President Xi Jinping stressed on Monday the need for self-reliance and conducting innovations independently in the face of major changes unseen in a century.

Speaking during an inspection tour of Chaozhou, Guangdong province, he said independent innovation is the pillar for the growth of businesses, the upgrading of industries and the high-quality development of the economy.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the exhibition hall, laboratory and plants of Chaozhou Three-Circle (Group) Co Ltd, and learned about the company's research and development of key technologies.

He encouraged the company's employees to better understand the strategic intentions of the CPC Central Committee and contribute to the nation's modernization and prosperity.

The company, established in 1970, is now a leading developer and producer of electronic components and high-end materials, with its portfolio of products covering areas such as cellphones, telecommunications, machinery and new energy.

Xi also inspected Chaozhou's ancient town, where he visited local cultural and historical landmarks, including an ancient bridge, an ancient gate tower and a street lined with ancient memorial archways, to check the restoration and protection of cultural relics, the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage and the development of cultural and tourism resources.

He lauded Chaozhou as a famed cultural city with a long history and the local Chaoshan culture as an important part of Chinese culture.

On Tuesday, Xi made an inspection trip to Shantou, where he visited an exhibition hall and museum showcasing the history of the city's opening to trade with Western countries in the 1800s and the city's development as a special economic zone.

He also learned about stories of overseas Chinese supporting the development of the motherland and their hometowns.