From March to October 2007, Xi Jinping served as secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shanghai Municipal Committee. At that time, Shanghai was at a crucial stage of reform and development.

During his tenure of seven months and four days as Shanghai's Party chief, Xi traveled to all the city's districts and counties to conduct rounds of investigations and studies, and proposed a series of plans and requirements — touching on aspects ranging from opening-up and regional integration to innovative development.

Painstaking journey

At 9:19 am on Dec 9, a C919, China's domestically-developed large passenger aircraft, was delivered to its first customer, China Eastern Airlines.

From approval of the project in 2006 to delivery of the airliner last year, the C919 project has undergone a painstaking journey of design, manufacture, flight test and eventual commercialization.

Xi has paid close attention to the airliner's development. "We must exert much effort to take our own large aircraft to the sky," he said.

In 2007, development of China's homegrown regional jetliner the ARJ21 entered the critical assembly phase. On Sept 20 that year, a convention was held to ensure the aircraft was ready to fly the following year. Although it was not as significant as completion of assembly or the maiden flight, Xi still attended the event and expressed wishes that the jetliner would soar in the sky with pride.

Seven years later in May 2014, Xi, now general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the C919's developer, on an inspection tour. He boarded the C919 exhibition model and learned about the design of the airliner.

To develop China into a great country, we must develop the equipment manufacturing industry and large aircraft, setting a good example, Xi said.

He stressed that China ought to provide greater financial support for the development and manufacture of large domestic aircraft.

Large aircraft, the crown jewels of the manufacturing industry, are of paramount importance to a country. They energize the development of an entire industrial chain and exhibit a country's sci-tech innovation capabilities.

The C919 is a vivid example of how Xi attaches importance and devotes his personal efforts to advancing innovative development.

Yangtze River Delta

Not long after taking office as Shanghai's Party chief, Xi made plans for an inspection tour to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. When his staff members were about to finalize the itinerary, Xi suggested making an additional stop in Yiwu, Zhejiang.

By then, Yiwu had become the world's largest marketplace for small consumer goods. Many Shanghai officials who took part in the tour said that after the visit, the strategy of integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta left a strong impression on them.

Xi once used an analogy to elaborate on the relationship between Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region. He noted that the emergence of a central city is the result of conglomerated resources and elements, and is enhanced by serving, energizing and facilitating the development of its surrounding areas.

"Just like a heart, when there are more arteries connected to it, giving it an abundant supply of blood, it will beat more vibrantly," he said.

Xi has always paid close attention to the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. He personally planned, directed and promoted this major strategy after ascending to the position of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and announced the decision of making it a national strategy at the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo in 2018.

Energized by the national strategy, the Yangtze River Delta region, which takes up only 4 percent of China's land area, was able to contribute about 25 percent of the nation's total GDP. It has now become one of the most vibrant, open and innovative regions in the country.