Premier Li solicits advice from experts for government work report

2017-01-15
english.gov.cn

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 13 to seek more suggestions from experts and business leaders on the draft government work report for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

Premier Li Keqiang held a symposium on Jan 13 to seek more suggestions from experts and business leaders on the draft government work report for 2017.

Over the past year, China’s economy has remained stable, reaching a relatively high rate of employment, transforming driving forces and upgrading economic structures, making progress in improving people’s livelihoods, and playing a more important role in driving the global economy, Premier Li said.

However, facing more economic and political challenges and uncertainty this year at home and abroad, Premier Li said it was important to maintain confidence, take precautions and grasp opportunities to keep China’s economy stable with enhanced quality and efficiency.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 13 to seek more suggestions from experts and business leaders on the draft government work report for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

At the symposium, Chinese Academy of Social Science professor Gao Peiyong called for more efforts to deepen reforms on finance and tax such as reducing taxes and fees.

Renmin University of China professor Zeng Xiangquan suggested that targeted measures should be rolled out to promote employment according to different regions, industries and groups.

Tsinghua University professor Zhu Min said the finance sector should prevent and control risks to better serve the real economy.

China Railway Rolling Stock Corp general manager Liu Hualong told the gathering that the government should make continuous efforts to create a favorable environment for growth of the real economy, with major enterprises.

Zhao Shuanglian, chairman of COFCO Corp, China’s leading foodstuffs import and export group, said efforts should be made to strengthen supply-side structural reform in agriculture to improve agricultural comprehensive production capacity.

Chairman of electronics company TCL, Li Dongsheng, said the government should increase support to strategic emerging industries and research basic and core technology to ease enterprises’ burden.

Founder of Mobike Hu Weiwei called for the government to encourage and support technological innovation and promote the sharing economy and new business modes.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 13 to seek more suggestions from experts and business leaders on the draft government work report for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

Premier Li said stability would be key to this year’s economic work, calling for improved predictability and accuracy of macroeconomic regulation.

He also noted the need to adopt powerful measures to keep the economy operating at a reasonable level.

Efforts should also be made to create a favorable environment for enterprises, promote administrative reform and cut institutional costs through improving lists of government power and responsibility, the Premier said.

Governments at all levels should continue to cut down general expenses and provide nontax benefits to market players, such as fee reductions. The State Council should also carry out related supervision.

Also on the agenda is enhancing the transfer of economic drivers, weeding out backward production capacity, implementing more positive employment policies, promoting mass entrepreneurship and innovation and developing prosperous new industries and businesses that are employment-friendly.

In his speech Premier Li also stressed the need to upgrade traditional industries, speed up development of advanced manufacturing, promote real economy upgrades, and increase effectiveness.

Meanwhile, work to improve people’s livelihoods should continue, including more research into the public’s major concerns, such as smog, Premier Li added.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 13 to seek more suggestions from experts and business leaders on the draft government work report for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

The Premier also expressed hope that experts could put forward more practical and professional proposals and entrepreneurs could scale new heights in market competition.

Joint efforts will be required to carry out the social and economic development tasks and resolve the public’s concerns, Premier Li said.

Vice-Premiers Zhang Gaoli, Liu Yandong and Wang Yang and State Councilors Yang Jing and Wang Yong also attended the symposium.