Premier Li promises reasonable growth rate

Greater efforts must be made to enhance social welfare, premier tells provincial heads

Premier Li Keqiang has pledged to keep economic growth within a reasonable range and push forward with economic restructuring.

He has also called for greater efforts to enhance social welfare.

The economy has shown signs of stabilization and strength, Li said while presiding over a meeting in Heilongjiang province.

"But more concerted efforts should be made to accomplish this year's major tasks and create favorable conditions for the coming year," the premier said at the meeting.

It was attended by the heads of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Fujian and Henan provinces and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The government set an annual target for economic growth of 7.5 percent at the start of the year, which is widely expected to be accomplished. Growth for the first three quarters reached 7.7 percent year-on-year.

Li said development must be scientific and feature quality and efficiency. It must also create more job opportunities and improve people's well-being. He called for greater efforts to enhance livelihoods, to bring the benefits of reform to the people and to avoid events occurring repeatedly that disrupt the "psychological bottom line" of society.

He attributed China's economic recovery against the backdrop of a gloomy global economy to a correct macroeconomic policy that can "stabilize the current situation" while "benefiting the economy in the long run".

The cancellation of administrative approval procedures and the delegation of some government powers to lower levels, for example, have better served private investors and enterprises, he said.

Tuesday's meeting was the second time in a week the premier sought views on the economic plan for next year. On Oct 31, he invited economists and corporate leaders to a meeting where he stressed that China will strike a balance between growth and reform.