| Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for firm confidence and determination to further reform and opening-up, and accelerated efforts to increase city core competitiveness to better serve the country's reform and development, during his two-day inspection in Shanghai, which ended Wednesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed upholding and taking the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide and resolutely implementing decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee. Xi made the trip after inaugurating the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai. During the trip, Xi visited places including local enterprises and communities, where he learned about the economy, sci-tech innovation and urban management. Located in Lujiazui, the 632-meter Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world. It was Xi himself who approved the design of the building in 2007 and pushed for its construction when he was working in Shanghai. On Tuesday morning, Xi arrived at a Party service center on the 22nd floor of the tower, where he talked with Party members working at the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone. He said the goal of setting up Party organizations in various kinds of enterprises is to provide Party members with services while uniting them to abide by the law as well as company regulations. Xi then went up to the observation deck on the 119th floor of the tower to view the city's skyline. After viewing a gallery representing the past and the present of the city, Xi said Shanghai is a good example of the tremendous changes that have taken place in China since the reform and opening-up. Highlighting Shanghai as China's economic hub and the forefront of the Yangtze River Delta area, Xi said continued efforts must be made to increase the city's core and international competitiveness. Afterwards, Xi visited a community center in Shanghai's Hongkou district and inspected the center's service counters, a nursery for the elderly and a workstation for Party building. As Chinese society ages, "it is our common wish that elderly people lead a happy, healthy and long life," Xi said, stressing the need to implement well elderly care policies to benefit more people. Xi also stressed that waste-sorting is a new fashion and Shanghai should make sure garbage management is done well. He visited the urban management center of Pudong New Area on Tuesday afternoon and expressed hopes for Shanghai to continue exploring a new path of mega-city management with Chinese characteristics. A first-class city must have first-class management, and efforts should be made to ensure scientific, precise and intelligent urban management, Xi said. When visiting Yangshan Port, Xi said the construction and operation of the port have both created better conditions for Shanghai to open wider to the outside world and accelerate the construction of an international shipping center and a pilot free trade zone. Xi also visited the Zhangjiang science city, where he stressed that the impact of science and technology on a country's future and the people's wellbeing has never been as profound as today. Xi urged efforts to strengthen basic research and application, pay attention to the role played by enterprises, enhance intellectual property protection, value innovative talent, and foster and strengthen new industries and innovation-driven enterprises. He also called for pushing forward the building of a comprehensive national sci-tech innovation center in Zhangjiang with international vision and standards, aiming at building a cluster of globally-advanced labs, research institutions and research-oriented universities. | 
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