CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | 5 PATH TO GLORY

Editor’s note: This year, the Communist Party of China is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. China Daily is publishing a series of stories looking at the tremendous changes that have occurred in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the leadership of the Party. They also include stories of the people and places that have left indelible marks in the Party’s path to glory.

An aerial view of the Optics Valley Square in Wuhan, Hubei province. The square connects motorists to six roads above and underground while serving as the transfer station for three subway lines. A 90-meter sculpture named Star River is located at the square. GUANGLIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY Hubei homes in on hub ambitions Province sets sights on becoming converging point, playing vital role in domestic, international endeavors

HUBEI By SHUO in Beijing by Wuhan, the provincial capital, and China and ended absolute poverty for It plans to build one top level hospital and ZHOU LIHUA in Wuhan driven by two important cities — Xiang- all remaining impoverished residents for every city or county with more than Population: 57.75 million and Yichang,” Ying said. last year, Ying said. The province also 1 million residents, add another 10,000 Area: 185,900 square kilometers ubei province will step up The province will follow the vision of achieved victory in terms of its socio- permanent posts to boost grassroots efforts to develop itself into building a community of a shared economic development. healthcare and ensure that each village a strategic hub in central future for mankind, open up even wid- “We put life and people above every- has at least one doctor with a university China, become a strong er to the world and continue to foster a thing else, raced against time, fought hard degree, he added. Hdriver of growth for the country and write world-class, market-oriented and law- against a ferocious virus and secured a “Despite the COVID-19 epidemic, the a new chapter in high-quality develop- based business environment, he said. decisive victory in defending Hubei and economic fundamentals sustaining ment, the province’s top Party official said. Hubei’s success is a result of China’s Wuhan in some three months,” Ying said. Hubei’s sound growth in the long run — Hubei Hubei is aiming to achieve average progress. Despite the impact of the epi- With ongoing epidemic containment as well as the province’s comprehensive annual GDP growth of 6.5 percent in demic, the province’s important role in measures in place, the province adopted strength that has been developed over the next five years and total GDP national and regional development a region specific approach to help enter- the years — remain unchanged.” exceeding 6 trillion yuan ($933 billion) remains unchanged, he said. prises resume work and production and by 2025, hoping to maintain its high Hubei sits in the country’s heartland facilitated the simultaneous recovery of Hubei prospering GDP of Hubei rank among Central China, according and boasts a huge market. As a geograph- industrial chains’ upstreams, or materi- Hubei reported a GDP expansion of Unit: trillion yuan 4.54 to its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). ical center and transportation hub, it is als needed for production, and down- 58.3 percent to reach 987.27 billion 4.20 4.34 3.72 Despite a plunge of 39.2 percent of stepping up efforts to develop itself into a streams, or the production and yuan during the first quarter of this 3.34 GDP in the first quarter of 2020, national pillar for domestic circulation distribution of their products, he said. year, recovering from a 40-percent Hubei’s GDP last year recovered to 95.6 and a strategic link between domestic Hubei arranged point-to-point trans- plunge during the same period last percent from the previous year to 4.34 and international circulations, Ying said. portation for 700,000 workers to get year, according to official figures. trillion yuan, official figures showed. He noted that Hubei has always been back to their posts as well as 37 char- Hubei has flourished in various ways. It will also strive to achieve an urban- in a strategic position in terms of nation- tered flights for more than 2,900 work- For example, it offers convenient trans- 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 ization rate of 65 percent by the end of al development. Since the founding of ers to return from abroad, Ying said. portation. Almost all major Chinese cit- Total value of imports 2025 and ensure that per capita dispos- New China, the establishment of large, Thanks to the packages of policies ies can be reached from Hubei in under and exports able income growth for residents basi- centrally administered State-owned rolled out by the central government, four hours. The province is linked to the Unit: billion yuan cally keeps up with economic growth, enterprises, such as Wuhan Iron and the province has helped market entities Pacific Ocean by the ’s waterways 429.4 394.6 the plan said. Steel Corp and Dongfeng Motor Corp, as survive and thrive; for example, it cut and Europe and Central Asia by China- 348.6 Ying Yong, Party secretary of the Hubei well as major national projects, such as more than 100 million yuan in taxes Europe freight trains. It also boasts 64 313.6 260.0 Provincial Committee of the Communist the Three Gorges Dam and South-North and fees for them. Despite the severe international and regional flights. Party of China, said during the 14th Five- Water Diversion Project, have solidified impact from the epidemic, Hubei saw The province also has abundant Year Plan period, Hubei will become a Hubei’s vital role in the country. an increase of 290,000 new market intellectual talent and innovation converging point and play an important As a pioneer in the development of entities and more than 700,000 new potential, with 129 institutions of high- role in China’s endeavors including the China’s modern industries, Hubei has a urban jobs last year, he said. er learning and more than 1.6 million 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze Riv- complete industrial system. There are A total of 321 Fortune 500 companies college students, he said, adding that Source: Hubei Provincial Bureau of Statistics er Economic Belt, central China’s rise 17 industries with revenues of more have made investments in Hubei, and Wuhan has more university students CHINA DAILY and the development of city clusters than 100 billion yuan, including auto- the Honeywell Emerging Market Head- than any other city in China. along the middle reaches of the Yangtze. making, electronic information and quarters and Innovation Center was Further, with 29 national key labora- China has embarked on a journey of biomedicine. Emerging industry clus- inaugurated in Wuhan shortly after the tories, more than 3,600 research insti- building itself into a fully modernized ters including those related to optical city’s lockdown was lifted in April last tutions, over 80 academicians of the socialist country, and a Hubei reborn communications, computer chips, year, he said. Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chi- from the COVID-19 epidemic is stand- smart terminals and digital economics, The province launched 10 major pro- nese Academy of Engineering and 19 ing at a new historic juncture, Ying said are also gaining momentum. jects with a total investment of 2.3 tril- national engineering research centers, at a promotional event organized by the lion yuan for post-epidemic recovery. Hubei has shown it is also committed to Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April. Notching victories Hubei is advancing disease prevention developing itself into a national scien- “We will speed up post-epidemic Apart from winning the fight against reform that prioritizes prevention and tific innovation hub. recovery and high-quality development, the epidemic, Hubei overcame floods treatment and strengthening public and we will implement a development caused by one of the heaviest rainfalls health systems focusing on grassroots Contact the writers at plan featuring regional coordination led in the history of the People’s Republic of level capacity, Ying said. [email protected]