PresidentXiJinpingspeaksinYangzhou,Jiangsuprovince,onFridayashestandsalongtheGrandCanal,avastwaterwayconnectingthenorthernandsouthernpartsofChina.Hewasonaninspectiontourtocheckonenvironmentalandculturalinheritanceprotection.[Photo/Xinhua]

InspectiontouralsodrawsattentiontoexamplesetbyNantongentrepreneur

PresidentXiJinpingonThursdayinspectedtheenvironmentalprotectionoftheYangtzeRiverduringatriptoNantong,Jiangsuprovince.

Xi,alsogeneralsecretaryoftheCommunistPartyofChinaCentralCommitteeandchairmanoftheCentralMilitaryCommission,visitedariversidedistrictthatincludes14kilometersoftheYangtze'sriverbank.Henotedthathehadbeeninthedistrictin1978andpraisedlocaleffortsinoverhaulingtheareabyturningplacesthatusedtobedirtyandeyesoresintogreenbeltsinparks.

In2016,Nantongauthoritiesbegantorestoretheenvironmentoftheriversidedistrictbydoingthingssuchasclosing203small,poorlymanagedandheavilypollutingenterprisesandrelocating2,508homes.

Xisaidahappylifeisachievedthroughthehardworkofall.

Inrecentyears,ChinahasintensifieditsworktoprotecttheenvironmentoftheYangtzeRiver,ahighlyimportantriverinthehistoryanddevelopmentoftheChinesenation.OnJan1,Chinastarteda10-yearfishingbanonkeyareasoftheYangtzetoprotectthebiodiversityofthecountry'slongestriver.

WhenXivisitedNantongMuseumlateronThursday,hepraisedZhangJian,alateChineseindustrialist,asamodelforallChineseprivateentrepreneurs.

Zhang,whofoundedthemuseumin1905,wasalsoaneducatorinthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.

Zhangestablishedatotalof34companiesthatcoveredmanydifferentsectors,includingcottontextiles,agricultureandhusbandry,liquor-makingandbanking.Healsodevelopededucationbyestablishingdifferenttypesofschoolssuchaspreschoolsandvocationalschoolsanddevotedhimselftopublicwelfareactivities.

NotingthatZhang'sworkhadprofoundlybenefitedthenation,Xisaidthemuseumshouldbeturnedintoacenterforpatrioticeducationamongthepublic,especiallythecountry'syouth,sothattheywillhavefirmconfidenceinthepath,theory,systemandcultureofsocialismwithChinesecharacteristics.

XionFridayinspectedthecityofYangzhouonthesecondlegofhistourofJiangsuprovince.

XiarrivedinJiangsuonThursdayafternoonafterthe30thanniversaryofthedevelopmentandopening-upofShanghai'sPudongNewArea.

ItwasXi'sfirstdomesticinspectiontourfollowingtheFifthPlenarySessionofthe19thCPCCentralCommitteeheldattheendoflastmonth.

Xinhuacontributedtothisstory.