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Highlights of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report
(Xinhua) Updated: 2008-03-05 09:25 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will deliver a government work report at the opening meeting of the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, in the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday. Following are the highlights of the Report on the Work of the Government. Targets for economic, social development On the basis of improving the economic structure, productivity, energy efficiency and environmental protection: -- GDP should grow by about 8 percent in 2008, -- Rise in the CPI should be held at around 4.8 percent; -- Ten million jobs should be created in urban areas, and the rate of registered urban, and unemployment should be kept at around 4.5 percent; -- Some improvement made in the balance of payments. Fiscal, monetary policy -- China needs to follow a prudent fiscal policy and a tight monetary policy this year to accomplish the tasks for macroeconomic regulation. -- The deficit for the central government budget this year is set at 180 billion yuan, 65 billion yuan less than last year. China plans to issue 30 billion yuan of treasury bonds for investment, 20 billion yuan less than last year, and increase allocations from the central government budget for general development, bringing total central government investment in development projects up to 152.1 billion yuan. Investments in weak links, social programs -- Allocations from this year's central government budget related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers total 562.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 130.7 billion yuan. -- The central government will spend 113.4 billion yuan on science and technology in 2008, a year-on-year increase of 13.4 billion yuan. -- Central government allocation for education, medical insurance, health care, social security system, low-rent housing program, and safe drinking water for another 32 million rural residents. -- China has drawn up a preliminary plan on the health care reform which will soon be publicized to solicit opinions from the general public. Food supply -- Provincial governors are to be responsible for the "rice bag" (grain supply) program and city mayors for the "vegetable basket" (no-staple food supply) program. Food safety -- China will complete the formulation or updating of more than 7,700 national standards for the safety of food products, drugs and other consumer goods to put in place a sound system of standards for product safety in line with "international standards." |
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