Shanghai Party chief thanks people for pandemic efforts, outlines future

Shanghai Party chief Li Qiang saluted all the people who have made contributions to the city's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic at the opening ceremony of the 12th congress of the Party's Shanghai committee on Saturday.

Li delivered a report at the ceremony for the event that takes place once every five years and will last three days. He summarized the achievements made in Shanghai over the past five years and set goals for the next five in building a more people-oriented city and a Socialist modern metropolis with great world influence.

Li said the 11th Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China faced challenges imposed by the pandemic in the latter half of its term.

He pointed out in the report that at peaks, Shanghai received 62 percent of flights coming into the Chinese mainland, 53 percent of inbound passengers and 46 percent of imported cold-chain goods.

He said Shanghai has been fighting against an unprecedented wave of pandemic resurgence since March with support nationwide and solidarity of local residents to achieve basically zero social transmission and win the 'Great Shanghai Defense' war.

"History will remember all those who have stood with and worked for this city," Li said.

"Here, on behalf of the 11th CPC Shanghai Committee, I would like to extend my respect to all the central government departments and provinces for your support, to medics, disease control staff, grassroots workers, police, volunteers, cadres, journalists, engineers and builders, and daily necessity suppliers for the great contributions you have made, and to the citizens for your sacrifice for the public good, self-discipline and perseverance."

Li said the committee has also realized its own shortcomings in the past five years, such as the needs for improving economic and social development, as well as public services.

"Especially in the pandemic resurgence since March," Li said. "We found that we need to further enhance our capability in early warning and prediction of major risks, efficiency in mobilizing the whole society in response, and abilities in ensuring city operations and handling emergencies in extreme cases. We also need to further promote digital transformation in the city, especially in digital governance, in real practices. All these are problems that we will work hard to solve in the future."