Overseas media reviews during China's two sessions (II)

Business people from the Netherlands attend the International E-Business Expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Li Zhong/For China Daily]

China's top legislative and political advisory body started its annual sessions, kicking off an important political season that will highlight new missions for the country's goal of a "great modern socialist country".[Special coverage]

Topping the agenda are briefings from He Lifeng, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, Xiao Jie, finance minister and Han Changfu, agriculture minister .

As an opportunity for the world to watch China, let's take a look at what overseas media said.

*China says will sharply widen market access for foreign investors--Reuters

China will sharply widen market access for foreign investors this year, with a focus on lowering investment barriers for the service sector and relaxing ownership limits in certain sectors, the state planner said on Tuesday.

*2.8 million rural poor to be resettled in towns, cities this year, says China's state planner--The Strait Times

China aims to relocate 2.8 million rural poor people from remote areas this year as it continues its push to eradicate poverty by 2020, the head of the country's top economic planning agency said on Tuesday.

*China finance minister says 'fully confident' in fending off systemic debt risks--Reuters

China is fully confident of its ability to fend off systemic debt risks, while it continues to strengthen control over local government debt, Finance Minister Xiao Jie said on Wednesday.

China will reasonably set quotas on local government debt issuance and keep cracking down on "chaotic" debt financing, Xiao said at a press briefing held during China's annual parliament meeting.

*China to enact its first soil pollution law--The Strait Times

Curbing pollution and keeping the environment clean are key tenets of Chinese President Xi Jinping's pledge to build a "moderately prosperous society" by 2020.