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Advisors hail govt plan to boost jobs, export

By Diao Ying and Wang Xu (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-06 07:42

The nation's top political advisors lauded the government's plan to bolster employment and the economy, while emphasizing the need to support the export sector in the face of the financial crisis.

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Premier Wen Jiabao delivered his work report to the National People's Congress (NPC) yesterday, reiterating the government's faith to keep the economy growing at 8 percent in 2009, while creating 9 million jobs.

Wen pledged a series of measures to boost domestic demand, including a 950-billion-yuan ($139 billion) government deficit to fund investment in major infrastructure projects and the nation's social safety net.

Meanwhile, he also noted the need to support the export sector while saving local enterprises.

Zhang Xiaoji, a CPPCC National Committee member and a researcher with the State Council, said the premier's report "will play an important role in stabilizing the market expectations".

Yu Bing, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks in sign language at a group discussion at the ongoing session of the CPPCC National Committee in Beijing yesterday. [Xinhua]

Li Jiaxiang, director of Civil Aviation Administration of China, said although 2009 is the "most difficult" year for China, the aviation sector has already seen signs of recovery.

He said the number of passengers and goods carried by domestic air flights has seen a significant increase in the first two months of 2009. "It is a sign that China's economy will recover faster than the rest of the world. We are very optimistic," he added.

Zhu Changlin, head of a State-owned enterprise in Sichuan, said he expected the increase in domestic demand to make up for the losses that his enterprise is suffering due to the crisis.

CPPCC National Committee members were still unsure when the crisis might end. "It is very hard to say right now," said Liu Yonghao, a prominent private entrepreneur and head of New Hope Group.

Christina Cheung, a member from Hong Kong, said people should work hard to lay a good foundation now so that the market could pick up again when the economy stabilizes.

Besides debating on the premier's report, CPPCC National Committee members also called for more policies to help maintain economic stability.

"Insufficient overseas demand is a major problem," said Li Deshui, former head of the National Bureau of Statistics. "The recent decline in imports is a signal of further weakening external demand in the second half (of 2009)."

China's exports dropped 17.5 percent from the year before in January, shrinking for the third straight month. The nation's imports plummeted 43.1 percent in the same month, resulting in a 29-percent drop in the nation's foreign trade.

Some CPPCC National Committee members advocated a further increase in tax rebates for the export sector, which provides job opportunities for more than 80 million people.