During an inspection tour in Sichuan in July 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping designated Sichuan Province as a “national strategic hinterland” [国家战略腹地], emphasizing its unique and significant role in China’s overall development. Designating Sichuan as the only national strategic hinterland in China indicates that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, headed by Xi Jinping, has positioned Sichuan as a core region for stimulating economic growth and safeguarding national security. While the primary task is to leverage resource distribution for balancing regional development, Sichuan also undertook the strategic mission to build a strong economic foundation for China’s national security system. Xi Jinping emphasized that Sichuan should promote technological innovation, secure supply chains, and provide backup capacity for essential industries. This directive reflects Xi Jinping’s intent to transit China’s economy towards greater self-sufficiency to “ensure the national economy operates normally under extreme circumstance,” addressing his longstanding concern of national strategic security.
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