Chinese President Xi Jinping communicates with residents while inspecting the Panlong community in Liangqing District, Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Dec 14, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

NANNING — Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to free the mind, innovate, promote ocean-oriented economy, and further opening up and development during an inspection tour to the southern Chinese region from Thursday to Friday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the coastal region to write its chapter in advancing Chinese modernization.

Noting that Guangxi is an autonomous region with the largest population of ethnic minorities in China, Xi said that no ethnic group should be left behind in the building of a modern socialist country in all respects

On Wednesday, Xi returned to China after a state visit to Vietnam. From Thursday to Friday, he went to places including Nanning, capital city of the region, and Laibin City.

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Inspecting the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Co, Ltd in Nanning, Xi pointed out that the building of the China-ASEAN Information Harbor is an important measure to promote Belt and Road cooperation, as well as to enhance connectivity between China and ASEAN countries.

Visiting the Panlong community in Nanning, Xi said that communities are the basic units of grassroots self-governance, as well as the foundation of the country's governance system.

Xi said that Guangxi's efforts to build a demonstration zone for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation should start from the community level, calling on the region to further enhance ethnic unity.

Upon leaving the community, Xi said that it will further benefit Guangxi's opening up and development to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of strategic significance.

Noting that Guangxi is an autonomous region with the largest population of ethnic minorities in China, Xi said that no ethnic group should be left behind in the building of a modern socialist country in all respects.

On Thursday afternoon, Xi inspected the city of Laibin. While visiting a sugarcane base in the city, he noted that Guangxi, the country's major sucrose production base, should further develop its characteristic sugar industry so as to play a bigger role in ensuring national sugar security and increasing sugarcane farmers' income.

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He also urged more efforts in building modern agriculture industrial parks.

China's sugar industry is faced with fierce international competition, Xi said while visiting a local sugar company, calling for efforts in boosting sci-tech innovation, extending the industrial chain and increasing added value to promote the high-quality development of the industry.

On Friday morning, Xi heard a briefing on the work of the regional Party committee and government.