The first session of the 12th Hebei Provincial People's Congress opened on Jan 26, at the Hebei Conference Hall, in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital, with more than 700 delegates taking part.

Zhang Qingwei,?the governor, reported on the provincial government's work over the last five years and said that his government completed all the tasks through the use of scientific development, and by sticking the main reform and opening-up tasks, improving the standard of living, and promoting sound, rapid economic and social development.

Zhang also laid out the basic ideas and tasks for the next five years, saying that it is an important time for applying the spirit of the 18th National Congress and developing a moderately prosperous society, and a critical period for under the 12th Five-year Plan (2011-16) in building a harmonious, economically strong Hebei.

Zhang gave details of the goals over the next five years, including developing an economically strong, harmonious province, developing a moderately prosperous society, and making significant progress in reforms and opening-up in all key fields. The goals will mean a significant improvement in economic strength, the acceleration of industrial transformations and upgrades, progress in cultural affairs, the strengthening of ecological civilization, a significant improvement in the standard of living, and a strengthening of development power.

By Liu Xiang