A new round of northeast revitalization horn sounded.
Si Xiang Ge Press: On the morning of May 23rd, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader visited Heilongjiang Province, and the first stop was Yichun City. When I came to the home of Liu Yangshun, an old worker of the forest farm, and sat around the small courtyard with my neighbors to chat about my family, the supreme leader said, I am very happy to see that you have found some ways out for production and life. The CPC Central Committee always cares about everyone, and the policies of the party and the government will be consistent. Everyone should be self-reliant and find new ways to rejuvenate the old forest areas in Yichun.
如习总书记所说，新常态下东北如何焕发青春活力，值得深入思考和探讨。人民论坛长期关注东北老工业基地的振兴，在此推荐人民论坛5月上的这篇最新文章。
2016年4月26日，中共中央、国务院发布《关于全面振兴东北地区等老工业基地的若干意见》（以下简称《意见》），从完善体制机制、推进结构调整、鼓励创新创业、保障和改善民生等方面，为新一轮东北振兴指明方向。《意见》出台，标志着新一轮东北振兴战略正式启动。
在新常态下推进东北老工业基地振兴，是事关我国“十三五”规划发展的关键一役，关系到我国全面建成小康社会目标的实现。人民论坛对东北问题长期关注，聚集100位著名专家为东北新兴支招，在2015年8月（下）与11月（上）先后推出特别策划《透析“新东北现象”》与《破解“新东北困局”》，深入分析东北经济困境的根源，并为东北振兴献计献策，受到社会各界广泛关注。在《意见》出台、新一轮东北振兴号角吹响之际，人民论坛再邀十余位专家为东北振兴贡献智慧。
[Expert opinion]
Revitalizing Northeast China as the Debt of Light Industry
Professor of Northeast Asia Research Center of Jilin University, Ph.D., Yi Baozhong.
The decline of the old industrial base in Northeast China is a complex problem formed by historical accumulation. At present, the main source of the economic downturn in Northeast China lies in the fact that heavy industry accounts for the largest proportion in the industrial structure in Northeast China. In the process of downward energy prices and overcapacity in the national industry, Northeast China has suffered the greatest impact. The transformation of the old industrial base in Northeast China should take targeted comprehensive measures, clean up the historical accumulated diseases step by step, and implement the gradual reform of combining palliative care with permanent cure.
Adjust the industrial structure and solve the imbalance of regional industrial structure left over from history. The tertiary industry in Northeast China is relatively backward, which has become the bottleneck of regional economic development and needs to be accelerated. In the secondary industry, heavy industry is developing abnormally, while light industry is relatively backward, which leads to the imbalance of industrial structure, so the Northeast should make up the debt of light industry. At the same time, we should give full play to the resource advantages of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery and forest specialties in Northeast China, develop the processing industry of agricultural and sideline products, and make Northeast China become the production base of high-quality food industry and textile industry in China again.
Change the growth mode and take the connotative growth road driven by technological innovation. The problem of the old industrial base in Northeast China is the inevitable result of the traditional industrial development model with resource development as the direction, and it is an extensive and extensional growth mode. In the future, we must change this backward growth mode, implement the people-oriented Scientific Outlook on Development, pay more attention to the investment in people, especially in education and science and technology, and use technological innovation as the driving force to promote regional economic development. In raw materials, fuel, labor and other production factors, fully consider the cost factors of the market and logistics, and achieve connotative growth.
Transforming government functions and deepening the reform of state-owned enterprises. Solving the problems of system and mechanism is the core problem in the transformation of the old industrial base in Northeast China. The reason why northeast state-owned enterprises are in trouble is mainly caused by the separation of government from enterprises. Therefore, the key to the reform of state-owned enterprises is not inside the state-owned enterprises, but outside them, that is, only by transforming government functions can the reform of state-owned enterprises be fundamentally solved.
Implement the strategy of sustainable development and realize the coordinated development of regional economy, society and ecological environment. The transformation of the old industrial base in Northeast China is not limited to enterprise reform, industrial adjustment and technological transformation, but should build a comprehensive index system for the development of the old industrial base from the perspective of sustainable development as an evaluation standard for the transformation effect of the old industrial base. The investment focus of the old industrial base in Northeast China should be shifted to low-carbon, clean and resource-saving industries, so as to improve the utilization rate of resources and promote regional social progress and sustainable development.
"The Sixth Industry": A New Opportunity for Agricultural Nirvana in Northeast China
Luo Zhenli, a researcher at Tsinghua University Institute of Social Sciences.
The "sixth industry" refers to the extension of the agricultural industrial chain, that is, not only planting crops, but also engaging in the processing of agricultural products and the sales of agricultural products and their processed products, so as to gain more added value and realize the integration and interaction of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, thus making agriculture a comprehensive industry that runs through the primary, secondary and tertiary industries. According to the classification of industries, "1+2+3" is equal to 6, and "1×2×3" is also equal to 6, which is the origin of "the sixth industry". In Japan, South Korea, France, the Netherlands and other agricultural developed countries, the "sixth industry" has become a strategic emerging industry to promote agricultural development and enhance the vitality of rural development.
At present, China is in a critical period of development transformation and structural adjustment, and has entered a "new normal" that is different from the past. Judging from the experience of agricultural development in developed countries, this stage is often a transition period from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. Northeast China is the main grain producing area in China, with three dominant agricultural production areas: Sanjiang Plain, Songnen Plain and Liaohe Plain. The land is concentrated and contiguous, and its intensive scale operation has obvious advantages. However, with the development of market economy and the change of agricultural environment, many "intractable diseases" have accumulated in agriculture in Northeast China in recent years. Among them, the inward-closed agricultural economy is the most incompatible with modern agriculture, which not only weakens the market competition mechanism, but also increases the difficulty of optimizing and upgrading the traditional agricultural structure. At the same time, it also restricts the rapid growth of farmers’ income in Northeast China, leading to a large outflow of rural labor force, which in turn aggravates the aging situation of regional agricultural population.
In the new normal and "internet plus" era, it is obvious that it is important to analyze the new characteristics of agricultural development from the perspective of industrial diversification, fully understand the new highlights and new formats of agricultural development, and accelerate the innovation of the development ideas of the "sixth industry" in Northeast China: First, it can break through the industrial boundaries of traditional agriculture, help to build and improve the agricultural industrial chain with regional characteristics, enhance comparative advantages, and promote the development of agricultural industrialization and new industries and new formats in Northeast China; Second, it can transcend the restrictions of administrative barriers between regions, which is conducive to stimulating farmers’ creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, and enhancing the momentum of rural economic development; Third, sharing the extended value of agricultural industrial chain is conducive to optimizing the scale benefit of agricultural industrialization and promoting the fundamental transformation of agricultural development from "production-oriented" to "consumption-oriented". The innovation of thinking from the traditional primary industry nirvana to the "sixth industry" will win new historical opportunities for accelerating the development of modern agriculture in Northeast China.
[Expert opinion]
◆ Innovation of development concept ◆
Cure the "heart disease" and dispel the fear of difficulties
Han Baojiang, deputy director of the Department of Economics of the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China: As an old industrial base, although the Northeast has "overdrawn" its physical strength for the economic development of China in the past planned economy period, its rich natural resources, solid manufacturing base, huge industrial workers and urbanization level higher than the national average are still enough to support its long-term stable and rapid development. Therefore, in order to realize the real revitalization of the old industrial base in Northeast China and get rid of the economic downturn in Northeast China completely, fundamentally speaking, we should first cure the "heart disease" of various development subjects in Northeast China, dispel the fear of difficulties, eradicate the psychology of inaction or unwillingness, let cadres and entrepreneurs in Northeast China go into battle lightly, and mobilize the development enthusiasm of various market subjects to the maximum extent.
In particular, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of "soft power" to revitalize the Northeast.
Jia Wenshan, a professor in the Department of Communication at Chapman University, USA: If you can’t emancipate your mind and innovate boldly, you will open the way for deepening reform and opening up; If the system can’t break through the power standard and planned thinking, effectively establish and actively rely on the market mechanism to create a fair market order and a good development environment; If we can’t explore and establish the value of modern civilization in culture, but stay and wander in the old and backward past; People anywhere will only choose another highland. To revitalize the Northeast is to strengthen the construction of "soft power", establish a cultural system with distinctive times and local characteristics and rich modern civilization value connotation, and create a public image with open vision and pioneering spirit.
"Creating new things out of nothing" and "creating something out of nothing" will promote a new round of revitalization in Northeast China.
Li Yinquan, director of the Development Research Center of Jilin Provincial Government: Promote the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure in accordance with the idea of "innovation in China". The natural resources, location conditions, technical equipment level and scientific and technological talents in Northeast China all have innate endowment advantages. It is necessary to fully tap the potential, cultivate advantageous industries, accelerate the upgrading of traditional industries, form an industrial system with sustainable competitiveness and support, and make the equipment manufacturing industry bigger and stronger. According to the idea of "making something out of nothing", we will vigorously develop emerging industries, new formats and new business models. We should actively play the leading and supporting role of strategic emerging industries in the adjustment and transformation of the old industrial bases in Northeast China, and seize the commanding heights of future regional competition and development. We will carry out research cooperation in the fields of new materials, new energy vehicles, bio-industry and advanced equipment manufacturing, build industrial innovation platforms and carriers, and accelerate the transformation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements.
◆ Discussion on the development path ◆
Implementing the integrated and coordinated development strategy of the Great Northeast Economic Zone
Liu Lizhen, Dean of the School of Economics of Northeast Normal University: With reference to the coordinated development model of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the coordinated development of the Greater Northeast Economic Zone is regarded as a national development strategy. The coordinated development of the economy in Northeast China can break the economic boundaries of administrative regions, form a unified big market, and then develop the most modern big equipment manufacturing industry, big agriculture, big forest industry and big animal husbandry in China by means of marketization. Northeast China is integrated in geographical environment and location, and has the regional advantage of economic integration. The integrated operation of northeast economy is conducive to the optimization of industrial structure, the formation of a unified regional market, the promotion of the circulation of production factors inside and outside the region, and the realization of complementary advantages and mutual benefit.
Develop products around clothing, food, shelter, transportation and play.
Li Zheng, deputy dean, professor and doctoral supervisor of the School of Economics of Jilin University: As for "clothing", that is, the clothing industry, the northeast region can develop winter clothing brands, sports and outdoor clothing brands, and it cannot be stopped because it belongs to light industry. For "food", that is, food industry, we should make a big fuss about green, organic and pollution-free, and actively develop food deep processing industry and modern agriculture. For "housing", it is necessary to build smart homes to meet the special needs of the elderly population. For "travel", it involves transportation services, transportation industries such as automobiles and high-speed rail, and infrastructure construction such as roads and bridges. For "play", it involves many emerging industries such as cultural creativity, tourism and consumer electronics, and each industry has great development potential.
Vigorously develop small and medium-sized enterprises
Chen Naixing, director of SME Research Center of China Academy of Social Sciences: The investment direction of SME development in Northeast China can be summarized in two sentences, namely, transforming old enterprises and building new ones. Improving science and technology and transforming traditional small and medium-sized enterprises are important measures to revitalize small and medium-sized enterprises in Northeast China. Some people think that development can no longer be driven by expanding investment, but by innovation and improving the level of science and technology. In fact, improving the level of science and technology also requires investment, and there is more investment than in the past. Therefore, the problem is not the investment itself, but the investment direction. At the same time, increasing the technological transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises is also a huge market, which can alleviate the downward pressure of national economic growth, and there will be no problem of overcapacity. Therefore, increasing investment in scientific and technological transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises can not only solve the immediate worries, but also eliminate the long-term concerns for the development of national economy.
Increase support for the transformation and development of resource-exhausted cities
Zhang Wenzhong, a researcher at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences: The overall revitalization of Northeast China is closely related to the successful transformation of local resource-exhausted cities. Under the influence of the current regional development situation, the transformation and development is even more difficult. On the basis of actively improving the working mechanism, we should increase support and introduce targeted support policies and guiding measures, including: continuing to increase the transfer payment from the central government; Further improve the support policies for continuing alternative industries; Accelerate the transformation and relocation project of independent industrial and mining areas in Northeast China; Actively promote the comprehensive management of land in subsidence areas; Establish a fund for the transformation of shanty towns in resource-exhausted cities; Give resource-exhausted cities the right to try first; Innovating the talent introduction mode in resource-exhausted cities; Innovative assessment mechanism.
Beware of the loss of state-owned assets in the reform of state-owned enterprises in Northeast China
Gao Minghua, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of School of Economics and Business Administration of Beijing Normal University: The protection of the rights and interests of state-owned shareholders mainly involves the protection of state-owned assets in the reform of state-owned enterprises, especially in the reform of mixed ownership, or how to prevent the loss of state-owned assets? The reasonable direction is to lower the transferee’s conditions, recruit more high-level transferees and avoid directional transferee’s conditions under the premise of compliance. Through the bidding of several high-level transferees, the transferee price is finally determined. In addition, from the actual situation, the protection of the rights and interests of small and medium-sized investors by state-owned enterprises in Northeast China is not satisfactory, which means that the attractiveness of state-owned enterprises in Northeast China to private capital is seriously insufficient. If we don’t work hard to improve the protection level of the rights and interests of small and medium-sized investors, the reform of state-owned enterprises in Northeast China will probably continue to be in a state of "dragging its feet".
◆ On the expansion of the open strategy ◆
Put the revitalization of Northeast China in the framework of coordinated development of Northeast Asia
Peng Gang, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, School of Economics, Renmin University of China: The key to revitalizing Northeast China lies in basing on reality, tapping comparative advantages and cultivating competitive industrial clusters. Putting the revitalization of Northeast China in the framework of the coordinated development of Northeast Asia is conducive to its access to an open external environment, thus enabling the Northeast economy to enter a virtuous circle of the Pearl River Delta. Although the regional economic cooperation in Northeast Asia has been frustrated repeatedly because of the existence of Japan and North Korea, coordinated development is still the mainstream. At present, China, Mongolia, Russia and South Korea have basically completed the strategic docking at the national level. China, Mongolia and Russia have reached a consensus on the construction of economic corridors, and the China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement has been signed. The Northeast region has undoubtedly become a number of strategic overlapping points.
China-South Korea FTA brings greater opportunities to Northeast China.
Li Junjiang, deputy dean, professor and doctoral supervisor of School of Economics of Jilin University: Northeast China has long regarded South Korea as a key area to promote foreign trade and economic development and implement the strategy of opening to the outside world. The two sides have strong industrial complementarities, outstanding cultural similarities and remarkable advantages in geographical cooperation. At the same time, South Korea is playing an increasingly important role in China’s foreign trade and economic cooperation. The construction of China-South Korea Free Trade Zone will enable Northeast China to make better use of South Korea’s capital, technology and channels. We should actively explore new modes of cooperation between Northeast China and South Korea under the national "Belt and Road" strategy, effectively use South Korea’s technology and capital, accelerate the promotion of the core competitiveness of advantageous industries in Northeast China, and further deepen comprehensive economic cooperation with South Korea.
Turn Northeast China into a world-class manufacturing gathering center
Sun Jiuwen, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of School of Economics, Renmin University of China: As the old industrial bases in China, the three northeastern provinces have relatively developed manufacturing industries. The current problem is that the manufacturing industry is big but not strong, and it is in danger of being abandoned together with the raw material industry in the face of economic downturn. Therefore, the key to solve the "new northeast phenomenon" lies in how to solve the manufacturing problem in Northeast China. While gradually abandoning the raw material industry in Northeast China, strengthening and upgrading the modern manufacturing industry is the only way out. The goal in the future is to build Northeast China into a world-class modern manufacturing gathering center.