Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected old residential community renovation work in Shanghai on the afternoon of July 15. He visited the Shimin Xincun residential area on Bansongyuan Road in Huangpu district, where four apartment buildings built in the 1950s had been upgraded with independent kitchens and bathrooms, as well as elevators, significantly improving living conditions.
At a community service center, Xi listened to reports on Shanghai's efforts to upgrade old housing without sanitary facilities and to historically resolve the 'night soil bucket' problem for residents in the old city. He inquired in detail with staff on the ground. Xi stressed that renovating old urban residential communities is a key part of building a modern people's city, and that work must be done with a correct view of political performance — thinking of what the people think and addressing what they urgently need, and handling the matters of public concern one by one.
Later, Xi visited the home of retired resident Zhu Guoli to see the living conditions. Upon learning that the family now has its own kitchen and bathroom, Xi said that the people's lives are both family matters and state affairs, and that the Party serves the people. At the community Party service station, he inspected the fresh produce supply at a convenient vegetable stall and exchanged views with resident representatives, neighborhood officials and community workers in the 'citizens' living room.' He noted that the community is the basic unit of the urban governance system, and that efforts should be made to channel resources, services and management down to the grassroots while reducing burdens and empowering the frontline. He also called for exploring new models of coordination among neighborhood committees, homeowners' associations and property service enterprises under Party leadership, building complete communities and convenient living circles.
During his inspection, Xi also gave instructions on flood control work. He pointed out that as the current period is critical for flood prevention, all regions and relevant departments must strengthen bottom-line and worst-case thinking, closely monitor rain, flood and typhoon situations, conduct thorough investigations of risk hazards, and carry out flood prevention, emergency rescue and disaster relief work to safeguard people's lives and property.
Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied the inspection.