On December 10th, 2018 “Dialogue on Suzhou” event was held at the Taihu International Conference Center, which was themed “Dialogue on the High-quality Development of Suzhou—Further Emancipations and New Reforms”, hosted by Soochow University, co-organized by the Suzhou Federation of Philosophy and Social Sciences Circles, and undertaken by Soochow Think Tank of Soochow University.

Zhou Naixiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Suzhou Municipal Party Committee, Chen Zhenyi, Director of the Standing Committee of Suzhou Municipal People’s Congress, Zhu Min, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Jiang Yong, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Soochow University, and Members of the Standing Committee of Suzhou Municipal Committee, ViceMayorof the Municipal Government, and Deputy Secretary of Party Committee of the Muncipical Political Consultative Conference; Leaders of Soochow University, Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government; Main Chargers from County and District Committee or People’s Government, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou High-tech Zone, Taicang Port Working Committee or Administrative Committee, Principals of Relevant Departments and Units of Suzhou city, Main Responsible People of Relevant Departments of Soochow University, and expert representatives participated in the event,which was presided over by Deng Min, DeputySecretary of the CPC Committee of Soochow University.

On behalf of the host, Jiang Yong expressed warm welcome and extended heartfelt gratitude and respect to leaders and experts who had long cared for, supported and helped construction of Soochow University. He said that in recent years, with care and support of the municipal party committee and municipal government, joint university-locality implementationof the integrated development strategy of “FamousCity,Famous University” had achieved remarkable results, effectively promoting the deep integration of construction of research-oriented university of Soochow University and high-quality development of Suzhou. Since its inception, the “Dialogue on Suzhou” event had been closely following the major strategic issues of reform and development of Suzhou to set the theme and agenda, and had achieved aseries of results. He said that this event themed“High-Quality Development—Further Emancipations and New Reforms”was aimed at summing up successful experience of reform and development of Suzhou in the 40 years of reform and opening up, and jointly explored effective ways to reopen mind and restart reform. Itwas a positive measure to thoroughly implement the spirit of the central and Jiangsu provincial committee. It was an in-depth exploration ofhigh-quality development of Suzhou “taking the lead” in the new era. It was also theinitiative that Soochow University took root in Suzhou, practiced“four services”, and gave full play to unique advantages of the new type of think tanks inuniversities. It was believed that under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought onSocialism with Chinese Characteristics, with joint efforts of leaders, experts and scholars, this event would be able to form high-quality,forward-looking and leading research results, making positive contributions to ideological emancipation, reform and innovationand exploration of  high-quality development paths of Suzhou.

In the event, Shen Kunrong, Dean of the Business School of Nanjing University, Counselor of Jiangsu Provincial Government, Chen Wenling, former Chief of the State Council Research Office, Chief Economist of China Center for International Economic Exchanges, Zeng Gang, Tenured Professor of Regional Economics of East China Normal University, Dean of Urban and Regional Planning Research Institute Qu Jian, Vice President of China(Shenzhen)Development Institute,Lai Fujun, Director of the Smart Supply Chain Research Center of Soochow University, Distinguished Professor of Jiangsu Province, Xu Kangning, Professor of Southeast University, and Counselor of Jiangsu Provincial Government, delivered keynote speeches from various perspectives of the strategic choice of high-quality development,the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta becoming the national strategy andhigh-quality development of Suzhou, the opportunities and challenges faced in the new round of reform and opening up, and the focus of developing a modernized economy.They offered good advice and told true words. They put forward countermeasures and suggestions for high-quality development of Suzhou, provided intellectual support, and offered a feast of thought and knowledge to everyone with distinct political orientation, high theoretical self-consciousness and scientific thinking methods, .

In addition, the special guests also communicated with participants on how to develop with maximizing advantages and minimizing shortages, how to build an advanced manufacturing cluster industry, how to construct a perfect innovation ecosystem, how to promote reform and innovation of the development zone, how to enhance attractiveness of talents, and how to improve the ability to converge in international innovative resourcesand participate in international technology in terms of Suzhou.

On behalf of the municipal party committee and the municipal government, Zhou Naixiang expressed warm welcome to the experts. He pointed out that since the reform and opening up, especially since the 18th National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, Suzhou had conscientiously implemented decisions and plans of the central and the Provincial Party Committee, seized opportunities,accelerated development and promoted reform and opening up with the higher starting point,  the higher level, and the higher goal, and wrote a chapter on the era of great ideological emancipation, great developmental strides, and great improvement of people’s livelihood. The great achievements in the development of Suzhou in the past 40 years were the vivid practice of Socialism with Chinese characteristics and the vivid epitome of China’s reform and opening-up. We were also soberly aware that there were still large disparities and weaknesses in view of a series of important instructions concerning Jiangsu work by General Secretary Xi Jinping, requirements of the Jiangsu provincial Party on Suzhou work, and Suzhou people’s needs for a better life characterized by  the higher level and more diversification. In the context of marking 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, “Dialogue on Suzhou” event was held in order to sum up the development experience and to carefully plan the next step of Suzhou’s high-level reform and opening- up and paths of high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that China’s economic growth over the past 40 years had been achieved with a commitment to opening-up. In the same vein, high-quality development of China’s economy in the future could only be guaranteed with greater openness. LouQinqin, Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province, asked Suzhou to explore boldly in high-quality development and better demonstrate its role in the development of Jiangsu province. On the new journey to high-quality development in the new era,with a clearer understanding and a more pragmatic attitude, Suzhou would systematically plan the main direction and key areas of Suzhou’s reform and development, actively seize national strategic opportunities such asthe “Belt and RoadImitative”, the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Integration of the Yangtze River Delta, speed up replication and promotion of free trade zone reform pilot experience, vigorously implement twelve “three-year action plans”, promote high-quality development with great ideological emancipation, and strive to create more“Suzhou paradigm” of reform and opening-up with times features and regional characteristics. .

As an important content and carrier of integrated development strategy of “Famous City，Famous University”, “Dialogue on Suzhou” event has been successfully held four times, and has become an important decision-making consultation activity of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committeeand SuzhouMunicipal Government, giving full play to the role of“brain trust”in decision-making consultation of new think tanks.