"Baogang Group must shoulder the major responsibility of leading enterprises in the field of rare earth science and technological self-improvement, and contribute to the construction of important national energy and strategic resource bases," said Meng Fanying, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chairman of Baogang Group, after the opening meeting of the first session of the congress on March 5.

Meng said that Baogang Group's Bayan Obo Mine boasts the largest rare earth reserves in the world. In recent years, it has made a number of innovative achievements in the comprehensive utilization of mine resources, as well as in the research, development, and application of mining materials.

However, looking at the national rare earth industry, there are still technical problems in the high-end products in the middle and lower reaches. Therefore, for Baogang Group, it is important to improve the innovation and development capacity of the whole rare earth industrial chain and ensure the national strategic safety of rare earth.

Meng said that Baogang will play an important role in a series of high-end scientific and technological innovation platforms, such as the Baotou Rare Earth R&D Center Chinese Academy of Sciences and the State Key Laboratory of Bayan Obo Rare Earth Resources Research and Comprehensive Utilization.

She also expressed that the group should strengthen joint innovation with major scientific research institutions to transform the advantages of rare earth resources into scientific research, industrial, and economic advantages.