SUPPLY-SIDE structural reform has been a hot phrase among the Guangdong delegates attending the 19th CPC National Congress, according to a Shenzhen Special Zone Daily report yesterday.

In the report delivered at the opening session of the 19th CPC National Congress on Wednesday, General Secretary Xi Jinping described supply-side structural reform as the main task, and urged more efforts to achieve better quality, higher efficiency and more robust drivers of economic growth.

Xi called for raising factory productivity and accelerating the building of an industrial system that promotes coordinating the development of the real economy with technological innovation, modern finance and human resources.

Earlier in April, Xi gave important instructions for Guangdong’s work, requiring the province to offer support for promoting supply-side structural reform nationwide. In recent years, the Guangdong CPC committee and the Guangdong government have thoroughly carried out and implemented aspects of Xi’s key speeches and the requirements of the Central Committee to continuously optimize the industrial structure, and the quality and efficiency on the supply side have been greatly improved.

“The report sets higher requirements for reform and development. The provincial reform and development commission will work actively and practically, by investigating the actual situation in Guangdong, to further promote supply-side reform and push forward economic transformation and upgrading, especially in speeding up supply-side structural reform in infrastructure by increasing project and fund supplies, establishing a key infrastructure project database, optimizing procedures, cutting the number of administrative items for approval, and setting up preparatory funds for the initial construction of key projects,” said Wei Hongguang, secretary of the commission’s Party committee.

Wang Changshun, chairman of China Southern Airlines, said the company will continue to improve its network for domestic and international flights, promote the construction of an airport cluster in the Pearl River Delta area and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. At the same time, it will expand its branch line flight market and serve as an aerial bridge connecting the Pearl River Delta area with eastern, western and northern areas of Guangdong.

The report mentioned establishing an army of workers, who are research-oriented, skill-based and innovation-driven, for deepening supply-side structural reform, and Yan Wenjing, deputy secretary of the CPC committee of Zhongshan Public Transportation Group, thought the signals had been sent, and the remarks were of vital importance to Guangdong Province’s on-going innovation-driven development, transformation and upgrading.

Liang Gujin, head of the Duian village committee in Ganglie Subdistrict, Jiangcheng District, Yangjiang City, was encouraged by supply-side reform and industrial upgrading.

“To deepen supply-side reform, we need to support the upgrading of traditional industries,” said Liang. In recent years, the village invested 300 million yuan (US$45.39 million) in refitting 53 fishing boats. The new steel boats with more horse power can sail farther and bring back more aquatic products. By the end of 2016, the average income of villagers had reached 17,200 yuan a year, double the per capita income of five years ago.

Du Yutao, Party chief of Shenzhen-based BGI, said Wednesday that she had a deep feeling about Shenzhen’s determination to pursue innovation-driven development over the past five years. The country has largely increased its investment and support for scientific research as well as recruiting talents from all around the world.

In 2016, Shenzhen worked out an overall plan and five action plans for the implementation of supply-side reform and unveiled a package of incentives to encourage scientific innovation, increase the competitiveness of enterprises and prioritize talents and higher learning institutions regarding housing and development, the Daily report said.

This year, Shenzhen will firmly continue supply-side reform and the city’s experience will be used to support the country as it promotes supply-side structural reform nationwide. (Han Ximin)