Outgoing Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has stressed that the country will speed up reforms in all fields. He has signaled that the leadership will put the priority on the quality of sustainable development on social programs.
Wen outlined the government plans for the year at the opening of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress. This year's NPC has a special significance as it will appoint the new government leaders.
The world's spotlight is on China, as the National People's Congress convenes.
It is the last report of Premier Wen Jiabao's ten-year term.
Speaking to some 3,000 deputies, he stressed the need for reforms in all fields.
Premier Wen Jiabao said, "We should focus on improving the quality and performance of economic growth, deepen reform and opening up, and achieve sustained, economic and social development."
Wen Jiabao listed key areas to strengthen. Non-public sectors, the financial system, income distribution system, socialist democracy and the rule of law.
Wen Jiabao says the focus of economic development is to change the growth model and adjust the structure. The target for this year's economic growth is set at 7.5 percent. This reflects the policy of reforms in a prudent manner, described as "active and steady." The challenge is how to regulate government controls on the market and expand domestic spending.
Wen Jiabao said, "We should improve the system of checks and ensure power is exercised in a transparent manner. We should unwaveringly combat corruption, establish institutions to end the excessive concentration of power and lack of checks on power."
The Party's new leader Xi Jinping has shown greater will to bring about changes. He's vowed to target corruption at high levels, and asked to put power in an "institutional cage". But rooting out corruption to meet public expectations remains a tough task.
Wen Jiabao also reviewed the work in the past five years. He says the biggest achievement of his term was maintaining economic growth and improving people's livelihood. He raised a dozen challenges for the new government - to strike a balance in the interests of various stakeholders to secure both stability and development.
Over the next two weeks, the lawmakers will review and approve the government work report, and vote on the national laws and policies. This session of the legislature will complete China's once-a-decade leadership transition that began in November.
"One theme dominates Premier Wen Jiabao's work report - reform, one of the most frequently used words. And most pages explain the general policies in dealing with the challenges. The message is clear: the Chinese leadership has a consensus on deepening reforms in all fields. Yet there is no detailed timetable or specific steps. So how to carry out the reforms, and how long that will take, remain a real test for the new government.
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