high-level comprehensive moderately prosperous society, taking the lead in basically realizing modernization.

Focusing on this goal, we have formulated and implemented the "Action Outline for Wuxi to Strive to Create the Province's "Two Firsts" Pilot Zone Demonstration Zone" to comprehensively promote the city's revitalization through science and education, economic internationalization, urbanization and sustainability. Developing the "Four Major Strategies", we have successively launched major initiatives such as "Three Industrialization Interactions", "Three Edge Developments", and "Three Concentrations", and the construction of the "Two Firsts" pilot zone demonstration area has achieved remarkable results.

In the past two years, the city's economy has maintained rapid and stable growth, with the open economy and private economy advancing hand in hand, various reforms advanced in depth, the economic structure continuously optimized, and the overall vitality and competitiveness further enhanced; breakthroughs have been made in urban and rural construction progress, the planning and construction of the municipal urban system has been accelerated, urban functions and management levels have been further improved, urban and rural ecological protection and environmental governance have been strengthened, and the environmental outlook of the entire city has undergone major changes; the project of enriching the people has been vigorously promoted, encouraging entrepreneurship, expanding employment, and improving Various guarantee measures have been well implemented, the income level of urban and rural people has steadily increased, and the results of enriching the people have become increasingly apparent; science and technology, education, culture, health and other undertakings have developed in a coordinated manner, and the construction of spiritual civilization, democracy and legal system, and party building have been further strengthened.

Our city has successively won the titles of Advanced City in Creating a National Civilized City, National Garden City, and National Environmental Protection Model City. It has achieved "four consecutive championships" in creating a national dual-support model city. Various undertakings are thriving and achieving The prospects for the goal of “Two Firsts” are promising.

Practice has proved that a strong sense of development, opportunity, striving for excellence and hard work are the most valuable spiritual wealth of our more than 20 years of reform and development, and are also the most important for us to achieve the "two firsts" goals. Spiritual motivation.

The city’s cadres and masses are constantly strengthening this important ideological awareness.

We have always adhered to the ideological line of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, constantly deepening reform and expanding opening up, and injecting inexhaustible vitality and vitality into economic and social development.

For more than 20 years, the people of Wuxi have kept pace with the times, pioneered and forged ahead, constantly studied new situations, adapted to new situations, and solved new problems. They have relied on deepening reform and expanding opening up to break through unsuitable conditions again and again. The institutional constraints required by the development of productive forces have won the leading edge in economic and social development.

3. In terms of science, education, culture and health

High-quality basic education resources have been further expanded, and education of all types and levels has been further developed. By the end of 2003, there were 761 schools of all types and levels, with 770,300 students enrolled, an increase of 10,400.

Medical conditions have further improved.

In 2003, the city had 1,387 health and medical institutions, including 37 general hospitals, 18 specialized hospitals, 6 hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, 114 township health centers, and 5 sanatoriums.

Cultural facilities continue to be improved. In 2003, there were 127 art and cultural centers (stations), 9 public libraries, and 5 museums (within the cultural system).

Cultural undertakings are brilliant.

Successfully hosted the first "China Wuxi Taihu International Folk Music Exhibition", held 140 cultural and artistic performances in various squares, organized more than 50 charity performances, etc.

In summary, since the reform, Wuxi has been changing with each passing day. We have seen it with our own eyes, deeply felt it, and realized it.

We are grateful for all the great changes that reform and opening up have brought to us, and we have even more realized the greatness of the party.

Therefore, in the days to come, we must persist in the pace of reform and improve the comprehensive strength of Wuxi City:

We must use improving the quality of the population as a breakthrough to efficiently develop human resources; Accelerate the adjustment of industrial structure as the main line, with the goal of greatly improving the comprehensive competitiveness of the economy; we must focus on infrastructure construction to further consolidate the foundation for the rise of comprehensive strength; we must also improve the social development system and promote the overall progress of social undertakings... We firmly believe , Wuxi's tomorrow will be better.

Nowadays, when I am studying abroad, every time someone from my hometown talks about the local construction and development situation, or I occasionally read relevant news reports in the newspaper, I am excited and feel... kind.

I sincerely hope that Wuxi, relying on favorable subjective and objective conditions, can inherit the past and forge ahead into the future, achieve new results, write a new chapter, and create a new world in the tide of reform and opening up!