Changchun leads Jilin province's revitalization drive

Changchun In Jilin province hosted the first session of the "Jilin's Comprehensive Revitalization" series of themed press conferences on June 17.

During the news conference, officials talked about the current year marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China, with it also being a pivotal year for Jilin's revitalization.

In 2023, Changchun launched a three-year action plan targeting high-quality development and high-quality living.

During the 12 months, the city's GDP grew by 6.6 percent, placing it squarely among the top cities in China. Things speeded up in the first quarter of 2024, with GDP growing at 7.1 percent – leading the way among 15 sub-provincial cities.

Adding to the momentum, Changchun is accelerating the construction of a national regional innovation center – leveraging its rich scientific and educational resources, which include 11 national key laboratories, 83 research institutions and 49 universities.

Ranked 31st among global research cities, Changchun is building two major innovation platforms: Beihu Future Science City and Yongchun Modern Biopharmaceutical City.

The city is also focusing on five key areas: advanced manufacturing, modern agriculture, cultural and tourism industries, Northeast Asia regional cooperation and eco-friendly living.

The news conference was told that significant achievements were made last year, with notable efforts in innovation, technology applications and the construction of various key platforms.

Elsewhere, Changchun's grain output hit 12.75 billion kilograms in 2023, an increase of 322 million kilograms over the previous year, ranking it first among major grain-producing regions in China.

Overall, as a major agricultural city, Changchun is understood to continue to lead the way in terms of innovation and development.