President Xi Jinping has urged Yunnan province to explore new prospects for high-quality development on the path toward Chinese modernization.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in the southwestern province on Wednesday and Thursday.

He also underlined the need for the province to leverage its unique geographical advantages to actively promote high-standard opening-up, in order to build itself into a hub linking the countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The two-day inspection tour took Xi to the cities of Lijiang and Kunming, with his attention focused on the local floral economy, cultural heritage protection and the development of ethnic minority areas.

The visit follows his inspection tour in neighboring Guizhou province on Monday and Tuesday.

Xi visited the Lijiang Modern Flower Industry Park and the Old Town of Lijiang on Wednesday, learning about local efforts to develop specialty agriculture based on regional conditions as well as efforts to promote the cultural tourism industry.

In the flower industry park, Xi talked with villagers and technicians working there, learning about the flower varieties, market sales and their incomes.

The villagers told Xi that they earn over 4,000 yuan ($550) each month, with their incomes exceeding 7,000 yuan during peak seasons. Flowers represent a truly joyful job, they added.

Xi said with delight: "Your endeavor is thriving and aligns with the development path of modern agriculture. May your lives be as beautiful as flowers."

Noting that the flower industry in Yunnan has broad prospects, he underlined the need to focus on the entire industry chain to make this "beautiful industry" become a "happy industry" that benefits local people.

While touring the Old Town of Lijiang, which boasts a history of more than 800 years, Xi emphasized that the cultural tourism industry should follow a path of sustainable and healthy development.

Walking along a stone-paved road, Xi occasionally paused to chat with the tourists. "The town's culture, scenery and folk traditions are truly captivating," Xi said, adding that the integration of culture and tourism has boosted the economy.

He asked local authorities to strike a balance between protection and development of heritage to make the Old Town of Lijiang shine with fresh brilliance.

Visiting the Mufu Mansion, once the residential and working site of the Naxi rulers of Lijiang in ancient times that witnessed exchanges and integration among various ethnic groups in southwestern China, Xi called for passing on the fine traditional Chinese culture and guiding people of all ethnic groups to consciously foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

On Thursday, Xi heard a work report by Yunnan provincial authorities. He urged the province to advance industrial transformation and upgrading based on actual conditions.

Yunnan should leverage technological innovation to expand resource-based industries, actively develop strategic emerging industries and future industries, and accelerate the development of specialty agriculture and cultural tourism, Xi said.

Efforts should be made to promote industries to grow in value, enterprises to improve efficiency, and people's wallets to get fuller, he said.

While emphasizing the need to promote opening-up, Xi underlined the need for the province to advance the construction of pilot free-trade zones with high quality and enhance the development of transportation, logistics, energy, digital information and other sectors.

Efforts should be made to expand economic, technological, talent, medical and cultural exchanges, as well as collaboration with neighboring countries to make high-quality cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative tangible and accessible, he said.

Xi highlighted Yunnan's crucial role in ecological conservation, saying that the province must resolutely follow the path of green development and build a solid ecological security barrier in Southwest China.

He urged Yunnan to improve the system of natural protected areas with national parks as the mainstay, strengthen ecosystem conservation and restoration, and continue efforts in combating desertification, soil erosion, and the comprehensive management of small watersheds.

More efforts should be made to effectively advance pollution prevention and control in key areas as well as environmental governance of key lakes, he said.

Saying that Yunnan is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups, Xi emphasized the need to take vigorous actions to help the border areas develop and local residents become prosperous, and effectively uphold ethnic unity and ensure the stability of border areas.

On Thursday morning, Xi also met with military officers stationed in Kunming, grassroots role models, and other representatives.