Full coverage: China’s Leaders

BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday that China was determined to use reform and innovation to rejuvenate its northeast rustbelt region.

Expediting the revitalization of the northeast is crucial to the wide economic restructuring push, regional development and the people's well-being, said Li, who chaired a State Council meeting on the rejuvenation of old industrial bases.

The provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang in the northeast were among the first areas in China to become industrialized, with traditional industries including steel, automobiles, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing and petroleum refining.

However, this once robust industrial base is bearing the brunt of a more-acute slowdown than the rest of the country, trailing well behind in terms of GDP growth.