BEIJING, Nov. 8 (INP): President Xi Jinping stressed the need for firm determination and full confidence during the nation’s reform and opening-up on his two-day inspection tour in Shanghai.

He started the tour after he attended the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Monday.

He visited enterprises, communities, the city’s operation and management center and the high-tech park in the Pudong New Area. Xi said the external environment of China’s development is undergoing marked changes and the country’s economy has transitioned from high-speed growth to high-quality development.

XI said the country is facing increasing difficulties in economic development resulting from unbalanced and insufficient development as well as some cyclical, structural and institutional problems.

Strategic focus must be maintained to achieve the goals that the country has set, Xi said.

He called on Shanghai to make all-out efforts to advance national strategies such as construction of the Belt and Road and development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and take the lead in promoting high-quality and integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta.

Priority should be given to high-quality development in the real economy, Xi said.

He added that efforts should be stepped up to strengthen integrated development of the real economy, technological innovation, modern financing and human resources so as to improve the influence and competitive edge of Shanghai.

Xi called for concrete steps to deepen reforms in such fields as State-owned capital and enterprises and the private economy and capital markets.

He also called for building a business environment that is first class internationally, and for vigorously advancing to an even higher level all-around opening-up.

INP/J/AJ