(6 July 2016)
Respected Mr. Baba Sayuti, country leader of Enactus Ghana,
Respected Members of Board of Directors,
Teachers and students,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon! Let me begin by extending my sincere gratitude to Mr. Sayuti for inviting me to attend the final of the national competition of Enactus Ghana, and my congratulations to the teams reaching the final.
It is my third time to stand before you since my assumption of office as Chinese Ambassador to Ghana. Each year, I couldn’t help wondering the innovation and surprise that Ghanaian college students will show us. It is fair to say, you have never let us down.
I also follow the performance of successive champion teams of Ghana in the international arena with keen interest. In Enactus World Cup 2015 held in South Africa, your projects, which focused on child education, women empowerment and rural development, fully demonstrated the spirit of innovation and sense of social responsibility of the youth in Ghana. I am so proud of you.
Mr. Sayuti told me, more and more colleges in Ghana have set up teams, join the Enactus family, and actively implement the vision of Enactus, i.e., using entrepreneurial action as a catalyst for progress. I am so happy about it. Because the spirit of innovation that Enactus wishes to nurture is the most valuable wealth in the contemporary era, and a tireless driving force for the development of countries and nations.
In China, which is thousands of miles away from Ghana, innovation is elevated to an unprecedented height. The innovation-driven development strategy has been positioned as a national strategy by the Communist Party of China (CPC). The 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee further promotes innovation to the core of national development. Mass entrepreneurship and innovation is a fashion in China now. 265 Chinese universities and colleges have set up Enactus teams, which are the new forces of innovation.
The history of China is one of innovation. The “Contention of A Hundred Schools of Thought” laid a solid foundation for the profound, diversified and inclusive Chinese culture. The system of prefectures and counties consolidated the long-standing union of China. The imperial examination system broke up the monopoly of power by nobles. Paper-making and printing facilitated the exchanges and communication among the world civilizations. Compass and gunpowder enhanced mankind’s capacity of exploring and harnessing the nature. The policy of reform and opening-up expedited the rejuvenation of Chinese nation,which ascends to the 2nd largest economy in the world.
“If you can innovate for one day, do it day by day, do it everyday.” The saying of ancient Chinese sages admonished us that the pace of innovation should never stop. At present, China is simultaneously dealing with the slowdown in economic growth, making difficult structural adjustments, and absorbing the effects of previous economic stimulus policies. And, China is at a historic moment that a new technological and industrial revolution is in full swing. China has no other choice but transform its development mode, give more meaning to efficiency and quality, and rely on innovative development-- “Only those who innovates can make progress, gather strength and achieve victory”. China now is committed to comprehensive innovation.
Innovation of ideology plays a guiding role in innovative development. We put forward the ideology of coordinated development of a new type of industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization to promote the deep integration between IT application and industrialization, good interaction between industrialization and urbanization, as well as the coordination between urbanization and agricultural modernization. We outline an overall approach of promoting economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress, putting more emphasis on a balanced, sustainable and people-oriented development. We insist that the market should play a decisive role in allocating resources and thus bring into play the regulation of the market mechanism, unleash the internal driving force and vitality of the market, and avoid deliberate market distortion. We propose the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, green growth, opening up and sharing, charting a path for the development of China. The above-mentioned innovative ideologies are leading the innovative development of China.
Innovation of institutions safeguards the innovative development. Only in a favorable institutional environment can the innovative development be advanced effectively. Currently, the most pressing innovation of institutions is to streamline administration, delegating more powers to lower-level governments while improving regulation and optimizing government service. In 2015 alone, we canceled the requirement of or delegated the power for review on 311 items. 149 verifications and approvals of vocational qualifications, non-administrative review, and 85 percent of pre-approval business and commercial registration are abolished. To speed up the transformation and upgrading of industry and integration with new global economic and commercial regulations, we set up four Free Trade Zones in Shanghai, Guangdong, Fujian and Tianjin to carry out copyable and expandable institutional innovation. Some institutional innovation, such as the industrial park, has also aroused the interest of Ghana. The industrial parks, through integrating factors of production, optimizing functional layout and feeding preferential policies, enhance the productivity markedly. Take the Suzhou Industrial Park for example. Last year, the output value of this 278 square kilometers industrial park roughly equaled to the GDP of Ghana.
Innovation of policies supports innovative development. Effective supply of policies can remarkably expedite the pace of innovative development. We outline and carry out the policy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and create a sound environment for it by simplifying procedures, providing financial support, cutting taxes, stimulating demands and optimizing delivery of service. With the help of this policy, 12,000 new companies were registered everyday in China last year, giving free rein to the wisdom and strength of the people, as well as the enthusiasm and vigor of starting businesses. We put forward the policy of “Internet Plus” to pursue a more intelligent and innovative development of China’s economy. The new growth point of economy is in the offing. We outline the initiative of “Made in China 2025” to transform China from a manufacturing giant to a manufacturing power in 10 years, laying a solid foundation for the goal of making China a leading and influential manufacturing power in the world by 2045.
Innovation of science and technology is the core of innovative development. In recent years, great progress has been made in science and technology in China. China has entered the global advanced ranks in some important fields, where China has become a “forerunner” or “parallel runner” instead of a follower. In the fields of manned space flight, lunar exploration, deep-sea submersible, super computer, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, high-speed railway, 4G Communication Network, nuclear power, UHV power transmission, hybrid rice, China has made remarkable achievements. I think many of Ghanaian people may have benefited from China’s sci-tech. The artemisinin discovered by Chinese scientist and Nobelist Ms. Tu Youyou, has saved 1.5 million people out of death caused by malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. In May 2016, Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping pointed out that China should accelerate sci-tech innovation in various fields, obtain an advantageous position in global sci-tech competition, build an innovative country and make China a world power in terms of science and technology.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Currently, the world economy is grappling with sluggish recovery and constant downward pressure. The macro policies are becoming less and less effective. The policies of major economies have clearly diverged. And trade and investment protectionism is rearing its head. The key to addressing the challenges in economy is still innovation. All the countries should renovate ideologies, mechanisms and actions through concerted efforts to chart a new path for global economic development. As a responsible country and a major powerhouse for the world economy, China is obliged to play its role. China now is fully preparing for the G20 Hangzhou Summit slated for this September. We choose “Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy” as the theme of the Hangzhou Summit, listing “breaking a new path for growth” as a main item on the agenda, and is working with all sides to deliver ten major outcomes including “work out a blue print for innovative-driven growth” and “initiate cooperation to support industrialization of Africa and least developed countries in the world”. All these fully demonstrate the sense of responsibility of a major power.
Youth are a major force of entrepreneurship and innovation. The young students present here are not only the wealth of Ghana, but also the hope of the world. In China, Sun Yat-sen University has won the champion of Enactus China 2016 with the project of “Neverland”- using discarded banana leaves to cultivate organic mushrooms. I sincerely hope that the champion team of Ghana and China will achieve good results in Canada Enactus World Cup 2016.
Thank you!