Rejuvenating Old Industrial Base in Northeast China

Focusing on the overall picture of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made another major strategic decision following the implementation of the coastal development strategy and the western development strategy based on the present conditions. The requirements are to promote the optimization and upgrading of the economic structure and establish a modern industrial system under the guidance of the Scientific Outlook on Development. Accelerate the technological progress of enterprises and comprehensively enhance the ability of independent innovation. Accelerate the development of modern agriculture and consolidate the basic position of agriculture. Strengthen infrastructure construction for creating conditions for comprehensive revitalization. Actively promote the transformation of resource-based cities and promote sustainable development. Effectively protect the ecological environment and vigorously develop a green economy. Focus on solving people’s livelihood issues and accelerate the development of social undertakings. Deepen cooperation between provinces and regions to promote the integrated development of regional economy. Continue to deepen Reform and Opening-up to enhance the vitality of economic and social development. With the continuous deepening of Reform and Opening-up, the institutional and structural contradictions in the economic development of the old northeast industrial base have become increasingly apparent, and its further development is facing many difficulties and problems.

The 16th CPC National Congress proposed to “support the accelerated adjustment and transformation of old industrial bases in Northeast China, and support the development of continuous industries in cities and regions focusing on resource extraction”, and vigorously promote the coordinated development of regional economy. In October 2003, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued “Several Opinions on Implementing the Revitalization Strategy of Old Industrial Bases in the Northeast Region”. In September 2009, the State Council issued the “Several Opinions of the State Council on Further Implementing the Revitalization Strategy of Old Industrial Bases in the Northeast Region”, further clarifying the main goals and overall ideas for implementing the strategy of revitalizing the old industrial base in Northeast China. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, in order to further promote the revitalization of the old industrial bases in Northeast China, in December 2015, the Politburo meeting of the Central Committee deliberated and approved the “Several Opinions on the Comprehensive Revitalization of Old Industrial Bases in Northeast China”. The first is to focus on perfecting the system and mechanism and resolutely removing the obstacles of the system and mechanism to accelerate the formation of a new system and mechanism that is fully connected to the market and full of internal vitality. The second is to focus on structural adjustment and make great efforts to change the dominant share of traditional products in the market. The third is to focus on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and to take innovation as the main starting point for cultivating the endogenous development power of the old industrial base in Northeast China, stimulating and mobilizing the passion for innovation and entrepreneurship of the whole society. Fourth, focus on ensuring and improving people’s livelihood, so that more development fruits benefit all people more equitably, making the people have more sense of gain. Promote the implementation of the strategy of revitalizing the northeast old industrial base to a new stage of comprehensive revitalization.

The 19th CPC National Congress emphasized the need to “deepen the reform and accelerate the revitalization of old industrial bases in Northeast China” in the regional coordinated development strategy.