BEIJING: When one thinks of Guizhou, the image of a remote province with lush green mountains and ethnic group customs may come to mind. But new images are also coming, thanks to the government’s effective measures to develop big data, boost innovation, drive industrial transformation and upgrades as well as deepen reform and opening-up over the past decade.

       The south western province’s gross domestic product reached 1.96 trillion yuan (RM1.3 trillion) last year, placing it 22nd out of 31 provincial-level regions on the mainland, up from 26th in 2010.

       Fuelled by the country’s new decision to support Guizhou’s high-quality development, the province is now set to blaze a new path for the country’s western development program in the new era.

       A new guideline, released in January by the State Council, the country’s Cabinet, requires building Guizhou into a reform demonstration area for the nation’s western development programme, an example of how to consolidate poverty alleviation achievements, an inland economy with new levels of openness, an innovation area for digital economic development and a pioneer in ecological progress.By 2025, Guizhou seeks to further open its economy, consolidate poverty alleviation achievements, bolster rural revitalisation, form a modern industrial system and become a national leader in terms of the growth of the digital economy.

       By 2035, Guizhou aims to boost international economic cooperation and competitiveness and improve its basic public services, infrastructure and people’s well-being.

       The new document is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to foster high-quality and innovation-driven development, promote more balanced growth, and further deepen reform and opening-up in the nation, said officials and experts.

       They said Guizhou is expected to become a key driving force to boost western development, setting an example for other western areas to foster high-quality development and injecting new impetus into the nation’s economy.Shen Yiqin, Party secretary of Guizhou, said the new document marks the country’s key move to boost western development in the new era, promote coordinated regional development, foster high-quality development and promote common prosperity.

       Looking ahead, Shen said the key focus would be deepening reforms, expanding opening-up, spurring innovation-driven development and promoting industrial transformation.

       Du Ying, former deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a recent Guizhou development forum that the province has a relatively solid foundation and favourable conditions to blaze a new path for the country’s western development programme in the new era, suggesting the central government give Guizhou more autonomy in key areas to carry out reforms.

       Miao Wei, former minister of industry and information technology, highlighted the importance of developing the digital economy, saying Guizhou needs to actively explore data flowing in the market and the application and development of such data. — China Daily/ANN