President Xi Jinping has underscored the importance of scientific and technological self-reliance and innovation in supporting China's sustained development, and he reiterated the nation's opening-up despite the trend in some countries against economic globalization and the rising tide of protectionism.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour of northeastern China's Liaoning province on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The inspection tour took Xi to the cities of Jinzhou and Shenyang, where he visited a revolutionary memorial, a forest park, an enterprise and a residential community. He also met with representatives of military officers stationed in Shenyang, the provincial capital.

While visiting Siasun Robot and Automation Co in Shenyang on Wednesday, Xi learned about local efforts to promote scientific and technological innovation.

The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to technological self-reliance and innovation and emphasizes fostering the environment for innovation in promoting the innovation-driven development strategy, he said.

Noting that China has to pursue the path of self-reliance and innovation in order to comprehensively build a modern socialist country, Xi called for efforts to solve the critical technological problems hindering the nation's development and "take the core technologies in key fields and equipment manufacturing into our own hands".

Despite the backlash against globalization and rising protectionism, China will continue to keep its door open for development, Xi said, adding that the nation's development will rely on its own substantial and concrete steps, and in the meantime, adhere to openness and inclusiveness for mutual benefit and win-win results.

He also called for breaking new ground in the revitalization and development of the northeastern province.

When visiting a community in Huanggu district of Shenyang, he learned about local efforts in strengthening Party organizations and improving public services.

More efforts should be made to enable the people to feel that the CPC serves them wholeheartedly and is always with them, Xi said.

Calling the renovation of old residential communities important work in improving the quality of people's lives, he stressed the need not only to improve the living environment and amenities, but also to boost community services.

Considering China's aging population and the increasing life expectancy of the elderly, aged care services should continue to expand, Xi said.

He emphasized the need to develop old-age programs and related industries and to strengthen the construction of elderly care facilities in areas with requisite conditions. Xi also called for enhanced child care services.

He expressed his hope that local residents could live better lives amid the full revitalization and development of the northeastern region in the new era.

From China Daily