CHENGDU — Vice-Premier Han Zheng has stressed solid implementation of the country’s innovation-driven strategy to make further progress in fostering new growth drivers and upgrading traditional ones.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip from Oct 8 to 9 in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan province.

During the trip, he inspected Belt and Road Initiative construction, development of the capital’s pilot free trade zone, city planning and building, as well as the technological innovation of enterprises.

Han said the construction of land-sea transport in western regions should be advanced through the Chengdu-Europe express railway service to achieve connectivity and lift the level of the development and opening-up of western regions.

Han called for efforts to implement new development mentality in city planning and construction to leave space for sustainable development, as well as accelerating the establishment of modern economic systems.

The vice-premier also urged efforts to increase more support for the application and industrialization of scientific research achievements, as well as conducting more economic and cultural exchanges between China’s western regions and foreign countries.

Han said the government should continuously optimize the business environment, make every endeavor to solve enterprises’ problems, activate their vitality and strongly support the development of the real economy.