BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Communist
Party of China (CPC) said Monday the country will launch a comprehensive
economic package to tackle an "austere and complicated" year ahead.
"We will increase large-scale government investment,
implement and readjust a plan to revive industries, make great efforts to boost
innovations, and greatly enhance the level of social security," said a press
release issued after a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee.
The meeting was presided over by Hu Jintao, general
secretary of the CPC Central Committee.
The Political Bureau warned that 2009 would be the
most difficult for China's economic development so far this century as "it is
crucial for implementing the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), and the tasks of
reform, development and stability are austere and complicated."
The meeting participants discussed a government work
report which would be submitted to the forthcoming second annual session of the
11th National People's Congress, the national legislature.
In 2008, "a very extraordinary year", China
experienced serious challenges and tests for economic and social development,
and made great achievements in the country's reform, opening up and socialist
modernization drive, the press release said.
In the past year, the government readjusted macro-economic
policies promptly and decisively to cope with the serious impacts of
the global financial crisis; maintained stable and relatively fast economic and
social development; pushed forward reform and opening up; accelerated the development
of social welfare; improved people's living standards; made great achievements
in dealing with extraordinary natural calamities; succeeded in hosting
the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics; and accomplished the Shenzhou-7
manned space flight.
The Political Bureau called for greater awareness of
the austere and complicated nature of the international and domestic economic
situation and for active response to the challenges.
Efforts should be made to increase domestic demand,
change the development mode, accelerate the strategic readjustment of the
economic structure; deepen reforms; and improve living standards and promote
social harmony, said the Political Bureau.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- As the global downturn continues to take its toll
on China's economy, responses to the turmoil will be high on the agenda of
lawmakers and political advisors who are scheduled to gather here early next
month for their annual full sessions.
The two parliamentary sessions -- the Second Session of
the 11th National People's Congress (NPC, the top legislature) and the Second
Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (CPPCC, the top advisory body) -- are set to start March
5 and March 3, respectively. Full story
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L, back)
presides over a forum to get suggestions to improve the government work
report from economic and social scholars in Beijing, capital of China,
Feb. 9, 2009. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited non-Communists party
members, economic and social scholars, people from business,
technological, educational, health, cultural and sports sectors as well as
workers and farmers to his work place over the past week, soliciting input
for a draft government work report to be submitted to the annual
parliament session next month. Five forums were held between Feb. 6 and 13
at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in downtown Beijing.(Xinhua/Liu
Jiansheng) Photo
Gallery>>>
BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited non-Communists
party members, economic and social scholars, people from business,
technological, educational, health, cultural and sports sectors as well as
workers and farmers to his work place over the past week, soliciting input for a
draft government work report to be submitted to the annual parliament session
next month.
Five forums were held between Feb. 6 and 13 at the
Zhongnanhai leadership compound in downtown Beijing. Vice-premiers Li Keqiang,
Hui Liangyu, Zhang Dejiang, Wang Qishan and other senior officials were present.
Full story
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R, front)
shakes hands with representatives of grass roots civilians attending the
forum in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2009. Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao invited non-Communists party members, economic and social scholars,
people from business, technological, educational, health, cultural and
sports sectors as well as workers and farmers to his work place over the
past week, soliciting input for a draft government work report to be
submitted to the annual parliament session next month. Five forums were
held between Feb. 6 and 13 at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in
downtown Beijing.(Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng) Photo
Gallery>>>
BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen grassroots
representatives - some of them farmers, pig-raisers, migrant workers, college
graduates, doctors and primary school teachers - were invited to the Zhongnanhai
leadership compound in downtown Beijing last week by the premier to voice their
opinions on government work.
Sitting beside an oval table, the 13 people, excited
and nervous, all experienced their first face-to-face talk with Premier Wen
Jiabao. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 10
(Xinhua) -- China's State Council, or the cabinet, issued a notice Tuesday that
urged governments at all levels to make every possible effort to expand
employment.
The notice said that the deepening global financial
crisis makes it more difficult to offer jobs for new labor force and
unemployment risks continue to increase. In response, governments should adopt a
more vigorous employment policy to maintain stable employment and social order.
Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will establish
250,000 rural retail stores by next year to create 775,000 jobs for migrant
workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the global economic crisis, a
Ministry of Commerce official said Monday.
Vice Commerce Minister Jiang Zengwei said this year
the ministry would set up 150,000 stores. This and the building of ancillary
services, including delivery centers and post offices, which would create "a
large amount of jobs" for migrant workers. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li
Keqiang said Monday that employment and people's livelihood should be
guaranteed.
Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the
remarks when visiting the southern Guangdong Province, a major base for
export-oriented manufacturers that had provided jobs for many migrant
workers. Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The
legislature heard here on Wednesday a somber report on how the intensifying
impact of the world financial and economic crisis is reverberating through
China's economy.
Zhang Ping, minister in charge of
the National Development and Reform Commission, representing the State Council
(cabinet), outlined the situation to the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress. Full story
