TAIYUAN -- Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang inspected preparations for the college entrance examination and energy sector reforms in North China's Shanxi province from Tuesday to Wednesday, emphasizing the need to uphold fairness and ensure safety in the national examination, also known as gaokao.

The examination is crucial for national development and the future of families, said Ding, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, during a visit to the provincial Admissions and Examination Management Center and a test site at a Taiyuan middle school. He urged authorities to safeguard fairness as the "lifeline" in examination and admission reforms, and gaokao organization.

Ding stressed the importance of rigorous test paper security, anti-cheating measures, and compassionate support for students.

At Shanxi College of Applied Science and Technology, Ding called for alignment with industrial upgrades to cultivate talent and stronger employment support for graduates.

While inspecting a local company under the State Grid, Ding urged the energy-rich province to lead the way in the clean and efficient use of coal, improve policies for new energy integration, and accelerate the development of a new energy system.

At an air quality monitoring station, Ding called for the optimization of industrial, energy, and transportation structures to fundamentally address pollution issues. He also emphasized the need to accelerate upgrades in key industries to achieve ultra-low emissions, strictly enforce regulations against scattered, non-compliant, and polluting enterprises, and continually improve air quality.