Li Qiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, conducted research in Hubei from January 2 to 3. He stressed the need to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on promoting high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, fully implement the arrangements of the Central Economic Work Conference, and, with a spirit of seizing every moment and striving for achievement, grasp things from the very beginning, do solid work, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, take new steps in high-quality development, and ensure that this year's economic work gets off to a good start.

In Yichang, Li Qiang first visited the Gezhouba Water Conservancy Project, inspected the No. 3 ship lock and the sediment-flushing sluice, and listened to reports on Hubei Province's Yangtze River protection, the planning of the new Three Gorges water transport corridor, and the Jinghan Canal. He stressed the need to keep in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instruction to "jointly advance major protection and refrain from major development," respect scientific laws, listen to opinions from all sides, accelerate planning demonstration and project advancement, and further bring out the comprehensive benefits of the Yangtze River in shipping, water conservancy, ecology, culture and tourism, and other areas. Li Qiang then went to the new plant area of Xingfa Group to learn about the company's transformation and upgrading, inspect the rectification of sewage outfalls into the Yangtze River and the withdrawal of shoreline along the Yangtze, and expressed the hope that the company would further make good use of local resource advantages, continue to advance scientific and technological innovation, and follow a path of ecological priority and green development. At the under-construction Brunp full-chain integrated industrial park, tower cranes stood in great numbers, presenting a busy scene. Li Qiang fully affirmed the company's approach of focusing on the recycling and utilization of used batteries and building a circular economy, and encouraged them to make the first move in green and low-carbon development and continue to climb toward the mid-to-high end of the industrial chain and value chain.

In Wuhan, Li Qiang successively visited Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. and Huagong Laser Engineering Co., Ltd., toured their production lines, gained an in-depth understanding of the development of flash memory chips and the laser industry, and held discussions with company executives. Li Qiang expressed appreciation for the companies' innovation and development achievements and stressed the need to further give play to the principal role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, improve the mechanism for collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and research, implement more targeted support policies, and translate more and better scientific research results into real productive forces. At the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing at Wuhan University, Li Qiang listened to reports on the research and development of major engineering technologies such as high-resolution Earth observation and BeiDou navigation, fully affirmed their achievements, and expressed the hope that they would vigorously promote multi-scenario applications, gather and integrate more innovation resources, achieve greater breakthroughs in tackling key core technologies, and make more contributions to the country's high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and strength.

In Ezhou, Li Qiang visited Huahu Airport, listened to an introduction on the airport's construction and development, and toured the SF Express parcel sorting line. He pointed out that the construction of an international air cargo hub at Huahu Airport has obvious locational advantages and sound basic conditions, and that it is necessary to further improve the level of construction and operation, fully give play to its radiating and driving role, and better promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and serve the building of a new development pattern.

Li Qiang fully affirmed Hubei's achievements in economic and social development. He stressed that the Central Economic Work Conference made comprehensive arrangements for this year's economic and social development, and the key lies in implementation. He expressed the hope that Hubei would thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on Hubei's work, forge ahead with determination, work hard in a down-to-earth manner, and make new contributions to the overall national development with new achievements in high-quality development.

Wu Zhenglong accompanied the research.