Xi: Sticking to reform and opening-up will create more opportunities

President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that practice has proved reform and opening-up is a right path and greater miracles will be created by sticking to it.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when he visited Qianhai and Shekou area of Guangdong pilot free trade zone during an inspection tour to Shenzhen.

Standing at a park in the land-reclamation area of the once small fishing village, Xi said rapid development has demonstrated the feasibility of Qianhai and its experience should be replicated and promoted nationwide.

The State Council approved the overall development plan for Qianhai in 2010, in order to upgrade industrial structure and further open to the outside world.

Xi also asked efforts to carry on and improve the successful experience of special economic zones such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

Earlier in the day, Xi said China's development and achievements over the past 40 years since the reform and opening-up have impressed the world and there is no reason not to continue them when he met representatives participating in Guangdong's reform and opening-up.

Even though there are difficulties and problems of various kinds, they should be solved and overcome during the process, he said, noting that the path of reform and opening-up should be followed with determination in a deeper and broader way.

On Wednesday noon, Xi visited a community in Shenzhen's Longhua district and talked with community workers and residents.

He called for more resources, services and focus of management to be put in communities to meet the public's diversified demands and asked the workers to perform their duties well and get things done for the public.

Later, Xi paid a visit to Jinan University, the country's first university to provide higher education to overseas Chinese, where he watched an exhibition of the university's history and a display of achievements.

He also visited the school library and had a conversation with students, asking about their study and future plans.

After learning that many students come from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas, Xi encouraged them to study hard, make contribution to the society and spread the excellent Chinese traditional culture to all corners of the world.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi talked with the heads of some small and medium-sized private enterprises in an automotive equipment company in Guangzhou, the capital city of the province.

Xi affirmed their progress in terms of independent innovation, saying the Party central committee highly values and has been working to facilitate the development of SMEs.

Only in this way can the Chinese economy realize comprehensive, scientific and high-quality development, he said.

Xi said China's innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship need the SMEs, but these will also offer more chances and room for the development of SMEs.

He encouraged SMEs to focus on their major businesses, enhance independent innovation and achieve more progress.

Xi's Guangdong inspection tour, which began on Monday, has brought him to Zhuhai, Qingyuan, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.