Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed during a recent inspection tour in Northeast China's Heilongjiang that the province must firmly grasp its strategic position in the overall national development, and focus on the primary task of advancing high-quality development. Implementing the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee on promoting the full revitalization of Northeast China, Heilongjiang should build on its strengths and make up for its deficiencies, so as to turn its strengths in resources, ecology, scientific research, industries and geographical location into new development impetus. It is also imperative for the province to build and strengthen its role as a significant national commodity grain production base, heavy equipment production and manufacturing base, key energy and raw material supplier, a vital barrier of ecological security in northern China, and a pivotal gateway for China's northward opening up. While actively performing its duties in ensuring the security of national defense, food, ecology, energy and industries, Heilongjiang must strive to break new ground for high-quality development during the course of comprehensive and all-round revitalization.

From Sept 6 to 8, Xi visited the Dahinggan Mountains, the city of Harbin and other regions, accompanied by Xu Qin, secretary of the CPC Committee of Heilongjiang province and Liang Huiling, governor of the province. He went to places including a forest farm, a village and a university on a fact-finding mission, and consoled residents in flood-hit areas that are in the process of post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

On the afternoon of Sept 6, Xi arrived in the city of Mohe in the Dahinggan Mountains to inspect the natural forest of a forest farm. He examined the growth of the natural forest, observed a display of crops growing under trees, and learned about the local efforts to deepen the reform of forest asset management, promote eco-friendly industries and the industrialization of ecological protection, and intensify forest fire prevention and suppression. Xi noted that equal emphasis must be placed on afforestation and forest protection, and it is urgent to make preparations in advance to preempt possible risks in order to make sure that the achievements made in decades, centuries and millennia will not be ruined overnight.

Subsequently, Xi rode to the northernmost village Beijicun, or North Pole Village, a riverside border village, where he was briefed how tourism with local characteristics was developed and how the locals turned their ecological advantages into development impetus. Xi noted that forests are a great treasure trove that combines reservoirs, grain depots, bank vaults and carbon pools. He stressed the awareness that larger green coverage and forests mean stronger strengths and more wealth, calling for measures to enable people to increase their income through "under-forest economy" on the basis of ecological conservation. At the homestay courtyard of Shi Ruijuan, a local villager, Xi learned about the development of rural industries with unique local features to revitalize border areas, enrich residents and promote rural revitalization. Xi said he was happy to see the development of Beijicun and the good life of its villagers. He noted the importance of tourism sector in achieving high-quality development, stressing the protection of the Dahinggan Mountains, which boast unique tourism resources. He urged policy support from local CPC committees and governments to ensure the development of both "under-forest economy" and tourist industry, in a bid to generate more income for local people from the local snow and ice resources.