The Second Session of the 10th National People's Congress
opened in the Great Hall of the People on March 5. Premier Wen
Jiabao delivered a government work report to an audience of nearly
3,000 deputies from across China.
The report, divided into three parts, reviews the
government’s work in the past year, set out major tasks for this
year and pledges to improve government work and functions.
Highlights of the report follow:
I.??????????????????
Review of the Past Year's Work
II.???????????????
Principal Domestic Tasks for 2004
III.????????????
Government Self-improvement
I. Review of the Past Year's
Work
Achievements:
l????????
We won a great victory in the fight against SARS.
l????????
The economy grew rapidly. China's GDP increased by 9.1 percent over
the previous year and reached 11.67 trillion yuan. Per capita GDP
passed the important benchmark of US$ 1,000, calculated at the
current exchange rate.
l????????
China's financial strength grew noticeably. Total government
revenue was 2.17 trillion yuan, 278.7 billion yuan more than the
previous year.
l????????
Foreign trade expanded significantly. Total import and export
volume was $851.2 billion, 37.1 percent more than the previous
year, raising China from fifth to fourth place in the world.
l????????
We created more jobs than planned - 8.59 million urban residents
became employed and 4.4 million laid-off workers, reemployed.
l????????
People's incomes increased. Urban per capita disposable income grew
by 9 percent in real terms, and rural per capita net income rose by
4.3 percent in real terms.
l????????
China's first manned space flight was a complete success.
The work we did over the past year was mainly in the following
six areas:
1. Taking resolute measures against SARS and concentrating our
resources on the campaign against it
China suffered from a disastrous SARS outbreak last spring. The
Party Central Committee and the State Council gave top priority to
protecting people's health and lives and promptly investigated SARS
and took steps to prevent and treat it.
2. Exercising timely and appropriate control to promote stable
and rapid economic development
We adhered to the policy of expanding domestic demand and
continued to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent
monetary policy. We took measures to exercise macro-control over
new developments as soon as they arose in the course of economic
operation.
3. Accelerating the development of social undertakings on the
basis of an overall consideration of all issues
The spread of SARS exposed problems arising from disparities
between economic and social development. We promptly made necessary
adjustments to the government's priorities and investment to
stimulate the development of social undertakings. The central
government spent 85.5 billion yuan in 2003 on education, health,
science and technology, culture and sports, 12.4 percent more than
the previous year. Treasury bonds worth 16.3 billion yuan were
issued to support the development of social undertakings, an
increase of nearly 200 percent.
Great progress was made last year in basic research,
strategically important hi-tech research, and industrial
application of new and high technologies.
Reform of the cultural system and the development of cultural
undertakings were vigorously promoted.
Population and family planning work was further
strengthened. Fresh progress was made in the areas of land and
resources administration, environmental protection, forestry
development and ecological improvement.
4. Caring for people's well-being, creating more jobs and
administering social security work well
We consider it highly important to protect the vital interests
of the people and help them, especially the needy, in solving
problems in their work and daily lives.
To continue ensuring the "two guarantees" and the "three-stage
guarantee" for laid-off workers, the central government spent 70
billion yuan in 2003, 19.9 percent more than the previous year; of
this sum, subsidies for subsistence allowances for the urban poor
increased from 4.6 billion yuan in 2002 to 9.2 billion yuan in
2003.
We further intensified efforts to alleviate rural poverty
through development and we invested more to improve working and
living conditions in underdeveloped areas.
We made all-out efforts to fight disasters and ensure adequate
disaster relief.
5. Pressing forward with institutional innovation and making
significant progress in reform and opening up
Institutional restructuring of the State Council was
accomplished smoothly on the basis of the plan approved at the
First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress and the
adjusted and newly set up bodies are now operating normally.
Significant progress was made in establishing a macro-control
mechanism, restructuring the management of state assets and
establishing a mechanism for oversight and management of the
banking sector.
Fresh progress was made in transforming state-owned enterprises
into stock companies.
We worked conscientiously to fulfill the commitments we made for
accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). We continued to
lower tariff rates and opened the service sector wider to the
outside world.
6. Improving the legal system and maintaining social
stability
We put great effort into improving government legislation. The
State Council submitted five bills in 2003, including a draft law
on oversight and management of the banking sector and a draft
amendment to the Foreign Trade Law, and enacted 28 administrative
regulations, including the Provisional Regulations Concerning the
Oversight and Management of State-owned Assets in Enterprises.
We increased our efforts to maintain law and order by taking
comprehensive measures, focusing on high-crime areas.
In accordance with the Party Central Committee's instructions,
governments at all levels last year encouraged a groundswell of
study and practice of the important thought of Three Represents and
the guiding principles of the Sixteenth National Congress of the
CPC. Socialist political civilization and spiritual civilization
were strengthened.
In reviewing our work of the past year, we are clearly aware
that many difficulties and problems remain on our way ahead, that
there are still quite a few shortcomings in the government's work,
that there remain areas our people are not satisfied with, and that
it will take a long time to fundamentally eradicate longstanding
and deep-seated problems.
We must not evade these difficulties and problems but instead
face them squarely; we must work hard to resolve them and not let
them grow. The government will shoulder heavy responsibilities for
years to come.
II. Principal Domestic Tasks for
2004
The year 2004 is a crucial year for China's reform and
development.
Major tasks are:
1. Strengthening and improving macro-control and maintaining
stable and rapid economic growth
The basic focus of this year's economic work is to safeguard,
guide and utilize the enthusiasm of all sides for accelerating
development in order to achieve stable and rapid economic growth
without drastic fluctuations.
In setting a target for this year's economic growth of around 7
percent, the central government has taken into consideration both
the need for continuity in macro-control and the relationship
between the pace of economic growth and the conditions for its
attainment, including supply and demand in energy, important raw
and processed materials, and transport capacity, also taking into
account the need to alleviate the pressure on resources and the
environment.
To ensure effective macro-control, we need to maintain
consistency and stability in our macroeconomic policies while
adjusting the intensity and focus of policy implementation at the
proper time and to an appropriate degree in response to
developments and changes in the economic situation. By "at the
proper time," we mean seizing the opportune moment for introducing
control measures by observing small clues that may indicate what is
coming in order to forestall any possible trouble. By "to an
appropriate degree," we mean that macro-control should neither be
too loose nor too tight and that we must not apply the brakes too
hard or apply control measures too rigidly.
We must adhere to the policy of expanding domestic demand and
continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent
monetary policy.
The issuance of construction treasury bonds is an interim policy
adopted during a period of insufficient demand. Their scale should
be reduced gradually as the increase in nongovernmental investment
accelerates.
We must adhere to the policy of expanding domestic demand and
continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent
monetary policy.
The issuance of construction treasury bonds is an interim policy
adopted during a period of insufficient demand. Their scale should
be reduced gradually as the increase in nongovernmental investment
accelerates.
One important task for macro-control this year is to
appropriately control the scale of investment in fixed assets and
firmly halt haphazard investment and low-level, redundant
construction in some industries and regions.
Guided by market forces, we will use a comprehensive range of
measures, mainly economic and legal means supplemented by any
necessary administrative measures, to strengthen guidance and
control.
First, industrial policies and planning should be improved
and the information release system for industries should be
improved to correctly guide nongovernmental investment.
Second, we must quickly formulate and revise standards for
admittance into industries and enforce market admittance
strictly.
Third, land-use management must be improved in accordance with
the law.
Fourth, auditing and oversight of credit transactions must be
strengthened.
Fifth, the taxation system must be tightened and the practice of
introducing unauthorized tax privileges must be stopped and
rectified.
To ensure stable and rapid economic development, we must
alleviate the current disparities between supply and demand in
energy, important raw and processed materials and transport
capacity.
On the one hand, we must increase the production of coal,
electricity and processed oil while at the same time strengthen the
regulation of economic activity to balance supply and demand in
coal, electricity, oil, transport capacity and important raw and
processed materials while meeting the needs of the people,
important industries and key enterprises.
On the other hand, we must increase production and practice
economy, with the emphasis on economizing.
Balancing investment and consumption is an important aspect of
this year's work for macro-control. Consumption occupies too small
a proportion of China's GDP.
2. Consolidating and strengthening the position of agriculture
as the foundation of the national economy and increasing rural
incomes and agricultural production
This year we must take more direct and effective policies and
measures to strengthen, support and protect agriculture and
increase rural incomes in line with the need to balance urban and
rural development.
First, the overall grain production capability must be
maintained and increased.
Second, we will promote strategic restructuring of agriculture
and the rural economy.
Third, we will press ahead with the reform of rural taxes and
administrative charges.
Beginning this year, the agricultural tax rate will be reduced
by more than 1 percentage point per year on average, and
agricultural taxes will be rescinded in five years.
Fourth, we will deepen the reform of the grain distribution
system.
Fifth, we will increase investment in agriculture and rural
areas. Governments at all levels must invest more in agriculture,
rural areas and farmers.
Sixth, progress in agro-science will be accelerated.
This year, the central government will appropriate around 30
billion yuan for this purpose, at least 20 percent more than last
year.
3. Coordinating economic development in different regions and
promoting the development of the western region and the
revitalization of northeast China and other old industrial
bases
We will continue to implement the strategy of developing the
western region.
We will conscientiously implement the strategy for revitalizing
northeast China and other old industrial bases, working to get off
to a good start this year.
Accelerating the development of the central region is an
important aspect of our endeavor to ensure well-balanced
development of regional economies.
This year, the central government will appropriate around
30 billion yuan for this purpose, at least 20 percent more than
last year.
3. Coordinating economic development in different regions and
promoting the development of the western region and the
revitalization of northeast China and other old industrial
bases
We will continue to implement the strategy of developing the
western region.
We will conscientiously implement the strategy for revitalizing
northeast China and other old industrial bases, working to get off
to a good start this year.
Accelerating the development of the central region is an
important aspect of our endeavor to ensure well-balanced
development of regional economies.
Accelerating development of the eastern region will strengthen
the country financially, materially, scientifically and
technologically, thereby providing more support for the development
of the central and western regions.
4. Continuing to implement the strategy of invigorating China
through science and education and staying on the road of
sustainable development
This year, we will continue to concentrate on formulating a
medium- and long-range state plan for developing science and
technology in order to define the strategy, objectives, tasks and
policies in this field for the coming 15 years.
5. Accelerating the development of health, culture and sports
and promoting spiritual civilization
We have three priorities in the area of health this year. The
first is to strengthen the public health system. The second
priority is to improve medical and sanitation conditions in rural
areas and carry out pilot projects on a new type of rural
cooperative medical care system. The third priority is to
vigorously promote the reform of the urban medical care and health
service system.
The people's intellectual and cultural needs are constantly
increasing along with the economic development and social progress
in China, so we must attach greater importance to cultural
development.
6. Seizing the opportune moment and deepening economic
restructuring
We will systematically carry forward reforms this year, focusing
on certain areas in accordance with the decision adopted at the
Third Plenary Session of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee and
strive to make fresh progress in some important areas.
7. Adapting to the new situation and opening still wider to the
outside world
We must coordinate domestic development with opening up, fully
exploit domestic and foreign markets and resources, and expand
development into new areas. We will do all our work pertaining to
opening up energetically and improve our ability to participate in
international cooperation and competition.
8. Intensifying job creation and social security work to further
improve people's lives
Doing everything possible to create more jobs is one of the
major responsibilities of the government. Our targets for 2004 are
to create 9 million jobs for urban residents and get 5 million
laid-off workers reemployed.
We need to build a social security network suited to China's
conditions and the level of our economic development.
9. Strengthening democracy and the legal system and safeguarding
national security and social stability
Concrete and prudent efforts will be made to promote
political restructuring, develop socialist democracy and improve
the socialist legal system.
We will continue to carefully carry out work related to ethnic
minorities, religious groups and overseas Chinese. The legislative
work of the government will be strengthened.
We will place greater emphasis on legislation concerning social
management and public service.
The government is duty-bound to ensure peace and security for
the people.
III. Government
Self-improvement
The government bears heavy and demanding responsibilities in the
effort to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
Governments and leading cadres at all levels need to adapt to new
situations and tasks and continually raise their administrative and
management ability.
First, we will further transform government functions.
Second, we will adhere to scientific and democratic
policy-making.
Third, we will perform all our duties in accordance with the
law.
Fourth, we will consciously accept the oversight of the general
public.
Fifth, we will improve the government's style of work and
improve the overall quality of public servants.
The quality of public servants determines how well the
government is managed and how efficient it is. It is imperative to
build a contingent of public servants who are politically reliable,
professionally competent and clean and honest and have a good work
style.
It is our unshakable goal to maintain the long-term stability
and prosperity of Hong Kong and Macao. We will continue to uphold
the principle of "one country, two systems," according to which
"Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong" and "Macao people
administer Macao" with a high degree of autonomy, and we will act
in strict accordance with the basic laws of the Hong Kong and Macao
special administrative regions.
We will adhere to the basic principle of "peaceful reunification
and one country, two systems" and, during this current stage, to
the eight-point proposal for developing relations across the Taiwan
Straits and promoting the peaceful reunification of the
motherland.
The international situation is continuing to undergo complex and
profound changes. Peace and development remain the themes of our
times. World multipolarization and economic globalization are
making tortuous progress. Seeking peace and development and
promoting cooperation and progress have become an irreversible
historical trend.
We seized opportunities, responded to challenges, took the
initiative, and made noticeable achievements in foreign affairs. We
have won more understanding, trust, respect and support from the
international community, and we enjoy higher status and greater
influence in the international arena than ever before.
We will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development
and cooperation, unswervingly pursue an independent foreign policy
of peace, adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence,
increase friendly exchanges and cooperation with other countries,
and strive to further improve international and neighboring
environments.
The government is faced with arduous tasks this year, and we are
keenly aware of the heavy yet lofty responsibilities we bear. The
trust and support that the whole nation gives to the government is
for us an inexhaustible source of strength and confidence. We
firmly believe that, under the leadership of the Party Central
Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, by holding
high the great banners of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important
thought of Three Represents, and by relying closely on the people
of all our ethnic groups, we will surely overcome all difficulties
and obstacles and make continuous progress in reform and opening up
and in the socialist modernization drive.
(People's Daily March 5, 2004)
