http://www.itheone.com/ PJBlog3 2009-07-13T09:03:06+08:00 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-07-13T09:03:06+08:00 2009-07-13T09:03:06+08:00

  
  （本网注：英报原文是：Friends have come from afar and how happy we are.这和吴伟雄的1990年的译文异曲同工：How happy we are to have friends from afar!”）

   法新社的英文电讯稿也匆匆出炉，其中居然有拼写错误，把achievement（成就）这个单词写成了acheivement，不亦快哉！

    也许我们没有必要去一一解读西方媒体报道的具体内容，只要看看他们在报道中所用的形容词就可以看出端倪。一个出现频率最多的形容词是Spectacular（壮观的），比如法新社的报道题为Beijing's Games kick off with spectacular opening ceremony（北京会以壮观的开幕式起步）；英国星期日镜报（Sunday Mirror）的网站报道标题与法新社几乎一模一样，只是词序有所不同，把spectacular放在了首位：Spectacular opening ceremony kicks off Beijing Olympic Games。有的媒体嫌spectacular不够传意思以使用了另外的形容词。路透社使用的形容词是dramatic（充满戏剧性的）：The Beijing Olympic Games started on Friday with a dramatic opening ceremony（北京会周五以一个充满戏剧性的开幕式开始）。

    《华盛顿邮报》网站的报道标题是Extravagant Ceremony Opens 2008 Olympic Games，把spectacular换成了extravagant。这个extravagant固然有“奢侈”乃至“浪费”的意味，但是在这个时刻读来给人的印象更多的是不可逾越的境界。《堪培拉时报》的报道认为“the world may never witness a ceremony of the magnitude and ingenuity as that which opens the 2008Olympics”（世界也许永远不能再见到一个达到2008会开幕式这样的量级和创意的典礼），这则报道的标题是“Beijing08: A perfect opening”（北京08：完美的开幕），使用了perfect（完美的）这个西方人在谈论时从来说不出口的单词。还有一个形容词出现的频率更高，不仅出现在新闻标题内，也出现在文内；不仅用来描述对开幕式的整体印象，也用来描述各个环节的表演。这个词是:stunning，令人目瞪口呆的，简言之：雷到了。

    CNN的同一篇报道两次使用了stunning，以这一句开头“China opened the 29th Olympic Games on Friday with stunnin�到向往已久的剑桥大学，非常高兴。剑桥举世闻名，培养出牛顿、达尔文、培根等许多杰出的科学家、思想家，为人类文明进步作出了重要贡献。今年是剑桥建校800周年，我谨致以热烈祝贺！

　　这是我第四次访问英国。中英相距遥远，但两国人民的友好交往不断增多。香港问题的圆满解决，经贸、文教、科技等领域的有效合作，为发展中英全面战略伙伴关系奠定了坚实基础。在此，我向长期致力于中英友好的朋友们表示崇高的敬意！

　　今天，我演讲的题目是：用发展的眼光看中国。

　　我深深爱着的祖国——古老而又年轻。

　　说她古老，她是一个有着数千年文明史的东方大国。中华民族以自己的勤劳和智慧，创造了灿烂的古代文明，对人类发展作出过重大贡献。

　　说她年轻，新中国成立才60年，改革开放才30年。中国人民经过长期不懈的斗争建立了新中国，又经过艰苦的探索，终于找到了适合国情的发展道路——中国特色社会主义道路，文明古国焕发了青春活力。

　　中国改革开放，最重要的是解放思想，最根本、最具有长远意义的是体制创新。我们推进经济体制改革，建立了社会主义市场经济体制。在政府的宏观调控下，充分发挥市场对资源配置的基础性作用。我们深化政治体制改革，把发展民主和完善法制结合起来，实行人民当家作主，依法治国，建设社会主义法治国家。

　　改革开放的实质，就是坚持以人为本，通过解放和发展生产力满足人们日益增长的物质文化需求，在公正的条件下促进人的全面发展；就是保障人民的民主权利，让国家政通人和、兴旺发达；就是维护人的尊严和自由，让每个人的智慧和力量得以迸发，成功地追求自己的幸福生活。

　　30年来，中国贫困人口减少了2亿多，人均寿命提高了5岁，8300万残疾人得到政府和社会的特殊关爱，这是中国保障人权的光辉业绩。九年免费义务教育的推行，农村合作医疗制度的建立，社会保障体系的完善，使学有所教、病有所医、老有所养的理想，正在变为现实。

　　我愿借用两句唐诗形容中国的现状：“潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬。”中国人正在努力实现现代化，这是一个古而又新的发展中大国进行的一场伟大实践。掌握了自己命运的中国人民，对未来充满信心！

　　我深深爱着的祖国——历经磨难而又自强不息。

　　我年轻时曾长期工作在中国的西北地区。在那浩瀚的沙漠中，生长着一种稀有的树种，叫胡杨。它扎根地下50多米，抗干旱、斗风沙、耐盐碱，生命力极其顽强。它“生而一千年不死，死而一千年不倒，倒而一千年不朽”，世人称为英雄树。我非常喜欢胡杨，它是中华民族坚韧不拔精神的象征。

　　千百年来，中华民族一次次战胜了天灾人祸，渡过了急流险滩，昂首挺胸地走到今天。深重的灾难，铸就了她百折不挠、自强不息的品格。中华民族的历史证明了一个真理：一个民族在灾难中失去的，必将从民族的进步中得到补偿。

　　此时此刻，我不禁想起在汶川地震灾区的亲身经历。去年5月，四川汶川发生震惊世界的特大地震，北川中学被夷为平地，孩子伤亡惨重。可是，时隔10天，当我第二次来到这里时，乡亲们已在废墟上搭起了板房教室，校园里又回荡着孩子们朗朗的读书声。当时我在黑板上，给同学们写下了“多难兴邦”几个字。地震发生以来，我7次到汶川灾区，碰到这样感人的事迹不胜枚举。我为我们中华民族这种愈挫愈奋的精神深深感动。这种伟大的精神，正是我们的民族饱经忧患而愈益坚强、生生不息的力量源泉。

　　经过半个多世纪的艰苦奋斗，中国有了比较大的发展，经济总量跃居世界前列，但我们仍然是一个发展中国家，同发达国家相比还有很大的差距。人口多，底子薄，发展不平衡，这种基本国情还没有从根本上得到改变。中国的人均GDP水平，排在世界100位之后，仅为英国的1/16左右。到过中国旅游的朋友，你们所看到的城市是现代的，而我们的农村还比较落后。

　　到本世纪中叶，中国要基本实现现代化，面临三大历史任务：既要努力实现欧洲早已完成的工业化，又要追赶新科技革命的浪潮；既要不断提高经济发展水平，又要实现社会公平正义；既要实现国内的可持续发展，又要承担相应的国际责任。中国要赶上发达国家水平，还有很长很长的路要走，还会遇到许多艰难险阻。但是，任何困难都阻挡不住中国人民前进的步伐，只要我们坚持不懈地努力奋斗，中国现代化的目标就一定能够实现。

　　我深深爱着的祖国——珍视传统而又开放兼容。

　　中华传统文化底蕴深厚、博大精深。“和”在中国古代历史上被奉为最高价值，是中华文化的精髓。中国古老的经典——《尚书》就提出“百姓昭明，协和万邦”的理想，主张人民和睦相处，国家友好往来。

　　“和为贵”的文化传统，哺育了中华民族宽广博大的胸怀。我们的民族，既能像大地承载万物一样，宽厚包容；又能像苍天刚健运行一样，彰显正义。

　　15世纪，中国著名航海家郑和七下西洋，到过三十几个国家。他带去了中国的茶叶、丝绸、瓷器，还帮助沿途有的国家剿灭海盗，真正做到了播仁爱于友邦。

　　国强必霸，不适合中国。称霸，既有悖于我们的文化传统，也违背中国人民意志。中国的发展不损害任何人，也不威胁任何人。中国要做和平的大国、学习的大国、合作的大国，致力于建设一个和谐的世界。

　　不同国家、不同民族的文化，需要相互尊重、相互包容和相互学习。今天的中国，有3亿人在学英语，有100多万青年人在国外留学。我们的电视、广播、出版等新闻传媒，天天都在介绍世界各地的文化艺术。正因为我们善于在交流中学习，在借鉴中收获，才有今天中国的繁荣和进步。

　　进入21世纪，经济全球化、信息网络化，已经把世界连成一体，文化的发展将不再是各自封闭的，而是在相互影响中多元共存。一个国家、一个民族对人类文化贡献的大小，越来越取决于她吸收外来文化的能力和自我更新的能力。中国将永远坚持开放兼容的方针，既珍视传统，又博采众长，用文明的方式、和谐的方式实现经济繁荣和社会进步。

　　女士们，先生们！

　　我之所以强调用发展的眼光看中国，就是因为世界在变，中国也在变。如今的中国，早已不是一百年前封闭落后的旧中国，也不是30年前贫穷僵化的中国。经过改革开放，中国的面貌已焕然一新。北京奥运会向世界展示的，就是这样一个古老、多彩和现代的中国。我希望朋友们，多到中国走一走、看一看，了解今天的中国人究竟在想什么、做什么、关心什么。这样，有助于你们认识一个真实的、不断发展变化着的中国，也有助于你们了解中国是如何应对当前这场全球性金融危机的。

　　在这场前所未有的世界金融危机中，中国和包括英国在内的欧洲都受到严重冲击。现在危机尚未见底，由此可能带来的各种严重后果还难以预料。合作应对、共渡难关，是我们的首要任务。

　　我认为，应对全球性危机，需要增进合作。有多大程度的相互信任，就可能有多大程度的合作。中国政府主张：第一，要首先办好各国自己的事情，不把麻烦推给别人；第二，要精诚合作，不搞以邻为壑；第三，要标本兼治，不能头疼医头、脚疼医脚。我在达沃斯会议上已重申，应该对国际货币金融体系进行必要的改革，建立公平、公正、包容、有序的国际金融新秩序，努力营造有利于全球经济发展的制度环境。

　　这里我想谈一谈中国是如何应对这场金融危机的。

　　金融危机对中国实体经济的影响日益显现。从去年第三季度以来，出口大幅下滑，经济增速放缓，就业压力加大。中国经济面临着严峻的局面。面对危机，我们果断决策，及时调整宏观经济政策取向，迅速出台扩大国内需求的十项措施，陆续制定了一系列政策，形成了系统完整的促进经济平稳较快发展的一揽子计划。主要包括以下几个方面：

　　一是大规模增加政府支出扩大内需。中国政府推出了以财政支出带动社会投资，总额达4万亿元的两年计划，规模相当于2007年中国GDP的16%。主要投向保障性安居工程、农村民生工程、铁路交通等基础设施、社会事业、生态环保建设和地震灾后恢复重建。中国政府还推出了大规模的减税计划，一年可减轻企业和居民负担约5000亿元。我们还大幅度降息和增加银行体系流动性，出台了一系列金融措施。

　　二是大范围实施产业调整振兴计划。我们全面推进产业结构调整和优化升级，制定汽车、钢铁等十个重点产业的调整和振兴规划。我们采取经济和技术的措施，大力推进节能减排，推进企业兼并重组，提高产业集中度和资源配置效率。我们鼓励和支持企业广泛应用新技术、新工艺、新设备、新材料，开发适销对路产品。

　　三是大力推进科技进步和创新。科技是克服金融危机的根本力量。每一场大的危机常常伴随一场新的科技革命；每一次经济的复苏，都离不开技术创新。我们加快实施国家中长期科学和技术发展规划，特别是核心电子器件、核能开发利用、高档数控机床等16个重大专项，突破一批核心技术和关键共性技术，为中国经济在更高水平上实现可持续发展提供科技支撑。推动发展高新技术产业群，培育新的经济增长点。我们就是要依靠科学技术的重大突破，创造新的社会需求，催生新一轮的经济繁荣。

　　四是大幅度提高社会保障水平。继续提高企业退休人员基本养老金，提高失业保险金和工伤保险金标准，提高城乡低保、农村五保等保障水平。积极推进医药卫生体制改革，力争用三年时间基本建成覆盖全国城乡的基本医疗卫生制度，初步实现人人享有基本医疗卫生服务。我们坚持优先发展教育，正在制定《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要》。我们实施更加积极的就业政策，重点解决高校毕业生和农民工就业问题。开辟就业岗位，缓解就业压力。

　　我们采取这些措施，把扩大国内需求、调整振兴产业、加强科技支撑、强化社会保障结合起来，把拉动经济增长和改善民生、增加就业结合起来，把克服当前困难和促进长远发展结合起来。这样做，有利于中国的发展，也将给包括英国在内的世界各国企业带来巨大的商机。

　　这场百年一遇的金融危机，留给世人的思考是沉重的。它警示人们，对现行的经济体制和经济理论，应该进行深刻的反思。

　　中国曾长期实行高度集中的计划经济，把计划看成是绝对的，束缚了生产力的发展。这场金融危机使我们看到，市场也不是万能的，一味放任自由，势必引起经济秩序的混乱和社会分配的不公，最终受到惩罚。真正的市场化改革，决不会把市场机制与国家宏观调控对立起来。既要发挥市场这只看不见的手的作用，又要发挥政府和社会监管这只看得见的手的作用。两手都要硬，两手同时发挥作用，才能实现按照市场规律配置资源，也才能使资源配置合理、协调、平衡、可持续。

　　国际金融危机再次告诉人们，不受监管的市场经济是多么可怕。从上世纪90年代以来，一些经济体疏于监管，一些金融机构受利益驱动，利用数十倍的金融杠杆进行超额融资，在获取高额利润的同时，把巨大的风险留给整个世界。这充分说明，不受管理的市场经济是注定行不通的。因此，必须处理好金融创新与金融监管的关系、虚拟经济与实体经济的关系、储蓄与消费的关系。

　　有效应对这场危机，还必须高度重视道德的作用。道德是世界上最伟大的，道德的光芒甚至比阳光还要灿烂。真正的经济学理论，决不会同最高的伦理道德准则产生冲突。经济学说应该代表公正和诚信，平等地促进所有人，包括最弱势人群的福祉。被誉为现代经济学之父的亚当·斯密在《道德情操论》中指出：“如果一个社会的经济发展成果不能真正分流到大众手中，那么它在道义上将是不得人心的，而且是有风险的，因为它注定要威胁社会稳定。”道德缺失是导致这次金融危机的一个深层次原因。一些人见利忘义，损害公众利益，丧失了道德底线。我们应该倡导：企业要承担社会责任，企业家身上要流淌着道德的血液。

　　女士们，先生们！

　　英国是我这次欧洲之行的最后一站。这次访问，加深了我对欧洲的了解。中欧合作已经站在一个新的历史起点上。戍�鳌亚洲论坛2009年年会。首先，我谨代表中国政府对年会的召开表示热烈的祝贺！对各位来宾表示诚挚的欢迎！本届年会把“经济危机与亚洲：挑战和展望”作为主题，对于凝聚共识、增强信心、深化合作、战胜危机，具有十分重要的意义。我衷心祝愿本届年会取得圆满成功！

　　2008年9月以来，世界经济遭受了上世纪大萧条以来最为严峻的挑战。各国纷纷采取措施，应对国际金融危机的严重冲击。中国政府及时果断调整宏观经济政策，实施积极的财政政策和适度宽松的货币政策，迅速出台促进经济平稳较快发展的一揽子计划，对缓解经济运行中的突出矛盾、增强信心、稳定预期，发挥了重要作用。这个一揽子计划最直接、最重要的目标，是扭转经济增速下滑趋势、保持经济平稳较快增长，并力求解决制约中国经济发展的结构性问题，加快转变发展方式，全面提升各种生产要素的质量和水平，为中国经济长远发展打下更加牢固的基础。

　　一是全面扩大内需，增强消费需求对经济增长的拉动力，推动中国经济均衡发展。这场百年一遇的国际金融危机对中国的冲击，主要是外部需求的急剧收缩，导致经济减速、企业生产经营困难、失业增加，结构性矛盾进一步凸显。我们把政策的着力点放在全面扩大国内需求上，努力保持投资较快增长和刺激消费，着力调整内需外需结构，加快形成内需为主和积极利用外需共同拉动经济增长的格局，使中国经济向更加均衡的发展方式转变。

　　二是全面加强基础设施建设，推动中国经济协调发展。城乡、区域发展不平衡，既是中国经济社会发展中的突出矛盾，也是经济增长的巨大潜力所在。我们把应对国际金融危机和解决这些矛盾有机结合起来，在新增投资计划中，重点加强农村建设和中西部基础设施建设。着眼于巩固农业基础地位，加快农田水利重大工程建设，增强农业稳定增产、农民持续增收的能力。加快修建农村道路，改造农村电网，推进农村中小学标准化建设，改善农民生活条件。着眼于促进生产要素跨区域流动，加快重大交通基础设施建设，完善综合运输体系，特别是围绕发挥中西部地区优势，建设煤运通道、西部干线铁路和机场。着眼于扶持落后地区，帮助困难群众，积极支持保障性安居工程建设，重点解决城市低收入家庭、林区、垦区、煤矿等棚户区居民的住房问题，扩大农村危房改造试点范围，实施少数民族地区游牧民定居工程等。这些措施的逐步落实，必将使发展的薄弱环节得到加强，使广大中西部地区和农村发展环境得以改善，对我国经济协调发展产生巨大推动力。

　　三是全面提升产业竞争力和自主创新能力，推动中国经济可持续发展。推动产业结构优化升级，是关系经济全局紧迫而重大的战略任务。我们制定实施十大重点产业调整振兴规划，推动企业兼并重组，积极支持企业加快技术改造，淘汰落后产能，发展先进生产力，努力提高产业集中度和资源配置效率。我们加快实施国家中长期科学和技术发展规划纲要，选择那些带动力强、影响面大、见效快的项目，集中力量攻关，突破一批核心技术和关键共性技术，为经济发展提供科技支撑，推动我国经济尽快走上创新驱动的轨道。我们把投资的重点放在节能环保和生态建设上，加大对重点防护林和天然林资源保护工程、城镇污水、垃圾处理设施、重点节能减排工程建设的投入，推动中国经济的可持续发展。

　　四是全面提高人的素质，推动中国经济集约发展。全面提高人的素质是中国经济增长的优势和活力源泉，是长远发展的战略重点。在实施扩大内需的计划中，我们把公共资源配置向教育、医疗卫生和社会保障领域倾斜。制定实施国家中长期教育规划，大幅度增加教育投入，加强基础教育，发展职业教育，提高高等教育，增强全民族的文化素质。我们积极推进医药卫生体制改革，建设基本医疗保障制度，建立国家基本药物制度，健全基层医疗卫生服务体系，推进公立医院改革试点，促进基本公共卫生服务逐步均等化。我们加快完善社会保障体系，扩大社会保障覆盖范围，提高社会保障水平。我们千方百计扩大就业，特别是大学生和农民工就业。所有这些都有利于扩大国内即期需求，增强消费者信心，同时也有力推动经济增长由主要依靠物质资源消耗的粗放型增长，向主要依靠科技进步、劳动者素质提高、体制创新的集约型增长转变。

　　总之，我们制定实施一揽子计划，是标本兼治、远近结合的，既是保增长、保民生、保稳定的应急之举，也是推动中国经济实现科学发展、和谐发展的长远之策。我国正处在工业化和城镇化快速推进阶段，蕴藏着巨大需求和增长潜力，有改革开放30年建立的物质、科技和体制基础，有充裕的资金、丰富的劳动力等要素支撑，有集中力量办大事的制度优势、和谐安定的社会环境。只要我们不懈努力，在战胜危机的同时，一定能够使我国经济发展的体制性、结构性矛盾明显缓解，国民经济的整体素质和竞争力明显提升。中国经济发展的潜力必将进一步释放，在改善本国人民福祉的同时，为世界各国提供更多的贸易投资机会。

　　女士们，先生们，朋友们：

　　中国实施的一揽子计划已初见成效，经济运行出现积极变化，形势比预料的好。主要表现：一是投资增速加快，消费较快增长，国内需求持续提高。一季度国内生产总值增长6.1％。全社会固定资产投资增长28.8％，比去年同期和四季度分别提高4.2和6.4个百分点；城镇新开工项目计划总投资增长87.7％。社会消费品零售总额实际增长15.9％，增幅同比提高3.6个百分点。在“家电下乡”和小排量汽车减税等政策带动下，家电、农机等行业产销大幅增长，汽车销售创历史新高。商品房销售面积增长8.2％，初步扭转一年多来的下降局面。二是工业生产逐步企稳，农业形势总体稳定。3月份，规模以上工业增加值同比增长8.3％，增幅比前两个月提高4.5个百分点；消费品工业呈现回升态势，装备制造业和部分原材料工业出现转机。强农惠农政策加快落实，产生积极效果。粮食播种面积增加，夏粮长势较好；农资供应充足，春耘备耕进展顺利。三是结构调整积极推进，区域发展协调性强，产业升级加快。中西部地区固定资产投资、工业增加值、社会消费品零售总额增长，都明显高于全国平均水平。沿海地区工业总体增速虽然较低，但恢复加快。高新技术产业增势较强，生物生化制品、通信交换设备、医疗设备及器械制造业等增速明显超过工业平均增速。四是城镇就业增加，居民收入提高。一季度城镇新增就业268万人，城镇居民人均可支配收入和农民人均现金收入同比实际分别增长11.2％和8.6％。五是银行体系流动性充裕，金融市场平稳运行，社会信心提振，市场预期改善。

　　应该看到，国际金融危机还在扩散蔓延，世界经济衰退的基本态势没有改变，金融体系存在的问题没有解决，实体经济恶化超出预期，全球经济复苏可能经历较长和曲折的过程。受国际金融危机的影响，我国经济社会发展面临的困难很大，主要是：外部需求持续萎缩，出口下降幅度较大；农业稳定生产、农民持续增收难度加大；一些行业产能过剩，工业增长回升乏力，经济效益继续下滑，财政收入减少，就业形势十分严峻。

　　在错综复杂的国内外形势下，我们既要看到经济社会发展的有利条件和积极因素，坚定战胜困难的决心和信心；又要充分估计形势的不确定性、不稳定性，保持清醒头脑，增强忧患意识，宁可把形势估计得严峻一些，把困难考虑得充分一些，做好应对更大困难的长期准备。我们要坚定不移地贯彻执行积极的财政政策和适度宽松的货币政策，毫不放松地全面实施应对危机的一揽子计划，努力把金融危机的影响降到最低限度，促进中国经济平稳较快发展。

　　女士们，先生们，朋友们：

　　在经济全球化条件下，世界各国的命运已紧紧联系在一起，没有一个国家可以在国际金融危机中独善其身，没有一个国家能够以一己之力战胜这场危机。亚洲是全球经济最具活力和潜力的地区之一。人口约占全球总人口的60％，经济总量、贸易总额约占全球的1／4和1／3。虽然各国国情不同，但维护国家主权、加快经济发展、弘扬公平正义、增进国民福祉的目标是相同的；应对国际金融危机，打击恐怖主义和跨国犯罪，遏制疫病蔓延、环境恶化等方面面临的挑战是相似的；深化双边多边合作、实现互利共赢的意愿是一致的。目前亚洲地区各种合作机制相继建立并取得积极成效，经济、科技、人文等领域交流与合作不断深化，合作的基础日益牢固。有效应对这场金融危机，亚洲各国不仅要把本国的事情办好，而且要进一步加强合作，携手努力，同舟共济，推动亚洲共赢发展，成为世界经济复苏的重要引擎。

　　中国是亚洲合作的积极参与者与建设者，坚定不移地奉行与邻为善、以邻为伴的周边外交方针和睦邻、安邻、富邻的周边外交政策。特别是近些年来，我们与亚洲多个国家和地区签署了双多边自贸协定，推进了贸易和投资的发展。我们还与一些国家和地区签署了6份总额为235亿美元双边货币互换协议，6份总额为6500亿元人民币的双边本币货币互换协议，丰富了区域金融合作的内容和形式，增强了地区资金救助机制的作用。拥有19亿人口、GDP近6万亿美元的中国－东盟自贸区将于2010年全面建成。我很高兴地看到，2003年10月我在第七次东盟与中日韩领导人会议上提出的“推动清迈倡议多边化”的设想，正在成为区域财金合作的重点，已经迈出实质性步伐。

　　面对国际金融危机肆虐，中国愿意继续同亚洲国家一道，积极应对挑战，全面加强合作，使各领域合作更加充实和富有活力，促进地区和平与繁荣。为此，我提出如下主张：

　　一是密切经贸合作，坚决反对贸易保护主义。更加重视促进自由贸易，扩大区内贸易规模。在海关、检验检疫、物流和商务人员流动等方面采取有效措施，以实际行动降低贸易壁垒，避免设置新的贸易障碍。积极推进自由贸易区建设，充分利用多双边自由贸易安排，发挥各国经济互补优势。中国决定在上海市和广东省4个城市开展跨境贸易人民币结算试点，这一举措对促进与周边国家和地区的经贸关系必将产生积极作用。

　　二是加强财金合作，努力维护区域金融稳定。充分发挥双边货币互换协议作用，研究扩大互换额度和签约国范围。去年10＋3国家决定建立800亿美元外汇储备库，最近又将其规模扩大到1200亿美元，显示了本地区加强金融合作的迫切需要和强烈意愿。希望加快清迈倡议多边化进程，最大限度照顾彼此关切，尽早达成共识，建成区域外汇储备库，增强本地区抵御金融风险能力。推进亚洲债券市场建设，更好地利用区内资金，促进亚洲经济发展。

　　三是深化投资合作，发挥投资在区域经济增长中的拉动作用。加快区域和次区域交通、电力、通讯领域建设步伐，逐步实现基础设施的互联互通和网络化。中国决定设立总规模为100亿美元的“中国－东盟投资合作基金”，支持区域基础设施建设。各国扩大投资都要秉承开放精神，允许其他国家企业公平参与。鼓励各国企业在区域内相互投资，加强劳务合作，避免大规模遣返外国劳工。

　　四是推动“绿色”合作，促进亚洲经济可持续发展。积极有效地协调政策和行动，加强亚洲国家在节能环保、开发利用新能源和可再生能源等领域的合作，培育亚洲经济新的增长点。坚持“共同但有区别的责任”和公平原则，在《联合国气候变化框架公约》下，深化对话与交流，积极开展务实合作，为全球应对气候变化做出力所能及的贡献。

　　五是加强在国际事务中的配合与协调，促进世界和平稳定繁荣。通过APEC、亚欧会议和东亚－拉美合作论坛、亚洲－中东对话等平台，加强与其他地区的合作，提高合作效率和质量。落实二十国集团领导人伦敦金融峰会共识，加强宏观经济政策协调；推进国际金融体系改革，提高新兴市场和发展中国家的代表性和发言权，加强对主要储备货币发行经济体宏观经济政策的监督，推进多元化国际货币体系建设；推动多哈回合谈判取得全面、平衡的结果，特别要加强对发展中国家的贸易支持；认真落实联合国千年发展目标，推进国际减贫进程，避免因金融危机减少对发展中国家的援助。

　　这里，我还想强调一点，工商界要在应对国际金融危机、促进亚洲地区发展方面发挥积极作用。企业家要注重社会责任，妥善处理各种风险和隐患，要善于把握世界经济调整时机，不断开拓创新，寻找新的发展机遇。亚洲发展潜力巨大，区内各类企业特别是跨国企业，只要坚守在这块土地上，尽量少关闭工厂、少裁员，加强各国企业在生产经营、技术研发等方面合作，一定能够在应对危机中实现新的跨越。

　　女士们、先生们！我曾经说过，信心比黄金和货币更重要。今天，我还要讲一句话，希望像一盏永不熄灭的明灯，给各国、各企业和世界人民照亮方向。让我们坚定信心，满怀希望，携手合作，共同开创亚洲更加美好的未来！

　　谢谢大家！

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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=61 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-07-11T00:36:08+08:00 2009-07-11T00:36:08+08:00

2009/06/24  



——杨洁篪外长在加中贸易理事会举行的午餐会上的演讲

（2009年6月23日，渥太华）

尊敬的德马雷名誉主席、克鲁伊特主席、哈德会长，
尊敬的克拉克前总理、弗莱厄蒂部长、贝尔德部长，
女士们、先生们、朋友们：

　　非常高兴出席今天的午餐会。首先，我要感谢加中贸易理事会的热情邀请和周到安排，使我有机会同各位新老朋友见面。长期以来，在座各位为增进中加两国人民相互了解和友谊、推动两国关系改善和发展作出了积极努力。我对此表示衷心感谢。

　　我首次访问加拿大是在30多年前。当时，我从事外交工作不久，作为一个中方代表团的工作人员访问贵国。加拿大热情的人民、广袤的土地、优美的环境给我留下了深刻印象。后来由于工作关系，我多次来访。此次是我担任中国外长以来首次访加，故地重游，倍感亲切。我这次来访是为了与加方就中加关系和共同关心的问题深入交换意见，增加了解，扩大共识，深化合作，推动两国关系进一步改善和发展。昨天，我同坎农外长举行了会谈，并会见了金塞拉参议长。今天上午，我分别会见了哈珀总理和自由党领袖伊格纳蒂夫先生。我们谈得很好，访问取得了积极成果。

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们：

　　中加关系源远流长。一百多年前，中国劳工来到加拿大，为修筑横贯这个国家东西部的“太平洋铁路”作出了不可磨灭的贡献。第二次世界大战期间，中加两国人民并肩抗击法西斯。白求恩大夫的英雄事迹在中国家喻户晓，他毫不利己、专门利人的国际主义精神永远激励着世界上爱好和平的人们。上世纪60年代初，加拿大在西方国家中率先开展对华贸易，出口小麦到中国，向中国人民提供了宝贵支持。1970年，中加实现建交，加拿大成为最早与新中国建交的西方国家之一，两国关系由此揭开了新篇章。

　　中加建交39年来，两国关系虽经历风雨波折，但总的方向是向前发展的。在两国几代领导人亲自推动和各界人士共同努力下，双方交流领域不断拓宽，合作水平持续提高。两国高层及各级别交往日益增多。双方在经贸、司法执法、能源、环保、科教文卫等广泛领域建立起40余个交流合作机制，在联合国、世界贸易组织、20国集团、亚太经合组织等多边机制中的合作日趋密切。

　　两国经贸关系从昔日的单一商品贸易发展到今天的全方位、跨领域、多元化合作。双边贸易额由建交之初的1.5亿美元增长到去年的345.2亿美元，提前实现了2005年9月两国领导人确定的到2010年突破300亿美元的目标。中国已成为加拿大第二大贸易伙伴、第三大出口市场和第二大进口来源国。中国出口到加拿大的轻工、纺织及各种耐用消费品质优价廉，不仅丰富加拿大人民的日常生活，还为他们节省大量开销。中国对加的投资也不断增长。加拿大鲍尔、庞巴迪、加拿大铝业等知名企业以及永明、宏利保险公司、蒙特利尔银行、皇家银行等金融机构纷纷进入中国并取得快速发展。秦山核电站三期项目更成为两国在和平利用核能方面合作的示范工程。

　　中加两国人员交往不断增加。中国已成为加最主要的移民和海外留学生来源地之一，目前加有华人华侨140多万、中国留学生近6万。中文已成为加第三大语言。中加之间结好的省市达到44对。北京、上海与温哥华、多伦多之间每周有40多个直飞航班，每天有2000多人次往返于中加之间。遍布中国各地的30多所加拿大研究中心成为中国民众了解加拿大的窗口，中国在加拿大设立的5所孔子学院也为加人民学习汉语和了解中国文化提供了良好条件。在这里，我还要特别提到去年加拿大政府和人民在四川汶川特大地震后给予中国政府和人民的支援。地震发生后，加拿大联邦和地方政府宣布了多项援助措施，各界人士纷纷慷慨解囊，这充分体现了中加两国人民在特大自然灾害面前相互支持的人道主义精神，大大加深了两国人民业已存在的友好情谊。借�国和加拿大，一个是世界上面积最大的发展中国家，一个是世界上面积最大的发达国家，两国之间没有根本利害冲突，而拥有广泛的共同利益和良好的合作基础。当前形势下，中加两国更应加强合作，共同促进世界经济早日复苏，有效应对各种全球性挑战，更好地造福两国人民和世界人民。

　　——推进中加关系，要加强高层及各级别交往，增进政治互信。高层交往对巩固两国关系的政治基础具有不可替代的作用。近年来，两国领导人通过会晤、通信等方式就共同关心的重大问题保持着经常性沟通，有力推动了两国关系的改善和发展。双方应继续保持这种交往势头，同时进一步扩大两国政府、立法机构、政党之间的对话与交流。中方欢迎加方更多的政府官员、议员、政党领导人及各界朋友访华。

　　——推进中加关系，要努力挖掘潜力，扩大务实合作。多年来，中加贸易额持续增长，但同两国经济总量和合作潜力相比，双边贸易和投资规模仍然偏小。双边贸易占中、加各自外贸总额的比重只有1%和6%左右。我们欢迎加政府积极推进贸易多元化战略，支持两国企业在信息技术、能源资源、基础设施、交通、环保、农业等领域开展合作，实现优势互补。我们也愿鼓励中国企业积极参与加方的“太平洋门户计划”和“大西洋门户计划”建设。希望双方共同反对贸易和投资保护主义，妥善处理两国经贸问题，为两国经贸合作创造更加有利的条件，并使加拿大成为中国更加重要的贸易伙伴。

　　当前，应对国际金融危机的冲击是摆在各国面前的头等大事。金融危机爆发以来，中国经济发展也受到影响，经济运行困难增多。我们及时调整宏观经济政策取向，把扩大国内有效需求作为促进经济增长的基本立足点，果断实施积极的财政政策和适度宽松的货币政策，迅速出台扩大内需、促进经济增长的一揽子计划：一是增加政府公共支出4万亿元人民币，二是实行高达5000亿元人民币的结构性减税，三是保持金融流动性充足，四是大范围实施产业调整振兴规划，五是大力开拓国内消费市场，尤其是农村市场，六是加快推进重点民生工程建设。

　　中国实施的一揽子计划已初见成效，经济运行出现积极变化，形势比预料的好。主要表现为：一是投资增速加快，消费增长较快，一季度国内生产总值增长6.1%；二是工业生产逐步企稳，农业形势总体稳定，4月份规模以上工业增加值同比增长7.3%；三是结构调整积极推进，区域发展协调性强，产业升级加快；四是城镇就业增加，居民收入提高，一季度城镇新增就业268万人，城镇居民人均可支配收入和农民人均现金收入同比分别增长11.2%和8.6%；五是银行体系流动性充裕，一季度金融机构人民币各项贷款同比增长29.78%，金融市场平稳运行。中国为应对国际金融危机冲击采取的一系列举措不仅对本国经济有利，对区域经济和全球经济也产生了积极影响。

　　金融危机爆发以来，中加双方进行了良好的沟通与协调。中加都主张深化国际经贸合作，加强国际宏观经济政策对话与协调，推动国际金融体系改革；都主张加强国际金融监管合作，防范金融风险积聚和扩散。中方愿与加方一道，继续加强在上述领域的磋商与协调。我们也愿与加方及其他各方共同努力，推动20国集团第三次金融峰会在前两次峰会基础上取得更多积极成果。

　　中加合作的巨大潜力还体现在其他广泛领域。无论是在反恐、司法执法、科教文卫等领域，还是在联合国事务、气候变化等全球性问题和地区热点上，中加两国都应碆域的交流，扩大两国人员特别是青年人的交往，不断增进两国人民的相互了解和友谊。

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们：

　　中方积极支持温哥华举办2010年冬奥会。我们感谢加方大力支持明年上海世博会，愿为加方参展继续提供便利和协助。相信温哥华冬奥会和上海世博会将成为促进中加友好新的平台。

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们：

　　明年是中加建交40周年。我们双方应该对两国关系取得的成果感到自豪，更应该积极推动两国关系在新的历史起点上取得新的更大发展。我们愿与加方一道，坚持从战略高度和长远角度出发，以纪念中加建交40周年为契机，承前启后，继往开来，共同创造中加关系更加美好的明天。我希望并相信，中加友好事业将会继续得到加中贸易理事会以及加拿大各界有识之士的大力支持。

　　谢谢大家！

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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=60 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-07-11T00:27:40+08:00 2009-07-11T00:27:40+08:00

GOV.cn  Monday, March 16, 2009  

The following is the full text of the Report on the Work of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), which was delivered by Chairman Wu Bangguo of the NPC Standing Committee on March 9, 2009 for review at the Second Session of the 11th NPC and adopted on March 13:

REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE

OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS 　　

Delivered at the Second Session

of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 9, 2009

Wu Bangguo

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

Fellow Deputies,

I have been entrusted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) to present this report on its work for your deliberation and approval.

Main Accomplishments of Last Year

Faced with tremendous hardships and rigorous challenges in 2008, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, united with the people of all our ethnic groups and led them in working hard with one heart and one mind, completely winning a great victory in combating disasters and providing disaster relief, successfully hosting the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, flawlessly accomplishing the Shenzhou VII manned space mission, solemnly commemorating the 30th anniversary of the reform and opening up policy, maintaining rapid economic growth, further improving the people's lives, maintaining overall social stability, enhancing China's international standing and making great new achievements in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Last year was the first year in which the Standing Committee of the Eleventh NPC carried out its functions in accordance with the law. We fully implemented the guiding principles of the Seventeenth National Party Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee, took Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide, thoroughly applied the Scientific Outlook on Development, and organically integrated the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country and the rule of law. Focusing on the overall work of the Party and the state, we devoted a great deal of effort to resolving serious issues in economic and social development, exercised our functions and powers in accordance with the law, did our work energetically, and fully played our role as an organ of state power. Over the past year, we deliberated 15 draft laws, passed nine of them, heard and deliberated 13 work reports from the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, adopted three resolutions, investigated compliance with five laws, approved 13 treaties and accords China concluded with foreign countries and its accession to seven international conventions, and made decisions on and approved the appointment and removal of a number of employees in Chinese state organs, thus making further contributions to socialist economic, political, cultural and social development.

1. Giving full support to earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction

The massive earthquake that hit Wenchuan in Sichuan Province on May 12 inflicted enormous damage to both lives and property in the quake zone and seriously affected the country's economic and social development. The earthquake elicited a sympathetic response from all the Chinese people. The NPC Standing Committee acted promptly, carried out the arrangements of the Central Committee diligently, took the characteristics of the NPC's work as its starting point, strengthened oversight and legislation, fully supported earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in the quake zone, and made full use of the political advantages of the socialist system which enables it to concentrate resources to accomplish large undertakings.

First, we promptly adjusted our work plan. The Chairperson's Council held a special session on May 22 to listen to the State Council's report on the earthquake. In order to focus on our work priorities and help the State Council concentrate on earthquake relief, the Chairperson's Council decided to adjust the work plan of the Standing Committee by putting deliberation of the State Council's report on earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction and its proposed revisions of the central budget for 2008 on the agenda of the June meeting of the Standing Committee. It also decided to postpone deliberation of the 2007 central government final budget and the auditing report as well as the deliberation and approval of the final budget from the June meeting, where this is normally done, to the August meeting. In order to allow sufficient time to incorporate the useful lessons accumulated in carrying out earthquake relief, interim arrangements, and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction into relevant laws, the Chairperson's Council decided to postpone the deliberation of the revised draft Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters from June to October.

Second, we resolutely implemented the Party Central Committee’s decision on collecting financial resources for earthquake relief. It was made clear at the Chairperson's Council meeting on May 22 that safeguarding the lives of people in the quake zone was paramount and that we needed to proceed from the actual earthquake relief situation in everything we did. It was proposed that the bulk of the central budget stabilization fund should be used to establish a fund for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in line with the principle of taking special measures in special situations. According to the proposal, the actual revenue and expenditures of the fund should be included in the central budget, which should be adjusted accordingly, and this plan should be submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for deliberation and approval in accordance with the law. According to the same proposal, before the plan to revise the budget was approved, the fund should be first financed through the central treasury to ensure timely allocation of funding for earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. In addition, the requirement was made that there should be strict auditing and oversight of the use of the funds, and it was suggested that any further funding required should be arranged in advance. At the meeting of the Standing Committee in June, we deliberated and approved the plan to revise the central budget for 2008, and reached agreement to establish a fund for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, thus providing funding guarantees for smooth progress in earthquake disaster relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. Another proposal was made that the relevant authorities should formulate a plan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction and specific measures for implementing it as soon as possible, clarify recovery and reconstruction policies, and adopt a variety of means to support reconstruction and help disaster victims to resume production.

Third, while throwing ourselves headlong into earthquake relief, we never lost sight of the importance of promoting economic and social development to ensure that the tasks for the whole year would be completed. The Standing Committee passed a special resolution on June 26 which positively appraised the remarkable achievements made in providing earthquake relief; fully endorsed the work of the State Council, local governments and all sectors of society; and called for continued efforts to do everything possible to rescue the injured, make appropriate arrangements for the disaster victims and effectively carry out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. During the meeting, members of the Standing Committee pointed out that the massive Wenchuan earthquake and the severe snow and ice storms in part of the south at the beginning of the year made it difficult to successfully carry out our economic work for the whole year. They added that when facing difficulties, it is even more important to follow the Central Committee's decisions and arrangements, provide earthquake relief while also promoting economic and social development, pay close attention to, promptly study and effectively solve the major problems arising in economic activity, and successfully provide earthquake relief and promote economic and social development. Standing Committee members also stressed the need to carefully prepare for the Beijing Olympics despite the disruptions to ensure it is a distinctive and high-level event.

Fourth, we completely revised the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters. After the revised version of this law was deliberated for the first time at the meeting of the Standing Committee in October, we released the full text to the public via major news media for comments, and received over 7,300 comments and suggestions in return. Special committees of the NPC promptly organized highly qualified personnel to conduct investigations in the quake zone and carefully listen to the comments of cadres and ordinary people providing earthquake relief on the frontlines. The Standing Committee considerably revised the draft law based on these comments to raise the earthquake resistance standards for building construction, especially for schools, hospitals and other public facilities, improve the emergency rescue system and strengthen the systems and measures for making interim arrangements and carrying out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction.

2. Vigorously promoting sound and rapid development of the economy

Thoroughly applying the Scientific Outlook on Development and promoting sound and rapid economic development is a focal point of the work of the Standing Committee. In our work, we focused on major problems in economic and social development, employed a full range of oversight means, strengthened follow-up oversight, made improvements in our work, and improved the legal framework, thereby making the work of the NPC more thorough and dynamic.

First, we carried forward implementation of the major macro-control decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee. In the face of a complicated, volatile international economic situation and serious conflicts and problems hindering domestic economic development last year, the Central Committee sized up the situation and promptly shifted the primary task for macro-control, which had been defined at the beginning of the year to be the prevention of excessively fast economic growth from becoming overheated growth and the prevention of structural price increases from turning into significant inflation, and redefined it to be maintenance of steady and rapid economic growth and curbing price hikes in mid-2008. In response to the rapidly spreading global financial crisis, in November the Central Committee resolutely shifted to a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy and adopted a series of policies and measures to boost domestic demand and promote economic growth.

In order to ensure proper implementation of the Central Committee's major policies and arrangements, the Standing Committee, in addition to hearing and deliberating the reports on strengthening macro-control in the financial sector and stabilizing prices as originally scheduled, also deliberated and approved the report of the State Council on responding to the global financial crisis and ensuring steady and rapid economic development at its December meeting in response to the latest developments in the global financial crisis. At the meeting, members of the Standing Committee fully affirmed the State Council's work. In addition, they also noted that because the current global financial crisis was spreading and its impact on China's real economy was continuing to widen, the external economic environment for the country's development was worsening by the day. It was also noted that because of insufficient effective demand, some deep-rooted issues and problems in China's economic and social development would also become more serious. This required us to be more aware of potential danger and bring our thinking and actions in line with the Central Committee's analysis and judgment of the situation and its overall work arrangements. It was necessary for us to faithfully follow the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, transform serious challenges into development opportunities, and change market pressure into an impetus for adjustment. While working to maintain steady and rapid economic development, we needed to concentrate on speeding up transformation of the pattern of economic development and carrying out economic restructuring. Everyone present at the meeting emphasized that the excess production capacity in many industries made it imperative for us to strictly maintain the orientation of policies and investment and avoid low-level, redundant construction and a new round of haphazard urban expansion in implementing the proactive fiscal policy and the moderately easy monetary policy.

To ensure smooth implementation of the proactive fiscal policy, we proposed funding additional investment programs in 2008 from that year's surplus revenue in the central budget in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Budget Law, which had to be reported to the Standing Committee as required by law. We agreed that a certain proportion of the funds should be disbursed before the NPC approves the 2009 central budget in order to ensure adequate funding for key development projects and that when the budget is approved it should be implemented accordingly. We also suggested that the bonds issued for local governments, which need to be approved by the State Council and issued by the Ministry of Finance on their behalf, be incorporated into their budgets and submitted to the people's congress or its standing committee at the corresponding level for approval.

Second, we promoted transformation of the pattern of economic development. Accelerating change in the pattern of economic development and promoting improvement and upgrading of the industrial structure are pressing and major strategic tasks that have an overall bearing on the national economy. The Standing Committee heard and deliberated the State Council's report on the intermediate assessment of the implementation of the Outline of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan at its December meeting. Those present at the meeting fully acknowledged the achievements made, analyzed problems from an objective perspective, and made pertinent suggestions. They noted that the assessment showed satisfactory progress was being made toward most of the targets set forth in the outline and that the outline was being implemented satisfactorily on the whole. However, three of the four indices reflecting the condition of the economic structure - added value of the service sector, employment in the service sector, and R&D expenditures - failed to achieve the expected progress, and two major binding targets - energy consumption per unit of GDP and total emissions of major pollutants - fell far short of the set goals. To a great extent this showed that the pattern of China's economic development had not been transformed fundamentally: industry still holds the dominant position in the industrial structure, exports and investment still play the leading role in the demand structure, and serious problems such as mounting pressure on resources and the environment, increasing difficulty in expanding employment, and insufficient consumption still exist. We proposed that the State Council and relevant departments attach great importance to these problems, accelerate the implementation of the "three transformations" in the pattern of economic development [transformation from relying mainly on investment and exports to relying on a well coordinated combination of consumption, investment and exports, transformation from secondary industry serving as the major driving force to primary, secondary and tertiary industries jointly driving economic growth, and transformation from relying heavily on increased consumption of material resources to relying mainly on advances in science and technology, improvement in the quality of the workforce and innovation in management - Tr.] in accordance with the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress, and work harder to fulfill the objectives and tasks set forth in the Outline of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The Standing Committee also prodded governments at all levels and other concerned parties to apply the Scientific Outlook on Development and transform the pattern of economic development by enacting the Law to Promote a Circular Economy, revising the Patent Law, hearing and deliberating the State Council's report on preventing and controlling water pollution, and investigating compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Law.

Third, we promoted reform and development in rural areas. Doing the work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers well has an overall bearing on the progress of the cause of the Party and the state. The last Standing Committee made significant achievements in tracking and overseeing these problems over the course of five consecutive years. Last year the Standing Committee heard and deliberated the State Council's report on spurring steady increase in rural incomes and related reports and made important suggestions on how to do a good job in work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. It investigated compliance with the Law on Specialized Farmer Cooperatives and acquired an in-depth understanding of the development of all types of specialized farmer cooperatives and the major problems facing them. We called for the implementation of all the policy support stipulated by the law to enable them to play a bigger role in strengthening the organization of farmers and guiding them in competing in domestic and international markets. The oversight by the NPC effectively promoted the building of a new socialist countryside. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the State Council, local governments at all levels and farmers, the growth rate of rural per capita net income reached 8% in 2008 following an annual increase of over 300 yuan or more than 6% over the previous four years running. Both total output and the yield per unit area reached an all-time high in the same year. By the end of 2008, the number of specialized farmer cooperatives nationwide exceeded 110,000, covering over 1.4 million households. The average annual income of rural households that have joined the cooperatives was more than 20% higher than that of those that have not. While fully confirming these achievements, members of the Standing Committee also pointed out that we needed to attach great importance to problems such as the still low overall income level of farmers, the widening income gap between urban and rural residents, the declining comparative returns from agriculture, backward agricultural infrastructure, and new difficulties facing rural workers looking for nonagricultural employment. They also pointed out the need to effectively promote rural reform, significantly increase our funding for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, strictly protect arable land, gradually make the prices of grain and other agricultural products more reasonable, constantly improve financial and technical services to aid agriculture and benefit farmers, support and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy and rural workers seeking employment in a variety of nonagricultural sectors, maintain steady agricultural development and sustain increase in rural incomes.

3. Focusing on solving the problems affecting people's well-being

Putting people first and promoting the resolution of problems affecting people's well-being are another focus of the work of the Standing Committee. We combined legislation with oversight in our work. While improving our work, we also strived to enact and improve laws and while working on legislation, we also strived to more effectively investigate compliance with laws and carry out work oversight, thus strengthening the connection between the work of the NPC and people's well-being and making the NPC's work even more practical.

Because food safety affects the people's health and safety, deputies to the NPC and all sectors of society attach great importance to this issue. In response to the serious problems revealed by the defective Sanlu milk powder and other major food safety scandals, the Standing Committee revised the draft Law on Food Safety based on in-depth investigations and studies and a wide range of opinions.

First, to effectively strengthen oversight and management of food safety, in addition to prescribing that all relevant competent authorities shall exercise oversight within the scope of their duties and responsibilities, the revised draft law stipulates that the State Council shall set up a food safety commission to coordinate and guide food safety work. It also stipulates that local people's governments at and above the county level shall have overall responsibility for and lead, organize, and coordinate oversight and management of food safety within their administrative areas.

Second, to address the misuse of food additives, the revised draft law follows a principle of prescribing non-use, use of appropriate amounts or use of lower amounts and clearly stipulates that food additives shall be used only if they are technically necessary and have been proved safe through risk assessment. When the use of a food addictive is necessary, food safety standards shall be strictly followed in deciding the category, scope and concentration of the additive. No chemicals other than food additives and no materials that might be harmful to people's health shall be used in food production.

Third, annual sales of health food of every conceivable description have exceeded 100 billion yuan. Without proper oversight in place, people cannot tell what is genuine from what is fake, making it difficult to decide which products to purchase. To address this problem, the revised draft law stipulates that the State Council shall quickly work out regulations to standardize production, restore order in the distribution market and strengthen oversight and management in order to boost the confidence of consumers.

Building on the work of the last Standing Committee, this Standing Committee carried out another investigation of compliance with the revised versions of the Law on Compulsory Education and the Law on the Protection of Minors. We also investigated compliance with the recently promulgated Law on Labor Contracts. These investigations have a direct bearing on the well-being of 170 million primary and junior secondary school students and over 360 million minors and the immediate interests of hundreds of millions of workers. The issues involved in these laws are all concerns of deputies to people's congresses and the general public. We looked closely at actual conditions in society and uncovered significant problems in the enforcement of laws and then submitted important suggestions on implementing a funding mechanism for compulsory education, increasing funding for compulsory education, cleaning up the cultural environment of the Internet to which minors are exposed and doing more to solve the problem of wages in arrears, especially those of rural migrant workers. Our suggestions, which were carefully studied by the State Council and relevant departments, helped to more effectively enforce the law and improve work.

First, the funding mechanism for compulsory education was implemented in accordance with the law, and funding for compulsory education throughout the country increased by a large margin. Per capita budgetary expenditures for primary and junior secondary school students increased significantly over the previous year. The central government also increased funding for the renovation of school buildings in the central and western regions of the country.

Second, relevant departments of the State Council jointly carried out a special campaign to clean up objectionable and unhealthy online material, strengthen management of Internet content and severely crack down on illegal and criminal behavior dangerous to the young, thereby improving the online cultural environment and winning acclaim from the general public.

Third, promulgation of the Law on Labor Contracts has brought about greater awareness of the importance of labor contracts, and significantly increased the number of labor contracts concluded. Some 93% of employees working for large enterprises signed their labor contracts across the country. The average term of newly concluded contracts was also longer. Employment and reemployment efforts were intensified and protection of the rights and interests of workers of enterprises, especially rural migrant workers, was strengthened. In light of the latest developments and problems facing employment efforts, Standing Committee members pointed out at their meeting that we must strongly support the development, transformation and upgrading of small and medium-sized enterprises, adopt whatever means necessary to stabilize and expand employment, prevent accumulation of wages in arrears and huge layoffs and work hard to solve the problem of too few workers concluding labor contracts in the service and construction industries and in small and medium-sized enterprises and private companies in order to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all workers and ensure harmonious labor relations.

In order to improve the social security system and help dispel the worries of workers, the Standing Committee made big changes to the draft Social Security Law on the basis of initial deliberation by the last Standing Committee. Specific rules were formulated in the five chapters concerning old-age insurance, medical insurance, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance. Clear provisions were set out to address issues of greatest concern to workers, such as transfer of basic old-age insurance accounts between regions, and the need to improve overall planning for basic old-age insurance funds and tighten regulation of social security funds. These changes have been widely applauded by the general public, and we are improving the draft law in light of the suggestions received. The Standing Committee also revised the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, adding more provisions prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and strengthened protection of their rights and interests in matters such as rehabilitation, education, employment, social security and handicap-accessible facilities.

4. Striving to successfully carry out our routine work

During the past year we strove to successfully carry out our routine work while concentrating on the main tasks of the Party and the government and doing the above-mentioned work well in accordance with the features of the NPC's work. We made further progress in legislation, oversight, and our efforts to give full play to the role of the deputies and special committees and carry out foreign relations work, and raised the overall quality and level of the Standing Committee's work.

In our legislative work of the past year, we first of all formulated the five-year program for legislation and held a legislative work meeting to map out the work plan for the coming period. Second, we enacted the Law on State-Owned Assets in Enterprises, the Law on Food Safety, the seventh amendment to the Criminal Law, and the Law to Promote a Circular Economy and revised the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, the Law on Security for Disabled Persons, the Fire Protection Law, the Insurance Law and the Patent Law. To address the major problems in the administration and supervision of state-owned assets in enterprises, we defined the basic principles governing the system of investors of state-owned assets as part of the Law on State-Owned Assets in Enterprises. Provisions were set out in this law concerning the basic rules that must be followed and strict oversight procedures for major actions related to investor rights and interests. Provisions covered actions that could easily lead to loss of state-owned assets, such as conversion of enterprises into joint stock companies, related party transactions and evaluation and transfer of assets. Third, we called on the concerned departments to formulate supporting regulations and relevant work procedures to ensure full compliance with laws, requiring that arrangements be made to formulate supporting regulations during the process of deciding on legislative items and drafting laws in an effort to implement laws and corresponding regulations at the same time. Fourth, we worked to make legislation more scientific and democratic and expand the orderly participation of the general public in the legislative process. It was decided by the Chairperson's Council that in principle, all draft laws under deliberation by the Standing Committee should be released to the public on www.npc.gov.cn, that major bills should also be published by major national media organizations to solicit opinions from the general public, and that this should become common practice. We also carried out thorough investigations and studies concerning issues of vital importance involved in draft laws and gave relevant parties the opportunity to stay fully informed and express their ideas through workshops and debates so they could participate in efforts to find solutions and improve draft laws.

In oversight work, we followed the suggestion of deputies to incorporate deliberation of the State Council's report on counteracting the severe snow and ice storms in part of the south and carrying out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction into the agenda of the Standing Committee's April meeting. We called on relevant departments to learn from their experience, improve the mechanisms for coping with emergencies and truly enhance disaster preparedness and mitigation capability. At our August meeting we heard and deliberated the reports on the final central government budget for 2007, on auditing work and on plan implementation, deliberated and approved the report on the final central government budget and submitted important proposals on establishing a mechanism for ensuring adequate basic financial resources at the county level, carrying out VAT reform throughout the country in 2009 and standardizing transfer payments. At our October meeting we heard and deliberated the report of the Supreme People’s Court on improving criminal trial work and the report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate on strengthening oversight for criminal trials. We called on the courts and procuratorates to correctly enforce the law, follow a policy of severity tempered with mercy in criminal trials, ensure justice and efficiency in trial and oversight work and constantly work to improve judicial work. We improved filing and examination for normative documents last year, including administrative laws and regulations, local ordinances and legal interpretations. We received a total of 475 normative documents to be filed and handled 86 suggestions from ordinary individuals and organizations concerning examination work.

In enabling deputies to play their proper role, we first of all diligently processed their proposals. The special committees have handled all the 462 proposals that the Presidium of the last NPC session assigned to them. Eight laws that came up in 26 proposals have been adopted by the Standing Committee. Deliberations are being conducted on four draft laws that were brought up in 50 proposals, and 38 legislative items listed in 126proposals have been included in the legislative plan. Second, we expanded channels through which deputies can stay informed and learn about political affairs. We organized inspection tours and studies for deputies on special topics, informed them of the latest developments through various means, and continued to invite deputies to attend meetings of the Standing Committee as observers and participate in investigations of compliance with laws. Deputies attending meetings and participating in investigations carefully prepared in advance and actively contributed to the discussions. This gave the people a voice and played an important role in improving the quality of the work of the Standing Committee. Third, we took the suggestions submitted by deputies very seriously. A total of 6,279 suggestions were made by the deputies during the last NPC session, and the problems mentioned in 4,489, or 71.5%, of them have been resolved or will be resolved according to plan.

In the area of foreign relations, we continued to consolidate the mechanisms for regular exchanges between the NPC and the congresses or parliaments of other countries. We carried out various forms of dialogue with the parliaments of the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Egypt, as well as with the European Parliament. In response to provocations from the congresses of some countries concerning the Taiwan and Tibet questions, we engaged in fierce struggle and defended China's core interests through declarations from the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Members of the Chairperson's Council, special committees and friendship groups worked to improve interaction with foreign congressional leaders, representatives and aides, increase mutual trust, remove misunderstandings, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and promote improvement in all aspects of foreign relations through exchange visits. We actively took part in the activities organized by international and regional parliamentary organizations and successfully hosted the fifth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting.

The special committees of the NPC represent rich funds of knowledge and capable personnel and carry out their work on a regular basis. The Standing Committee makes good use of the role of the special committees. Shortly after it was formed, the new Standing Committee promptly held discussions with leading members of the special committees to exchange views and reach a common understanding on how to strengthen and improve the work of the NPC, especially the work of the special committees. Focusing on the central tasks of the NPC and its standing committee, the special committees did a great amount of effective work in improving the quality of legislation, making oversight more effective, making good use of the role of deputies and carrying out foreign relations work, and effectively promoted overall improvement in the work of the Standing Committee.

5. Effectively promoting self-improvement

Working on self-improvement helps to ensure that the NPC and its standing committee are able to properly exercise their functions and powers and give full play to their role. This Standing Committee attaches great importance to self-improvement and keeps ideological and political development high on its agenda. It maintains the correct political orientation and uses it to guide all the work of the NPC.

This Standing Committee held its first meeting on March 19 last year, the day after the First Session of the Eleventh NPC was successfully concluded. The requirement to maintain the correct political orientation in the work of the NPC was firmly established as the first order of business at that meeting. Time was then set aside for careful study of the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress and General Secretary Hu Jintao's important speeches to strengthen ideological consensus and improve understanding. Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all agree that the people's congresses and their standing committees are organs of state power and extremely vital political institutions. Maintaining the correct political orientation is essential to the success of the work of the people's congresses. The most fundamental aspect of this effort is to organically integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as the masters of the country and the rule of law, and the core of this effort is to uphold the leadership of the Party. The people's congresses and their standing committees exercise their functions and powers and decide on issues collectively in accordance with the law, so maintaining the correct political orientation depends on each and every person involved. To keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve the system of people's congresses in their work, we must more fully recognize the essential differences between the system of people's congresses and Western capitalist countries' system of political power.

First, we must fully understand the essential differences between China's people's congresses and Western congresses and parliaments. China's system of political parties is a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, not a Western-style multiparty system. The CPC is at the core of the country's leadership and the ruling party, while the democratic parties are participating parties. Deputies to the people's congresses representing counties and townships are elected directly by their constituencies. Deputies to the congresses above the county level are elected indirectly by the people's congress at the next lower level, who then form delegations on the basis of their constituencies to attend sessions of their people's congresses. The people's congresses have no congressional party groups, and they do not carry out activities on the basis of sectors of society. No seats are assigned on the basis of parties in either the people's congresses, their standing committees or their special committees. All deputies to the people's congresses, members of their standing committees and members of their special committees shoulder the great trust of the people and fulfill their responsibilities to serve the people under the leadership of the CPC in accordance with the law, no matter whether they are Communists, members of the democratic parties or persons without party affiliation, and they all share the same fundamental interests.

Second, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between the people's congresses' relationship to the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates and the relationships between state organs of Western countries. The people's congresses exercise state power in a unified way, and the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates are all created by them and are responsible to them and subject to their oversight. Although China's state organs have different responsibilities, they all adhere to the line, principles and policies of the Party, enforce the Constitution and laws within their respective jurisdictions under the leadership of the CPC and work to build and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. The system of people's congresses is not a Western system with the separation of the three powers. The people's congresses decide on the major principles and policies of the state by formulating laws and passing resolutions in accordance with the stands of the Party and the will of the people. They oversee and support the governments in carrying out their administrative functions in accordance with the law. They also oversee and support the people's courts and the people's procuratorates in exercising their judicial functions fairly. They ensure that state organs carry out their work in a coordinated and effective manner. In addition, they use the power granted to them by the people to truly further their interests.

Third, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between deputies to the NPC and members of Western parliaments and congresses. Deputies come from every region, ethnic group and sector of society of the country, and there is at least one deputy from each ethnic minority group no matter how small its population is. Deputies are therefore broadly representative and they do not represent a single party or group as members of Western parliaments and congresses do. Deputies live among the people and maintain close ties with them. They all hold posts in their respective fields of endeavor and fully understand how the principles and policies of the Party and the government and the Constitution and laws are implemented and the practical problems of daily life. Deputies exercise their lawful duties and powers collectively at meetings, rather than each deputy addressing problems directly and separately from other deputies. Functional organs of the standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels collectively advise, assist and serve the deputies.

Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all strongly believe that the key to maintaining the correct political orientation in the work of the NPC is to uphold the leadership of the Party. The CPC is the core of the leadership for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Leadership by the Party can only be strengthened and in no way weakened. Through thorough studies and discussions, we have gained a more thorough understanding of the important points made by Comrade Deng Xiaoping, including: "Without the leadership of the Party a big country like China would be torn by strife and incapable of accomplishing anything." "China and its socialist modernization must be led by the Communist Party. There can be no wavering from this principle. Without it China would regress and become divided and chaotic, and modernization would become impossible." We have therefore become more purposeful and resolute in upholding the Party's leadership, in keeping to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and in adhering to and improving the system of people's congresses. Through the work of the NPC, we must ensure that the stands of the Party become the will of the state through legally stipulated procedures and that the personnel recommended by Party organizations become the leaders of the organs of state power through legally stipulated procedures. The work of the NPC must all be conducive to strengthening and improving the leadership of the Party, consolidating its position as the ruling party and ensuring that it is able to lead the people in effectively running the country.

Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all agree that the political development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only correct path that was chosen by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC, best suits the conditions of China, and guides the development of socialist democratic politics in China. Deepening our political restructuring means constantly promoting self-improvement and self-development of the socialist political system including the system of people's congresses. We must draw on the achievements of all cultures, including their political achievements, but we will never simply copy the system of Western countries or introduce a system of multiple parties holding office in rotation, a system with the separation of the three powers or a bicameral system.

Over the last year, we improved our competence, work style and institutions while also focusing on our ideological and political development.

First, we improved training for deputies on how to carry out their duties. Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees were brought together to learn about the organizational structure, functions and powers and rules for discussion of the NPC and other areas of knowledge closely related to their legislative and oversight work. After each Standing Committee meeting, special topic lectures were held related to its agenda and these proved very effective. In addition to study sessions organized for newly elected deputies, we focused on training for deputies on how to carry out their duties. Eight training courses were held attended by over 1,300 deputies.

Second, we revised our working methods. Most members of the Standing Committee and the special committees, who had long worked in Party and government departments, adapted to their new positions in the NPC quickly. They performed their duties in accordance with the law, spent more time and energy than they did in their former positions in investigating actual conditions, meeting with the general public and visiting lower-level organizations, strengthened their investigation and study efforts and compiled a number of valuable reports, thus improving the quality of deliberations and providing reference information that helped in the formulation of major policy decisions of the Party and government.

Third, we improved our working systems. We revised and improved four documents concerning our work on the basis of a careful review of practical experience, including rules for discussion in the Chairperson's Council, and conducted studies on how best to modify the organic Law of the National People's Congress, the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses and rules for discussion in the NPC Standing Committee.

organs of the NPC launched a campaign to thoroughly study and put into practice the Scientific Outlook on Development. In order to serve scientific development and improve their role as collective adviser and assistant for deputies, they conscientiously worked to resolve major problems, and established a sound permanent mechanism for improving their work. They improved the overall quality of their cadres, focusing on increasing their competence. They encouraged their employees to devote themselves to study, became more harmonious, and strove to fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of their employees, producing positive changes in their overall situation.

Fellow Deputies,

The achievements of the Standing Committee last year were made under the correct leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary and are the result of the hard work of the deputies, members of the Standing Committee and the special committees, and the employees of the organs of the NPC. Credit is also due to the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate for their assistance and to the local people's congresses and their standing committees and the general public for their support. On behalf of the Standing Committee, I would now like to express my sincerest thanks to all of them.

We are also clearly aware that more than a few aspects of our work need to be improved. First, we need to focus more on key areas and concentrate more on key problems in carrying out our work in order to improve the overall quality of the work of the NPC and make it more target-focused. Second, we need to urge the relevant authorities to formulate supporting regulations for laws in a timely manner to effectively resolve the problem of laws that cannot be effectively enforced due to lack of supporting regulations. Third, we need to improve services to deputies to help them better carry out their duties. Fourth, we need to further coordinate the efforts of special committees so that they can function more efficiently. Fifth, we need to improve our publicity efforts related to the law, make state organs more purposeful about carrying out their functions in accordance with the law and enhance respect for the law and increase awareness of the legal system among the general public. We will conscientiously accept the oversight of the people, earnestly listen to the opinions of deputies and carefully study new situations and problems that arise in the development of democracy and the legal system to constantly strengthen and improve the work of the Standing Committee and more effectively exercise the functions and powers granted to us by the Constitution and laws.

Major Tasks for This Year

The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China and it will be a crucial year in terms of responding to the major challenges presented by changes in the international and domestic environments and developing all our country's undertakings. The general requirements for the work of the Standing Committee are as follows: We must faithfully follow the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress, the Third Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference. We must take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development. We must organically integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country and the rule of law, focus on the overall work of the Party and the government in carrying out our functions and powers, work to develop the legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, strive to promote steady and rapid economic development and social harmony and stability, intensify efforts to ensure effective enforcement of the Constitution and laws, and work to bring the work of the NPC up to a new level.

1. Taking decisive steps toward establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics

The CPC Central Committee clearly set the goal of establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics by 2010. This year will be crucial for efforts to attain this goal. We must both formulate new legislation and revise and eliminate unsuitable portions of existing laws while working to improve the quality of legislation in accordance with the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress so we can take decisive steps toward establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

First, we must promptly formulate new laws and make revisions in existing laws that will form the framework for the legal system, focusing on improving legislation concerned with social issues while continuing to improve legislation concerned with economic, political and cultural issues. Legislative work on the agenda for this year includes the following. We will formulate a social security law, social welfare law, law on tort liability, law on administrative coercion, law on arbitration of disputes concerning contracted rural land, law on mental health and law on national defense mobilization. We will also revise the Law on State Compensation, the Law on Protecting State Secrets, the Electoral Law, the organic Law of Villager Committees, the Land Administration Law, the Postal Law and the Statistics Law. We will work to improve organization and coordination in legislative work, make legislation more scientific and democratic, expand orderly participation of the general public in the legislative process, improve research and scientific verification to formulate legislation and work to obtain a broad consensus of opinion to improve the quality of legislation. We will continue to urge relevant authorities to promptly formulate supporting regulations to ensure effective enforcement of laws.

Second, we need to finish the work of revising unsuitable provisions to improve existing legislation. There are 231 laws currently in effect in China, and a number of these have areas that still have room for improvement. There are three main categories of laws requiring improvement. 1) There are some laws which were formulated in the 1980s or early 1990s and contain provisions that no longer meet the requirements for developing the socialist market economy. 2) There are inconsistencies and gaps in laws formulated at different times. 3) Some laws are difficult to apply and the state is unable to enforce compliance with them. In light of this situation, the Standing Committee last year made arrangements for the work of revising unsuitable portions of the existing laws. We need to finish this work before the end of this year. We will carefully study and make a comprehensive analysis of suggestions made by relevant parties and proceed in order of importance and urgency. We will handle this task in accordance with the different types of treatment required, i.e. revision, rescinding, legal interpretation or formulation of new provisions, to develop a scientific, consistent and harmonious legal system.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of all sectors of society since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy in 1978,a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics had been basically established by the end of the term of the Tenth NPC. With the Constitution as its core and seven types of laws as its backbone, this legal system consists of three levels of laws and regulations, i.e. laws, administrative regulations, and local ordinances. There are now laws that cover basically every area of the country's economic, political, cultural and social activities, and these laws effectively ensure and promote development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, we are clearly aware that the rapid economic and social development, constant progress in socialist democratic politics, the rich and varied cultural activities in society, efforts to create a harmonious society, structural and institutional reform and innovation, and the deepening of economic globalization all present new issues and new requirements for our legislative work. Our legislative tasks are still arduous.

It must be emphasized here that ours is a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, so we must bear in mind the following four points in the process of establishing and improving it.

First, the Western model of a legal system cannot be copied mechanically in establishing our own. Some of the laws in the legal systems of other countries are incompatible with the situation and conditions in China so we will not formulate such laws. Some laws that are not part of the legal systems of other countries but are nevertheless a practical necessity for China need to be promptly enacted.

Second, administrative regulations and local ordinances are both important components of our legal system. When conditions are not ripe to formulate laws, administrative regulations or local ordinances can be legally formulated instead. When sufficient experience has been obtained and conditions become ripe corresponding laws can be formulated. Local ordinances, autonomy statutes or specific regulations can also be legally formulated to cover local issues and matters specific to ethnic minority areas.

Third, we need to distinguish between legal means and regulatory tools and resort to legislation only when it is truly necessary in order to make better use of the functions and roles of the legal system.

Fourth, our legal system is dynamic, open and in the process of development. We need to constantly improve it in light of developments and changes in the objective situation so that it can keep pace with the times.

2. Focusing oversight work on promoting the implementation of the major policy decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee

This year is the toughest year for economic development since we entered the new century, with huge tasks facing us in reform, development and stability. But, great opportunities exist side by side with severe challenges. In order to successfully carry out this year's work, the Central Committee has clearly pointed out that we must maintain steady and rapid economic growth based on boosting domestic demand, promote sustainable development by accelerating transformation of the pattern of development and economic restructuring, make economic and social development stronger and more dynamic by deepening reform and opening up, intensify social development to speed up resolution of difficult and hotspot issues that bear on the interests of the people, and promote sound and rapid economic and social development and social harmony and stability. The Central Committee has made a number of major policy decisions and arrangements to accomplish these tasks and has called on all Party members and the people of all our ethnic groups to enhance their confidence in the face of difficulty and work hard together to constantly move forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The top priority for the Standing Committee's oversight work this year is to oversee implementation of the major policy decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee. We will fully implement the Law on Oversight, apply a combination of oversight means, and urge and support the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate in carrying out their work in accordance with the targets and tasks they put forward in their work reports to ensure implementation of the Central Committee's major policy decisions and arrangements and successful accomplishment of this year's tasks for economic and social development.

First, we must improve oversight of economic work. We will hear and deliberate the State Council's special work reports on transforming the pattern of economic development, promoting development of small and medium-sized enterprises, and preventing and controlling air pollution, as well as its reports on the 2008 central government final budget, auditing work and plan implementation, and will deliberate and approve the final budget. We will devote a great deal of effort to promoting steady and rapid economic development and transforming the pattern of economic development.

Second, we must strengthen our oversight of the handling of issues affecting people's well-being. We will hear and deliberate the State Council's special work reports on developing a social safety net in rural areas, promoting employment and reemployment, carrying out recovery and reconstruction following the earthquake that hit Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, and developing vocational education, the Supreme People's Court's report on improving enforcement of civil law, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate's report on investigating cases of dereliction of duty and infringement of rights. In addition, we will investigate compliance with laws such as the Law on Trade Unions, the Food Safety Law and the Livestock Breeding Law in a strong effort to maintain and improve people's standard of living and promote social harmony and stability.

In light of the fact that there are quite a few uncertainties in this year's economic situation, we will concentrate our oversight work on two areas to make it more focused and effective. First, we will carry out more investigations and studies to gain a clear picture of actual conditions so we can focus on major problems and the main aspects of those problems and put forward good comments and suggestions. Second, we will use a combination of oversight means, strengthen follow-up oversight, focus on key and difficult problems of common concern to the deputies, and urge the concerned parties to improve their work and set up a sound permanent mechanism for resolving these problems.

We have devoted a great deal of effort in recent years to strengthening and improving the oversight work of the NPC, achieved significant results and established a comprehensive system of effective working mechanisms and methods. The Tenth NPC formulated the Law on Oversight to provide a legal framework for these mechanisms and methods in order to make the oversight work of the standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels more standardized and proceduralized. Over the last two years or so since its implementation, this law has proven to be a good law that is in line with China's actual conditions and the work of the people's congresses. In order to ensure that this law is implemented more successfully and that the people's congresses carry out their oversight work more effectively, we need to clear up three points.

First, the power of oversight is an important power granted to the people's congresses by the Constitution and laws. Their oversight carries the force of law and is carried out in the name of the country and the people, making it irreplaceable. Their oversight work, which consists of oversight of law enforcement and oversight of work performance, covers a great deal of ground, involves a great variety of arduous tasks and is well worth doing.

Second, the people's congresses oversee the work of the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates, but this does not mean that they are confrontational or create difficulties for the parties they oversee. On the contrary, the people's congresses and the organizations they oversee are working toward the same goals. When the people's congresses carry out their oversight work effectively in accordance with the law, it helps improve the work of the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates. When the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates willingly accept the oversight of the people's congresses in accordance with the law, it helps ensure that the people's governments carry out their administrative functions in accordance with the law and that the people's courts and people's procuratorates exercise their judicial functions fairly.

Third, the key to doing the oversight work of the people's congresses well is to focus on key areas and stress practical results. A law may contain many provisions, but there are usually only a few that the people are most concerned about. At the same time, there are many issues and problems that have to be addressed in the course of our work, but there are usually only several that are in fact crucial. Therefore, if we focus on resolving these crucial issues, we can expand our efforts to include other issues so that the results of our oversight work can be truly significant.

3. Making continued progress in strengthening the role of deputies, carrying out foreign relations work and promoting self-improvement

We will continue to fully implement the guiding principles of document No. 9 issued by the Central Committee, starting with upholding and improving the system of people's congresses, respecting the major role of deputies and maintaining an attitude of service to deputies. We will work to improve the level of service provided to deputies, expand their participation in the work of the Standing Committee and special committees, sincerely listen to deputies' criticism and comments, improve the handling of bills they submit, expand channels to enable them to stay informed of state affairs and developments, provide special training for them and work hard to protect, guide and unleash their initiative in performing their functions in accordance with the law.

We will continue to strengthen and improve foreign relations work of the NPC. We will consolidate and improve the NPC's mechanisms for regular exchanges with the congresses and parliaments of other countries, make good preparations for exchange visits with the congresses and parliaments of the countries included in the mechanisms for regular exchanges, and engage in extensive friendly contacts with foreign congresses and parliaments to give more play to the unique role of the NPC in foreign relations.

We will strengthen and improve the NPC's publicity efforts. We will make full use of radio, TV, newspapers, periodicals, the Internet and other media to explain the political development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the system of people's congresses, step up efforts to inform people about and report on the NPC's legislative and oversight work, and work to increase knowledge of the law and enhance respect for it throughout society.

We will continue to intensify our self-improvement efforts, maintain a correct political orientation for the work of the NPC and firmly instill the concept of attaching great importance to the Party, political matters, the overall situation, the people and the law. We will carefully study the Constitution to better understand it and safeguard its authority. We will handle matters in accordance with the law and prescribed procedures, improve the deliberation procedures, working rules and work style of the Standing Committee, improve investigation and study efforts, and carefully organize seminars. We will strengthen coordination of the work of the special committees to improve its overall quality and level. We will strengthen ties with local people's congresses and work with them to develop socialist democracy and the socialist legal system. organs of the NPC need to build on their achievements in the campaign to thoroughly study and put into practice the Scientific Outlook on Development and constantly work to improve their working systems and mechanisms as well as the overall quality of their cadres, improve their services and be a good collective advisor and assistant.

Fellow Deputies,

Our responsibilities and missions inspire us, and our difficulties and challenges test us. Let us rally closely around the Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, work hard together with one heart and one mind, greet the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China with brilliant achievements, and courageously forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics!  

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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=59 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-07-11T00:26:17+08:00 2009-07-11T00:26:17+08:00

The following is the full text of the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009 and adopted on March 13, 2009:

REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT

Delivered at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009

Wen Jiabao

Premier of the State Council


Fellow Deputies,

On behalf of the State Council, I now present to you my report on the work of the government for your deliberation and approval. I also solicit comments and suggestions on the report from the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

I. Review of the Work in 2008

The year 2008 was truly eventful. Our country's economic and social development withstood severe challenges and tests that were rarely seen before. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the people of all our ethnic groups faced difficulties squarely, worked with courage and determination, surmounted all difficulties and obstacles, and made new achievements in reform, opening up and socialist modernization.

- The national economy continued to maintain steady and rapid growth. GDP topped 30 trillion yuan, an increase of 9% over the previous year. Overall price rises were held in check. Government revenue was 6.13 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.5%. Grain output rose for the fifth consecutive year and totaled 528.5 million tons, a record high.

- Reform and opening up were further deepened. New breakthroughs were made in reforms in key areas and crucial links, such as the fiscal, taxation, financial and pricing systems and administration. Imports and exports totaled US$ 2.56 trillion, an increase of 17.8%. Paid-in foreign direct investment reached $92.4billion.

- Development of social programs was accelerated, and the living standards of the people continued to rise. A total of 11.13million more urban residents entered the workforce. Urban per capita annual disposable income reached 15,781 yuan, an increase of 8.4% in real terms, and rural per capita net income reached 4,761 yuan, up by 8% in real terms.

- Great victories were won in the fight against massive natural disasters. The Beijing Olympics and Paralympics were held successfully, and the Shenzhou VII manned space mission was a complete success.

These achievements signify that we have taken new and solid steps along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They have greatly fortified the courage and strength of the people of all our ethnic groups to surmount difficulties and will definitely encourage us to bravely forge ahead on the new historical course.

Last year, we accomplished the following important work:

1. Making timely and resolute adjustments to macroeconomic policies and doing everything possible to maintain steady and rapid economic development

We maintained the right direction, focus, intensity and pace of macro control, and adopted a series of policies and measures to promote steady and rapid economic development. In a complex and volatile situation, we actively responded to the severe impact of the global financial crisis and worked hard to make our macro control more proactive, targeted and effective. In the middle of the year, when energy and grain prices on the international market were high, world economic growth slowed, and exports from and economic growth in China's coastal regions began to decline, we promptly shifted the priority of macro control to maintaining steady and rapid economic development and controlling price hikes, and adopted relevant fiscal, taxation and financial measures. In September, the international economic situation started to deteriorate sharply and its negative impact became increasingly felt in China. We again resolutely shifted the focus of macro control to preventing economic growth from slowing down too quickly. We implemented a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy. We raised export rebate rates three times, lowered the benchmark interest rates on savings and loans for financial institutions on five occasions, reduced required reserve ratios four times, suspended the individual income tax on interest earnings from savings, reduced securities transaction stamp tax rates, cut taxes and fees on housing transactions, and increased credit support to small and medium-sized enterprises. In accordance with the requirement that we act fast, be forceful, take targeted measures and stress implementation, we promptly introduced ten measures to further boost domestic demand and promote economic growth, and implemented them without delay. We adopted a succession of policies and measures to encourage financial institutions to support economic development, promote sound development of the textile and other light industries and the real estate market, expand consumption by improving distribution, maintain steady growth in foreign trade, and keep the employment situation stable. At the same time, we stepped up efforts to formulate plans for restructuring and revitalizing key industries. Together, these measures have played a crucial role in alleviating serious problems affecting economic performance, enhancing confidence, stabilizing expectations and maintaining steady and rapid economic development.

We continued to strengthen our work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers without any letup. Central government budgetary spending on agriculture, rural areas and farmers was 595.5 billion yuan for the whole year, a year-on-year increase of 163.7 billion yuan or 37.9%. This included 103 billion yuan, twice the figure for the previous year, in direct subsidies to grain producers, general subsidies for agricultural production supplies, and subsidies for superior crop varieties and the purchase of agricultural machinery and tools. We significantly raised minimum grain purchase prices three times, with the total increase exceeding 20%. We implemented a temporary policy for purchasing and stockpiling major agricultural products. We intensified the protection of arable land and the construction of agricultural water conservancy projects, and increased overall agricultural production capacity. We supported the production of hogs, oilseeds and dairy products. These policies and measures played an important role in maintaining and stimulating the enthusiasm of farmers, ensuring the supply of major farm products and increasing rural incomes, and provided strong support for maintaining overall stability in economic and social development.

We unswervingly promoted independent innovation and economic restructuring. We launched 16 major national science and technology projects, and established a number of new national engineering centers, key laboratories and enterprise technology centers in such fields as information technology, biotechnology and environmental protection. We successfully developed a number of key technologies and major equipment in the areas of regional aircraft, automobiles powered by new energy sources and high-speed railways. The central government invested 116.3 billion yuan in science and technology, an increase of 16.4%. Significant steps were taken in reorganization of the telecommunications and civil aviation industries. We continued to eliminate backward production facilities. Last year, we shut down small thermal power plants with a total capacity of 16.69 million kilowatts and closed 1,054 small coalmines. Investment in infrastructure and basic industries was increased, and a number of major projects in energy, transportation and water conservancy were completed or launched. Steady progress was made in implementing the master strategy for regional development, and economic development in different regions became better coordinated.

We steadfastly promoted energy conservation, emissions reduction and ecological and environmental protection. The central government allocated 42.3 billion yuan to support development of ten key energy conservation projects and environmental protection facilities. The daily sewage treatment capacity rose by an additional 11.49 million tons in urban areas, and desulfurization equipment was installed in coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 97.12 million kilowatts. Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 4.59% from the previous year; chemical oxygen demand fell by 4.42%; and sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 5.95%. For the past three years combined, total energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 10.08%; chemical oxygen demand dropped by 6.61%; and sulfur dioxide emissions dropped by 8.95%. We built on the achievements in returning farmland to forests and restoring livestock pastures to grasslands, and carried out ecological conservation projects such as protecting virgin forests and developing the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province. We implemented the plan to prevent and control water pollution in major river valleys and regions and issued the white paper China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change.

2. Balancing economic and social development and strengthening all aspects of social development with the focus on improving people's lives

Efforts were intensified to increase employment and improve the social safety net. We improved our policy to stimulate and expand employment by encouraging business startups, and enforced the minimum wage system. The coverage of all social security schemes continued to expand, with 17.53 million more urban workers subscribing to basic old-age insurance, 20.28 million more subscribing to basic medical insurance, and the unemployment, workers' compensation and maternity insurance steadily expanding to cover more workers. Pensions of enterprise retirees rose by 110 yuan per month per person. We launched trials to reform the basic old-age insurance system for employees of government-affiliated institutions. We actively explored ways to establish a new system of old-age insurance for rural residents and made steady progress in making social security available to rural migrant workers in urban areas and farmers whose land has been expropriated. We comprehensively improved the system of cost of living allowances for both urban and rural residents, and provided allowances to 66.19 million residents. We raised living allowances for low-income groups and university students in a timely fashion. Preferential treatment enjoyed by key entitled groups was increased substantially. We intensified efforts to develop low-income housing and renovate shantytowns, thus alleviating some of the housing difficulties of the low-income population. An additional of more than 48 million rural people gained access to safe drinking water.

Further progress was made in promoting fair education for all. Free compulsory education became available to all students, urban or rural, throughout the country, and all rural students receiving compulsory education obtained free textbooks. The standards for repairing and renovating school buildings in the central and western regions were raised, and the government allocated 3.25 billion yuan to provide heating to rural primary and secondary schools in the north. Development of vocational education was accelerated. The national financial aid system for students was further improved. The central government spent 22.3 billion yuan and local governments increased funding as well to assist more than 20 million students. Grants of 1,500 yuan per student per annum were given to secondary vocational school students from rural areas or needy urban families, benefiting 90% of the current student population in these vocational schools.

Steady progress was made in reform and development of the pharmaceutical and health care system. A total of 814 million people, accounting for 91.5% of the rural population, now benefit from the new type of rural cooperative medical care system. The number of selected cities participating in trials of the basic medical insurance system for urban residents increased from 88 to 317, and the number of participating individuals increased by 73.59 million to 117 million. Significant progress was made in developing a system of community-based health services in urban areas. We continued to expand the coverage of the reward and assistance system for rural families complying with family planning regulations, and implemented the "lower birthrate equals faster prosperity" program in more places in the countryside.

We accelerated the development of culture and sports. Public cultural infrastructure facilities were improved, the cultural industries developed rapidly, and reform of the cultural management system was constantly deepened. We mobilized all resources and hosted a distinctive and high-level Beijing Olympicsand Paralympics, thus fulfilling the century-old dream of the Chinese nation, and Chinese athletes competed hard and brave and scored excellent achievements in the Games. This greatly aroused the patriotism of all our people and strengthened the cohesiveness of our nation.

We continued to strengthen democracy and the legal system. The system of local-level democracy was further improved. Significant progress was made in enhancing law-based government. Last year, the State Council submitted eight bills, including a draft of the Social Insurance Law and draft amendments to the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. It also formulated or revised 30 administrative laws and regulations. The Regulations on Making Government Information Public was fully implemented. The public security system for crime prevention and control was strengthened. We battled against secessionist and terrorist activities, protected China's national security and maintained social stability. Our work related to ethnic minority, religious and overseas Chinese affairs further improved.

3. Vigorously advancing reform and opening up and injecting fresh vitality and impetus into economic and social development

Institutional restructuring of the State Council was basically completed and that of local governments is progressing steadily. Comprehensive rural reforms continued to deepen, and reform of collective forest rights was instituted throughout the country. SOE reform was deepened. The transformation of the Agricultural Bank of China and China Development Bank into joint stock companies proceeded smoothly. The new Law on Corporate Income Tax went into effect, and real estate taxes were unified for domestic and overseas-funded enterprises and Chinese and foreign individuals. After years of deliberation, reform in pricing, taxes and fees for refined petroleum products was smoothly introduced. Aplan for reform of the pharmaceutical and health care system was devised and referred to the general public for comments. These innovations in systems and mechanisms have laid a solid foundation for our long-term development.

The country opened wider to the outside world. We vigorously implemented the strategy of competing on quality and diversifying export markets. We increased efforts to establish innovation bases to invigorate trade through science and technology and bases for providing services outsourced from other countries. We supported the export of products with Chinese trademarks and intellectual property rights. We improved the policy system for the processing trade. We steadily opened service industries wider to the outside world and provided more guidance to orient foreign investment in China. We integrated existing funds and set up new ones designed to promote external economic and technological cooperation. We promulgated regulations on managing overseas contracted projects and rectified the system of administration of cooperative overseas labor services. We actively promoted energy and resources cooperation overseas, further expanded our assistances to other countries, and the pace of enterprises going global was accelerated. Further progress was made in the development of free trade zones, and in our economic dialogues with major trading partners and mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries.

Fellow Deputies,

A massive earthquake that shocked the world struck Wenchuan on May 12. Under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, people of all ethnic groups in China, especially in the quake zone, worked as one and fought in unison against the earthquake disaster. The people's army rushed to the frontlines without thinking of their own safety. We launched an earthquake rescue and relief operation that accomplished its work faster, mobilized more personnel and committed more resources than ever before in China's history. We steadfastly gave top priority to saving people's lives. We pulled 84,000 survivors out of the rubble. We promptly repaired damaged infrastructure, and resolutely unblocked the Mount Tangjia quake lake to avert potential secondary disasters. We did our utmost to prevent an epidemic from occurring and ensured that there was no major outbreak of diseases after the deadly earthquake. The central government allocated 38.4 billion yuan for quake relief and 74 billion yuan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. We promptly introduced a host of policies and measures to support the quake zone. We energetically organized one-to-one assistance to designated areas affected by the earthquake. People from all sectors of society in China made generous donations, both in cash and in kind; our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese contributed generously to the disaster relief campaign; and the international community provided us with earthquake rescue and relief assistance. All this combined to forma boundless source of strength for the Chinese people to overcome the disaster. This hard struggle against the earthquake produced uncountable touching and brave exploits and fully demonstrated the great indomitable and unyielding spirit of the Chinese people, thus writing a heroic chapter in the history of the nation.

None of the achievements we made last year came easily. They were the result of overall planning and correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, as well as the concerted and strenuous efforts of the whole Party, the entire army and the people of all our ethnic groups. On behalf of the State Council, I hereby express our sincere gratitude to the people of all our ethnic groups and to the democratic parties, mass organizations and people from all sectors of society. I also express our sincere thanks to compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan and to overseas Chinese, as well as to foreign governments, international organizations and friends in other countries that take an interest in and support China's modernization drive.

While acknowledging our achievements, we must be clearly aware that we face unprecedented difficulties and challenges.

First, the global financial crisis continues to spread and get worse. Demand continues to shrink on international markets; the trend toward global deflation is obvious; and trade protectionism is resurging. The external economic environment has become more serious, and uncertainties have increased significantly.

Second, continuous drop in economic growth rate due to the impact of the global financial crisis has become a major problem affecting the overall situation. This has resulted in excess production capacity in some industries, caused some enterprises to experience operating difficulties and exerted severe pressure on employment. Factors leading to decline in government revenues and increase in government expenditures have increased. It has become more difficult to maintain steady agricultural development and keep rural incomes growing.

Third, institutional and structural problems that have long hindered healthy economic development still remain, and some of them are still prominent. Consumption demand is insufficient, and development of tertiary industries is sluggish. Our capacity for independent innovation is weak. Consumption of energy and other resources is high. Environmental pollution is serious. Disparities in development between urban and rural areas and between regions are widening.

Fourth, some problems affecting the vital interests of the people have not been fundamentally alleviated. There are still many problems demanding urgent solution in the areas of social security, education, health care, income distribution and public security.

Fifth, order in the market is not well standardized; market oversight and law enforcement are not fully in place, and the social credit rating system is still in need of improvement. A number of serious and major incidents concerning food and workplace safety have occurred, which have inflicted serious loss of life and property on the people and taught us a sobering lesson.

We need to thoroughly appreciate how serious and complex the international and domestic economic situations are, be more mindful of potential perils and crises, fully exploit favorable conditions and actively respond to all challenges so that we can successfully accomplish all our tasks and prove worthy of the great expectations and trust conferred on us by the people.

II. General Plan for the Work in 2009

This year is crucial for the implementation of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. It will also be the most difficult year for China's economic development since the beginning of the 21st century. We face arduous tasks in promoting reform, development and stability.

An analysis of the overall international and domestic situations shows that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunities. Challenges and opportunities coexist, as do hardships and hopes. Neither the fundamentals of China's economic and social development nor its positive long-term trend has changed. We are fully confident that we will overcome difficulties and challenges, and we have the conditions and ability to do so. Our confidence and strength come from many sources: from the scientific judgment and correct grasp of the situation of the central leadership; from the policies and measures that have been formulated and implemented to respond to challenges and promote long-term development; from the huge demand generated by the development of infrastructure, the upgrading of the industrial structure and consumption patterns, environmental protection, and the development of the ecosystem and social programs in the rapid process of industrialization and urbanization; from the support of such factors as our ample capital and labor resources, our sound financial system in smooth operation, vigorous enterprises and flexible macro control policies; from our material, scientific and technological base and institutional conditions that have been created in the 30 years of reform and opening up; from our unique political and institutional advantages that enable us to mobilize resources to accomplish large undertakings, the stable, harmonious social environment we enjoy, and the enthusiasm and creativity of the whole nation from top to bottom to promote scientific development; and from the powerful spirit of the Chinese nation, which always works hard and persistently to make the country strong. As long as we closely follow the Party's leadership and firmly rely on the people of all our ethnic groups, we will be able to overcome any difficulties, minimize the adverse impact of the global financial crisis and promote sound and rapid economic and social development.

To carry out the work of the government well this year, we must hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide, and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development. We need to make ensuring steady and rapid economic development the main task of our economic work. We need to strengthen and improve macroeconomic control, vigorously expand domestic demand, particularly consumer demand, change the pattern of development and speed up strategic economic restructuring, and deepen reform and improve our work of opening to the outside world. We need to improve the people's lives, increase social harmony and promote all-round progress in socialist economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development.

We have set the following major targets for this year's national economic and social development: GDP will grow by about 8%; the economic structure will further improve; urban employment will increase by more than nine million persons; the urban registered unemployment rate will be held under 4.6%, urban and rural incomes will grow steadily; the rise in the CPI will be around 4%; and the balance of payments will continue to improve. It needs to be stressed that in projecting the GDP growth target at about 8%, we have taken into consideration both our need and ability to sustain development. In China, a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion, maintaining a certain growth rate for the economy is essential for expanding employment for both urban and rural residents, increasing people's incomes and ensuring social stability. As long as we adopt the right policies and appropriate measures and implement them effectively, we will be able to achieve this target.

To ensure success of the government's work this year, we must act on the following principles.

First, we must boost domestic demand to sustain economic growth. We need to steadfastly take reversing the downward trend in economic growth as the primary goal of macro control, and make boosting domestic demand a long-term strategic principle and a basic point of departure for stimulating economic growth. We will work to increase effective demand, shore up weak links, and give full play to the leading role of domestic demand, particularly consumer demand, in driving economic growth.

Second, we must adjust the structure of the economy to raise it to a higher level of development. In changing the pattern of development, we will continue to focus on economic restructuring and independent innovation. We will turn pressure into impetus for growth, unwaveringly protect and develop advanced productive forces, shut down backward production facilities, integrate factors of production and create more room for development. We will balance our efforts to sustain economic growth, adjust the structure and improve economic performance to raise the overall quality of the national economy and strengthen the basis for its further development.

Third, we must press ahead with reform to make the economy more vigorous. We will continue to take deepening reform and opening up as the fundamental driving force for promoting scientific development. We need to further emancipate our minds, intensify reform in major areas and key links, eliminate obstacles embedded in systems and mechanisms and stimulate greater creativity for development.

Fourth, we must give top priority to ensuring people's well-being and promote social harmony. The more difficulties we face, the greater attention we should pay to ensuring people's well-being and promoting social harmony and stability. We will continue to ensure that maintaining and improving people's lives is always the starting and end point of our economic work. We will implement an even more proactive employment policy and closely integrate efforts to stimulate growth with efforts to expand employment and improve people's lives in order to ensure that all of the people share in the fruits of reform and development.

II. Major Tasks for 2009

This year, our government work will give high priority to dealing with the global financial crisis and promoting steady and rapid economic development. We will take a coordinated approach, stress key areas, and fully implement a package plan to ensure steady and rapid economic development. We will dramatically increase government investment by launching a four trillion yuan two-year investment plan, for which the central government has pledged 1.18 trillion yuan, and implement a structural tax reduction in order to stimulate domestic demand. We will also implement a massive plan to adjust and reinvigorate industries to raise the overall competitiveness of the economy; vigorously promote independent innovation and provide scientific and technological support to increase the sustaining power of development; and significantly increase social security benefits, expand urban and rural employment and promote development of social programs. To implement this package plan, we will concentrate our efforts on the following seven areas.

1. Improving and strengthening macro control and maintaining steady and rapid economic development

We need to adhere to a flexible and prudent control policy to make our macro control more responsive to changes and more results-oriented. We will reverse the slowdown in economic growth as soon as possible and maintain steady and rapid economic development.

We will implement a proactive fiscal policy.

First, we will significantly increase government spending. This is the most active, direct and efficient way we can expand domestic demand. There will be a large discrepancy between government revenues and expenditures this year. On the one hand, a slowdown in economic growth and the reduction of tax burdens on enterprises and individuals will inevitably slow the growth of government revenues. On the other hand, we must significantly increase investment and government expenditures to stimulate economic growth, improve people's lives and deepen reform. To cover the shortfall arising from the decline in government revenues and growth in expenditures, we have set this year's central government deficit at 750 billion yuan, 570 billion yuan more than last year. In addition, the State Council will allow local governments to issue 200 billion yuan worth of government bonds through the Ministry of Finance, which will go into provincial budgets. These will add up to a 950 billion yuan deficit, accounting for less than 3% of the GDP. Although the deficit will increase significantly this year, the constant drop in government deficits in previous years provides room to issue more bonds this year, and the ratio of the cumulative balance of outstanding government bonds to GDP, which is around 20%, is within the acceptable range of what our overall national strength can bear and is therefore safe.

Second, we will carry out structural tax reduction and promote reform of taxes and fees. We will reduce tax burdens on enterprises and individuals by a variety of means such as tax cuts, rebates and exemptions to encourage enterprise investment and consumer spending and invigorate the micro-economy. Preliminary calculations indicate that the burdens on enterprises and individuals will fall by approximately 500 billion yuan this year as the result of comprehensively carrying out VAT reform; implementing existing preferential tax policies on small and medium-sized enterprises, the real estate industry and securities transactions and export rebate policies; and rescinding or suspending 100 administrative charges.

Third, we will optimize the structure of government expenditures. We will continue to increase investment in key areas, strictly control regular expenditures, and do everything we can to reduce administrative costs.

We will follow a moderately easy monetary policy and give monetary policy a more active role to play in promoting economic growth.

First, we will improve financial control. We will increase the broad money supply by about 17% and grant over five trillion yuan in additional loans to ensure that the supply of money and credit meets the requirements of economic development.

Second, we will improve the credit structure. We will strengthen monitoring and guidance of the flow of credit, increase financial support for weak links such as agriculture, rural areas and farmers as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, and effectively resolve the problem some businesses have in getting financing. We will strictly control lending to industries and enterprises that are energy intensive or highly polluting or have excess production capacity.

Third, we will improve the mechanism for transmitting monetary policy and guarantee the smooth flow of funds. We will make full use of the advantages and special features of all kinds of financial institutions, innovate and improve financial services, satisfy reasonable requests for financing, and create a synergy for finance to promote economic development.

Fourth, we will strengthen and improve financial oversight and supervision. All kinds of financial enterprises need to strengthen risk management and become better able to withstand risks. We will ensure that there is a proper balance between innovation, opening up, and oversight and supervision in the financial sector. We will strengthen monitoring and supervision of cross-border capital flows and maintain financial stability and security.

We need to make our fiscal and monetary policies more consistent and coordinated with our industrial, trade, land, investment and employment policies to create a control synergy.

2. Actively boosting domestic demand, especially consumer demand, and strengthening the role of domestic demand in driving economic growth

First, we will expand consumption, especially individual consumption. We will continue to adjust income distribution, raise the proportion of the national income that goes to wages, increase the proportion of government spending dedicated to improving people's lives and expanding consumption, and increase subsidies to farmers and low-income urban residents. We need to cultivate areas of high consumer demand and expand consumption in new areas. We will improve the policy on automobile consumption, accelerate development of markets for second-hand cars and car rental, and guide and promote rational spending on automobiles. We will vigorously expand consumption that makes people's lives easier, such as community-based businesses, property management and household services; accelerate development of tourism and leisure consumption; increase consumption in culture, recreation, sports and fitness services; and vigorously expand consumption in new areas such as the Internet and animation. We will improve consumption policies and the consumption environment. We will accelerate the project to encourage retailers to open stores in more townships and villages, and encourage commercial chains to open more outlets in rural areas. We will intensify the development of consumption facilities and service networks in both urban and rural areas, rectify order in the market, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. We will promptly work out and introduce policies and measures to encourage consumption, and vigorously develop consumer credit. We will do all the work of implementing the programs for bringing home appliances, agricultural machinery, and automobiles and motorbikes to the countryside well, and we will make effective and flexible use of the 40 billion yuan in central government subsidies provided to get enterprises to increase their sales and enable farmers to enjoy real benefits.

Second, we will maintain rapid growth in investment and improve the investment structure. The central government plans to invest 908 billion yuan this year. Government investment will focus on projects to improve people's lives such as those for developing low-income housing, education, heath care and culture; projects to conserve energy, protect the environment, improve the ecosystem, upgrade technologies, and make scientific and technological innovations; projects to make key infrastructure improvements, including farmland improvement and water conservancy projects, railways, and freeways; and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. We must channel government investment to areas where it best counteracts the effects of the global financial crisis and to weak areas in economic and social development, and no government investment will be made in the regular processing industries. We will promptly work out and introduce preferential policies to encourage and guide non-governmental investment. We need to support non-governmental investment in areas favored by state industrial policies and encourage enterprises to increase spending on R&D and technological upgrading through proper release of information and improved guidance. All government money comes from the people, and we must spend every penny responsibly. We will make every effort to ensure that all construction projects meet high quality standards and are built to last and be passed onto our future generations as valuable legacy.

Third, we will promote the steady and healthy development of the real estate market. We will adopt even more vigorous and effective policies and measures to stabilize market confidence and expectations, keep real estate investment stable, and promote steady and orderly development of the real estate industry. We will speed up implementation and improvement of policies and measures to promote development of low-income housing projects. Wewill strive to solve the housing problems of 7.5 million low-income urban families and 2.4 million families living in shantytowns in forests, on reclaimed land and around coalmines within three years. This year, the central government will allocate 49.3 billion yuan for the construction of low-income housing to increase funding for developing low-rent housing and improving housing conditions in shantytowns, and increase housing subsidies for the central and western regions by an appropriate amount. We will expand the pilot program for renovating dilapidated houses in rural areas and build permanent housing for nomads in ethnic minority areas. A pilot program will be launched in selected places where conditions permit to use the idle portion of the housing accumulation fund to support development of affordable housing. We will vigorously develop public rental housing. We will effectively implement credit, tax and other policies to support people in purchasing homes and making home improvements. Individuals who meet relevant criteria and apply for bank loans to support the purchase of a second home for personal use will enjoy similar preferential lending policies that apply to the purchase of first homes. We will implement the policy to reduce or exempt the business tax on housing transfers to varying degrees based on the age of the housing. We will expand consumption and supply of ordinary commercial housing, and increase credit support for building small and medium-sized condominiums at low and medium price levels. We will speed up development of the market for second-hand homes and the home rental market. We will encourage and guide local governments to stabilize and develop their real estate market in light of local conditions, and strengthen supervision of the housing market by type. We will continue to rectify order in the real estate market, and standardize transactions. We will help rural migrant workers in cities solve their housing problems. We will deepen reform of the urban housing system to meet people's multilevel housing demand, and strive to ensure adequate housing for everyone.

Fourth, we will accelerate recovery and reconstruction of areas hit by the Wenchuan earthquake. We will promptly and fully implement the master plan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. The central government will allocate 130 billion yuan for this purpose this year. We will quickly rebuild homes for quake-affected urban and rural residents by combining repair and reinforcement of existing housing with construction of new housing. We will basically complete reconstruction of rural houses collapsed or badly damaged during the earthquake, and ensure quake-stricken residents can move into new houses by the end of this year. We will accelerate rebuilding of schools in the quake zone and ensure that more than 95% of the students whose school buildings were destroyed in the earthquake will have permanent school buildings. We will continue work to repair and rebuild infrastructure such as transportation, communications, energy and water conservancy facilities. We will effectively prevent and control geological disasters, restore the ecosystem, improve the environment, and resume cultivation of damaged arable land. We will speed up industrial rebuilding and development in the quake zone on the basis of the plan to adjust and reinvigorate key industries. We will continue to provide one-to-one assistance and special aid to the quake zone and manage and use funds, goods and materials for post-earthquake reconstruction well. We will intensify and accelerate post-earthquake reconstruction and strive to basically reach the targets in two years that had originally been set for three, so that residents of the quake zone can begin to live a happier life as soon as possible.

3. Consolidating and strengthening the position of agriculture as the foundation of the economy, and promoting steady development of agriculture and continuous increase in rural incomes

We will focus on the following five areas.

First, we will steadily develop grain production. We will effectively keep the area planted in grain crops stable, focus on increasing the yield per unit area and optimizing the variety mix, and increase the country's grain production capacity by 50 million tons.

Second, we will adjust the agricultural structure based on market demand. We will support the production of important agricultural products in short supply, and improve the quality, profitability and competitiveness of agricultural products. We will speed up implementation of the new plan for developing agricultural products in regions with the most suitable conditions. We will support the growing of oil bearing and other cash crops in areas with the most suitable conditions. We will stabilize hog production, implement the plan for reinvigorating the dairy industry, and promote large-scale, standardized, healthy farming practices in animal husbandry and aquaculture. We will strengthen the prevention and control of major animal and plant epidemics.

Third, we will intensify development of agricultural infrastructure and projects designed to improve the lives of rural people. We will develop land on a large scale and comprehensively improve farmland, water supplies, roads, and forests. We will upgrade low- and medium-yield farmland and develop farm plots that meet high standards. We will speed up the reinforcement of large and medium-sized reservoirs and dangerous key small reservoirs. We will further improve irrigated areas and build more small water conservancy facilities. By the end of next year, we will have basically paved the roads linking all towns and townships across the country and all incorporated villages with the proper conditions in the eastern and central regions and will have completed the construction of roads connecting all incorporated villages with the proper conditions in the western region. In addition, we will provide safe drinking water to another 60 million people and methane to an additional five million households. We will continue to improve rural infrastructure, including power grids, postal service, and telecommunications, and intensify development of rural social programs.

Fourth, we will increase rural incomes in a variety of ways. We will vigorously develop modern agriculture with distinctive local features, support intensive processing and sale of agricultural products, develop rural secondary and tertiary industries, accelerate the development of small towns, and strengthen county economies.

Fifth, we will intensify our efforts to alleviate poverty through development. This year, a new poverty line will be adopted and all low-income rural residents will be covered by the poverty relief policy. The threshold will be increased to 1,196 yuan per person on average, and coverage will be extended to include 40.07 million recipients. This marks the beginning of a new stage in China's efforts to reduce poverty through development. We need to improve state poverty relief strategies and policies, increase funding, and steadfastly make development the basis of poverty reduction. We will give priority to eradicating poverty at the village level, training rural residents for nonagricultural employment, and reducing poverty through industrial development and relocation of residents so that the poor get the basic necessities, escape poverty, and become prosperous.

We will take the following measures to comprehensively strengthen our work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

First, we will greatly increase funding for agriculture and rural areas. Central government allocations for agriculture, rural areas and farmers will total 716.1 billion yuan this year, a year-on-year increase of 120.6 billion yuan. We will significantly increase funding for rural public facilities in the central and western regions, and relieve governments at and below the county level of the burden of providing supporting funds for them. Greater priority will be given to major grain-producing areas in implementing the policies and measures supporting grain production. More general transfer payments and financial rewards will be provided to major grain-producing counties and greater support given to projects for industrializing grain production.

Second, we will significantly raise minimum grain purchase prices and keep the prices of agricultural products stable at a reasonable level to encourage farmers to grow more. This year the floor price for the purchase of wheat and rice will be increased by 0.22 yuan and 0.26 yuan per kilogram on average respectively. We will apply policies in a timely fashion to temporarily purchase and stockpile major agricultural products to build up reserves of grain, cotton, edible oil and pork, and strengthen regulation of the farm products market.

Third, we will further increase agricultural subsidies. Central government funding for these subsidies will total 123 billion yuan, an increase of 20 billion yuan over last year. Direct subsidies to grain producers will continue to increase. We will increase subsidies for the use of superior seed varieties, raise subsidy levels, make subsidies available to all rice, wheat, corn and cotton growers, extend them more widely to canola and soybean farmers, and start to subsidize tea-oil tree planting. The central government will spend 13 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of nine billion yuan, on subsidies to all agricultural and pastoral counties (farms) throughout the country for purchasing agricultural machinery and tools. We will promptly increase general subsidies for agricultural supplies to coordinate with price rises and changes in the acreage planted in various crops.

Fourth, we will speed up development of a new system under which various sectors of society provide services for agriculture. We will increase spending on agricultural science and technology, intensify efforts to expand application of innovations in agricultural science and technology and become better able to provide agriculture-related technical services. We will improve public service agencies charged with promoting application of agricultural technologies, preventing and controlling animal and plant epidemics, and monitoring the quality of agricultural products at the local level. We will support supply and marketing cooperatives, specialized farmer cooperatives and pacesetting enterprises in providing diverse production and operation services.

Fifth, we will stabilize and improve the basic rural operation system. We will ensure that existing land contract relationships remain stable and unchanged for a long time to come, and enhance and better protect the land contract and management rights enjoyed by rural residents, including migrant workers who are away from their home villages. The transfer of land use rights must occur on a compensated, voluntary basis and be conducted in accordance with the law. We will adhere to and apply the strictest possible systems for protecting arable land and economizing on the use of land, and do everything in our power to keep the total amount of arable land above the red line of 120 million hectares. Reform of the system of collective forest rights will move forward. Overall rural reform will be deepened. We will accelerate reform of town and township government departments and work actively yet prudently to ease the debts of townships and villages.

4. Accelerating transformation of the pattern of development and energetically promoting strategic economic restructuring

This year we will focus on improving industrial restructuring in order to maintain economic growth and promote industrial upgrading.

First, we will conscientiously implement plans for adjusting and invigorating key industries such as the automobile, steel, shipbuilding, petrochemical, textile, nonferrous metals, equipment manufacturing, information technology, modern logistics, and light industries. We will carry out industrial restructuring and upgrading to resolve the prominent problems and conflicts that hinder their development.

Second, we will energetically adjust the structure of enterprises and carry out mergers and reorganizations. We will support superior enterprises in acquiring ones that are backward or have financial difficulties. We will encourage well-established enterprises to work with each other, and upstream and downstream enterprises to integrate their operations in order to raise the level of industry concentration and the efficiency of resource allocation.

Third, we will take more effective measures to support development of small and medium-sized enterprises. We will promptly implement financial support policies, improve the financing guarantee system, streamline loan procedures, and increase the scale of loans. Central government funding for supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises will increase from 3.9 billion yuan to 9.6 billion yuan. We will continue to implement preferential tax policies to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to make scientific and technological innovations, upgrade their technology, and create more jobs. We will improve the system under which various sectors of society provide services for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Fourth, we will actively support enterprises in accelerating technological upgrading and develop innovation-based enterprises. The central government will allocate 20 billion yuan, mainly in interest subsidies, to support technological upgrading in enterprises. We will encourage enterprises to apply new technologies, new production processes, new equipment and new materials so that they can adapt to market changes, develop more readily marketable products, undertake product innovation, and improve their product quality and the level of production and business operations.

Fifth, we will accelerate development of modern service industries. We will promote development of the banking, insurance, modern logistics, consulting, software and creative industries, and develop new types of services. We will upgrade traditional service industries.

We will vigorously promote scientific and technological innovation. We will integrate making technological innovation with boosting domestic demand, maintaining economic growth, making structural adjustments and raising the level of development. This year the central government will allocate 146.1 billion yuan to the science and technology sector, up 25.6% from last year.

First, we need to speed up implementation of the Outline of the National Program for Long- and Medium-Term Scientific and Technological Development, particularly, implementation of major science and technology projects. We will select and launch a number of projects that give strong impetus to scientific and technological development, have a widespread impact, and yield quick results, in order to quickly make breakthroughs in core and key generic technologies that can stimulate the transformation of industries and technological upgrading, and support invigoration of industries and long-term economic development.

Second, we need to deepen reform of the science and technology management system. We will get enterprises to play a key role in technological innovation, and encourage more scientists and engineers to work on the frontlines of economic development spreading technologies, doing product R&D, and starting technology based enterprises. We will get enterprises, universities, and research institutes to work more closely together to accelerate the application of scientific and technological advances in production.

Third, we will make the equipment manufacturing industry stronger and larger. We will implement the project to increase self-sufficiency in doing R&D on manufacturing major equipment and implement a related system of government procurement. We will vigorously develop manufacturing of complete sets of major equipment, high-tech equipment and equipment needed in high-tech industries, raise the level of integrated innovation and make greater use of domestic components in the equipment manufacturing industry.

Fourth, we will support and promote R&D on technologies in new energy sources, biology, medicine, third generation mobile communications, the integration of telecommunications networks, cable TV networks and the Internet, energy conservation and environmental protection, and their industrial application. We will develop clusters of new- and high-tech industries, and create new areas of demand in society.

Fifth, we will continue to implement the strategy of reinvigorating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through human resources development and the intellectual property rights strategy. We will continue to develop the national innovation system, intensify basic research and research in leading-edge technologies, and accelerate development of major infrastructure facilities and public platforms for science and technology. We will work vigorously to bring in high-caliber personnel and intellectual resources from overseas and intensify the training of all types of personnel. We will become better able to create, utilize, protect and manage intellectual property rights.

We will work tirelessly to save energy, reduce emissions, preserve the ecosystems, and protect the environment.

First, we will emphasize energy conservation in the three key areas of industry, transportation and construction; continue work on the ten major energy conservation projects; and implement energy-conserving measures for power generators, boilers, automobiles, air-conditioners and lighting products.

Second, we will energetically develop a circular economy and clean energy. We will steadfastly save energy, water and land. We will vigorously develop clean energy such as nuclear, hydraulic, wind, and solar power. We will promote the adaptation of clean coal technology for industrial application. We will strictly enforce national standards for energy consumption and environmental protection, increase the use of energy-conserving technologies and products, and promote comprehensive utilization of resources.

Third, we will improve our policies for conserving energy and protecting the environment, and strictly enforce the system of standards, assessment system and monitoring system for energy conservation and emissions reduction.

Fourth, we will launch a nationwide campaign on the importance of energy conservation and emissions reduction, in which state organs and government-affiliated enterprises and institutions need to play an exemplary role.

Fifth, we will continue to intensify pollution prevention and control in key river valleys and regions; control the spread of stony deserts and desertification; carry out ecological conservation projects to build key forest shelterbelts, protect virgin forests, and bring the sources of dust storms affecting Beijing and Tianjin under control; and protect water, forests, grasslands, wetlands and other elements of the ecosystems. We will comprehensively improve the rural environment. We will rectify and standardize order in the exploitation of mineral resources and develop and use marine resources wisely.

Sixth, we will implement the national plan for addressing climate change and become better able to respond to it. We will intensify basic research in meteorology, earthquake science, disaster prevention and mitigation, and surveying and mapping and strengthen these areas.

We will comprehensively improve product quality and enhance workplace safety. This year we will launch a campaign to rectify and standardize order in the market and carry out the Quality and Safety Year campaign, which requires all industries and sectors to strengthen quality and safety supervision of all personnel and all processes in all areas. We will further tighten oversight and supervision of workplace safety in key industries and resolutely prevent serious and major accidents. We will make intensive efforts to improve food and drug safety, and improve and strictly enforce standards for product quality and safety. We will implement strict market access rules and product trace ability and recall systems so that the people buy food and drugs with confidence and consume them with satisfaction.

We will continue to implement the overall regional development strategy of promoting the large-scale development of the western region, reinvigorating northeast China and other old industrial bases, energizing development of the central region, and getting the eastern region to take the lead in development, and promote balanced development among regions. We will encourage all regions to work on the basis of local conditions, make full use of their advantages, and find a new path for development in response to the shock of external events. The eastern region needs to vigorously open up international markets, stabilize exports, and develop advanced manufacturing, modern services and new- and high-tech industries. It needs to accelerate industrial upgrading and institutional innovation, foster new areas of economic growth, create new advantages for participating in international cooperation and competition, and raise its capability for sustainable development. Special economic zones, the Pudong New Area in Shanghai and the Binhai New Area in Tianjin need to continue to take the lead in reform and opening up. We will increase support to the central and western regions and northeast China to improve their weak links in development. To remove bottlenecks in these regions, we will increase spending on infrastructure, ecological conservation and environmental protection, launch a number of key transportation and water conservancy projects, and accelerate development of a number of grain, energy, raw materials and equipment manufacturing bases that have distinctive local features and special advantages. We will accelerate development of key areas on a priority basis. We will promote the transformation of the economies of cities once dependent on now-depleted mineral resources in these regions. We will promptly formulate specific policies to encourage industries to relocate to the central and western regions, and formulate and implement a national plan for development priority zones. We will fully support the development of old revolutionary base areas, ethnic minority areas, border areas and poor areas.

5. Continuing to deepen reform and opening up, and further improving systems and mechanisms conducive to developing in a scientific manner

Reform and opening up provide an inexhaustible driving force for economic and social development. We will unswervingly carry out reform and opening up, resolve thorny problems hindering development by deepening reform, and obtain opportunities for development as China opens wider to the outside world.

We will move ahead with price reform for resource products. We will continue to deepen reform of power prices and gradually improve the mechanism for determining rates for putting power on the grid, transmitting and distributing power, and selling power, and balance the prices of coal and power in a timely fashion. We will press ahead with reform of water prices, gradually increase the price of water for non-farming purposes supplied from water projects, and improve the system for collecting and managing water resource fees. We will accelerate the establishment of sound systems for paying for the use of mineral resources and for compensating for ecological damage, and actively carry out trade in pollution rights on a trial basis.

We will carry forward reform of the fiscal and taxation systems. We will comprehensively institute VAT reforms. We will extend the urban construction and maintenance tax and education surcharges from Chinese to foreign enterprises and citizens. We will reform and improve the system of resource taxes. We will carry out reform of the taxation system for the real estate industry. We will continue to bring order to administrative fees and government-managed funds and further standardize their management. We will deepen reform of the budgetary system to better coordinate the budget for the government's public expenditures, budget for use of state capital, budget for government-managed funds, and budget for social security programs and vigorously promote greater openness in budgetary work. We will improve the transfer payment system. We will promote the reform to place county public finances directly under the management of provincial governments.

We will carry forward reform of the financial system. We will deepen the reform of state-owned financial institutions, and steadily develop small and medium-sized financial enterprises under multiple forms of ownership and new types of rural financial institutions. We will actively encourage healthy development of informal financing. We will continue to carry out reform of capital markets, and stabilize stock markets. We will develop and standardize the bond market, and steadily develop the futures market. We will deepen reform of the insurance sector to make the most of its guarantee and financing functions. We will carry forward market-based reform of interest rates. We will improve the RMB exchange rate regime, and keep the RMB exchange rate basically stable at an appropriate and balanced level. We will strengthen the mechanism for coordinating oversight and supervision in the financial sector.

We will carry forward reform of state-owned enterprises and support the development of the non-public sector of the economy. We will deepen the reform to introduce corporate and shareholding systems in large state-owned enterprises and establish a sound modern corporate structure. We will accelerate reform of the railway, power and salt industries, improve the administrative systems of the civil aviation and telecommunications industries, and formulate and introduce complementary policies for regulating reform of the telecommunications system. We will encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector. We will implement all the policies for relaxing controls over market access and energetically support the involvement of private capital in SOE reform and its entry into such areas as infrastructure, public utilities, financial services and social programs.

We will accelerate institutional reform in local governments and move forward with the reform of government-affiliated institutions.

We will strive to ensure steady growth in foreign trade. While stressing the importance of boosting domestic demand, we must not slacken efforts to promote export. In the face of the serious situation of a sharp decline in external demand and growing trade protectionism, we will straighten out and adjust our foreign trade policies and increase our support for import and export. We will continue to diversify our export markets and compete on quality, enhance traditional export markets, and energetically open up new markets.

First, we will fully employ internationally accepted fiscal and taxation policies to support our export. We will increase the Foreign Trade Development Fund to an appropriate extent, focusing on cultivating brand-name export products and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in expanding their international markets.

Second, we will improve our financial services for importing and exporting. We will expand the coverage of export credit insurance, and encourage financial institutions to develop export credit. We need to make innovations in financing guarantees for export enterprises.

Third, we will steadily carry out upgrading of processing trade. We will improve the climate for developing it, and adjust the list of commodities whose processing is classified as prohibited or subject to restrictions. We will encourage the relocation of export processing industries to the central and western regions.

Fourth, we will promptly improve policies and measures to encourage development of trade in services and energetically develop the outsourcing of international services to China.

Fifth, we will strive to expand imports, focusing on introducing advanced technology and equipment and increasing imports of key spare parts and components, and important energy sources, resources and raw materials.

Sixth, we will improve the level of trade facilitation. We will improve supervision and service in customs, quality inspections and foreign exchange and intensify the development of border ports.

Seventh, we will work for a favorable international environment for trade and economic cooperation. We will vigorously promote the Doha round of trade talks, accelerate implementation of the strategy of free trade zones, and properly handle trade frictions.

We will promote balanced development between foreign investment in China and Chinese investment overseas. We will keep the size of foreign investment in China steady and encourage more foreign investment in new- and high-tech industries, advanced manufacturing, energy-conservation and environmental protection industries, and modern service industries. We will further straighten out and standardize administrative fees for foreign-investment projects and the criteria for evaluating them. We will upgrade national development zones in the central and western regions and improve the opening of our border areas to the outside world. We will continue to implement the "go global" strategy, support all kinds of competent Chinese enterprises in investing overseas and undertaking international mergers and acquisitions, and encourage large enterprises to play a leading role in implementing the "go global" strategy. We will vigorously promote the establishment of trade and economic cooperation zones, joint exploitation of resources, undertaking of contracted projects and labor service cooperation in other countries. We will increase financial support for enterprises engaged in overseas investment and economic cooperation, and expand channels for investment in other countries. We will expand the scope of the registration system for Chinese investment overseas, and strengthen risk control and supervision of enterprises' overseas investments.

6. Energetically developing social programs and vigorously ensuring and improving the well-being of the people

This year we will concentrate on accomplishing major tasks that are urgently needed in economic and social development and directly related to the vital interests of the people to improve their well-being.

We will do everything in our power to stimulate employment. We will make full use of the role of the service sector, labor-intensive industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the non-public sector of the economy in creating jobs. We will implement a more proactive employment policy, and the central government will allocate 42 billion yuan for this purpose.

First, we will give high priority to facilitating the employment of university graduates. Graduates who take jobs in public administration and public services at the community level in urban and rural areas will receive social security benefits and position subsidies. Those who either take jobs in villages or enlist in the army will receive tuition reimbursement and have their student loans forgiven. We will encourage institutions of higher learning, research institutes and enterprises undertaking key research projects to recruit qualified university graduates to do research work. Enterprises recruiting such graduates will receive relevant employment policy support from the government. We will speed up the establishment of startup industrial parks and incubation bases that require less investment and yield quicker results where college graduates can start their own businesses.

Second, we will expand employment opportunities for rural migrant workers in cities while stabilizing their existing jobs. We will stimulate their employment through government investment and the launch of major projects. We will encourage and help enterprises that are in a difficult situation to prevent layoffs by renegotiating wage levels with their employees, adopting flexible employment and work hours, or providing job training for them. We will increase the export of organized labor services and guide the orderly flow of rural migrant workers. We will arrange for those that have returned to their home villages to take part in the construction of local public facilities.

Third, we will help urban residents experiencing difficulty finding work, members of zero-employment households and workers in disaster-stricken areas find jobs. We will create more public-service jobs.

Fourth, we will vigorously support individuals in starting their own businesses or finding jobs on their own, thus expanding employment by creating new businesses. We will adopt facilitating and preferential policies concerning market access, taxation, financing and land use to encourage more workers to become entrepreneurs. We will further lower the barrier for individuals, including rural migrant workers who have returned to their home villages, to start their own businesses and lend them more support in this area.

Fifth, we will further improve public services for employment. We will improve the release of employment information and provide more effective career and employment guidance. We will vigorously develop vocational training. We will increase policy support for skills training for rural migrant workers and urban residents experiencing employment difficulty.

We will move faster to improve the social safety net.

First, we will press ahead with institutional development. We will improve the basic old-age insurance system, continue to carryout the pilot projects to fully fund personal accounts for old-age insurance, and comprehensively carry out planning at the provincial level. We will formulate and implement a method for old-age pensions for rural migrant workers. The pilot projects for establishing a new type of old-age insurance system for rural residents will cover approximately 10% of the counties and county-level cities in the country. We will introduce a method for transferring old-age pension accounts for workers moving from one region to another, and improve the systems of unemployment, workers' compensation, and maternity insurance. We will improve the urban and rural social assistance systems.

Second, we will expand coverage of social security programs, focusing on coverage for employees in the non-public sector, rural migrant workers, farmers whose land was expropriated, people with flexible employment arrangements and freelancers. All rural residents entitled to cost of living allowances will receive them. We will increase funding for the national social safety net through multiple channels. We will strengthen supervision of social security funds to ensure their safety.

Third, we will increase social security benefits. We will continue to raise the basic old-age pensions for enterprise retirees by an annual average of about 10% per person for the next two years. We will continue to increase unemployment insurance benefits and workers' compensation. We will extend greater financial support to both urban and rural recipients of cost of living allowances and to childless and infirm rural residents who receive subsidies for food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses, and increase subsidies and living allowances to members of entitled groups. We will vigorously develop social welfare and charity programs. The central government plans to spend 293 billion yuan on the social safety net this year, up 17.6% or 43.9 billion yuan over the estimated figure for last year. Local governments will also increase funding in this area.

We will continue to give priority to developing education. This year we will formulate the Outline of the National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Education Reform and Development to make comprehensive arrangements for education reform and development in China through 2020. This year, we need to focus on the following five areas.

First, we will promote fairness in education. We will implement free compulsory education policies for both urban and rural areas well. We will increase public expenditures on rural compulsory education to 300 yuan per primary school student and 500 yuan per junior secondary school student. We will progressively ensure that children of rural migrant workers have access to free compulsory education in the places where their families have relocated. We will increase living allowances for rural students receiving compulsory education who come from poor families and stay in school dormitories. We will strive to basically clear the debts incurred in providing nine-year compulsory education in rural areas within three years. We will improve the national financial aid system for students and increase financial aid for secondary vocational school and university students from poor families to ensure that everyone enjoys equal opportunity to receive education and that no child is denied schooling due to financial difficulties.

Second, we will optimize the education structure. We will energetically develop vocational education, with the focus on supporting rural secondary vocational education. We will gradually make secondary vocational education free, beginning this year with rural students from poor families and students studying agriculture-related subjects. We will continue to improve the quality of higher education, develop high-quality universities and key disciplines, and guide institutions of higher learning to adapt their specialties, curriculums and courses to meet the needs of the market and China's economic and social development.

Third, we will improve the quality of teachers. We will apply a performance-based salary system for teachers in compulsory education and raise salaries for the 12 million primary and secondary school teachers. The central government will spend 12 billion yuan and local governments will also increase funding for this purpose. We will step up training for all teachers, especially rural teachers, and encourage graduates from teachers colleges and other colleges and universities to teach at community and village schools.

Fourth, we will advance well-rounded education. Education of all types and at all levels must focus on promoting all-round development of students. Reform of curriculums, textbooks, teaching methods and examination and evaluation systems should be accelerated to relieve primary and secondary school students of their excessive study load so that they will have more time to think, practice and create.

Fifth, we will implement a program to ensure that all primary and secondary school buildings are safe and promote standardization in the construction of rural primary and secondary schools. We will make school buildings places that are the safest and provide the greatest assurance to parents.

We will carry forward pharmaceutical and health care reform and development. We will ensure that public medical and health care services serve the public good and fully arouse the initiative of health workers. We will work hard to establish a nationwide basic medical and health care system for both urban and rural areas to begin providing universal coverage. We will focus on the following five areas starting from this year.

First, we will develop a system that ensures basic medical care. Urban residents will be covered by basic medical insurance for urban workers or basic medical insurance for non-working urban residents, and rural residents will be covered by the new type of rural cooperative medical care system. We will ensure that these programs cover over 90% of those eligible within three years. The central government will provide appropriate subsidies for retirees from closed or bankrupt state-owned enterprises in financially strained regions to get such insurance. We will continue to raise the standard for financing and increase government subsidies for basic medical insurance for non-working urban residents and the new type of rural cooperative medical care system, appropriately expand the scope of reimbursement and raise the proportion of costs reimbursed. We will improve urban and rural medical assistance programs and improve the level of assistance.

Second, we will establish a national system for basic drugs. This year, we will formulate and promulgate a unified national basic drugs catalog and adopt policies concerning their production, distribution, pricing, use and insurance reimbursement in order to ease the burden on patients for the cost of basic drugs.

Third, we will improve the community-level medical and health service system. This year, we will complete the building of 29,000health clinics in towns and townships supported by the plan. In the coming three years, the central government will allocate funds to support the building of another 5,000 central health clinics in towns and townships, 2,000 county-level hospitals and 2,400 community health service centers in urban areas. We will support the construction of health care clinics in villages in remote regions and ensure that all incorporated villages have their own health care clinics.

Fourth, we will steadily promote equal access for all to basic public health services. We will expand the scope of free public health services and ensure that the per capita public health service expenditure for both urban and rural residents is not less than 15 yuan, a level that will rise gradually in the future. We will appropriate more funds to prevent and control major communicable diseases, chronic and occupational diseases, and endemics.

Fifth, we will carry forward pilot reforms in public hospitals with the emphasis on reforms in their management system and their operation and oversight mechanisms. We will encourage every locality to seek effective ways to separate government administration from medical practice, management from operations, medical care from drugs, and for-profit from nonprofit operations. We will gradually eliminate the practice of hospitals subsidizing their medical services with drug sales and reform the mechanism of subsidizing public hospitals. We will encourage all localities to seek ways to establish a medical service pricing mechanism based on consultations among stakeholders and establish a system whereby relevant institutions, representatives of the general public, and experts oversee and evaluate the quality of medical services. We will give full play to traditional Chinese medicine and folk medicines of ethnic minorities in disease prevention and control. Governments at all levels will allocate an additional 850 billion yuan in the next three years, including 331.8 billion yuan from the central government, to ensure smooth progress in the reform of the system of pharmaceuticals and health care. Because this reform concerns the people's health-related rights and interests, we need to improve leadership, make plans and arrangements carefully, progress vigorously yet prudently, and effectively solve the problem of medical services being unaffordable and inadequate, in order to provide safe, effective, convenient and affordable medical and health care services for the people.

We will do our work related to population and family planning well and maintain a low birthrate. From this year on, we will introduce a policy in all rural areas to subsidize hospitalized childbirth, provide regular prenatal checkups and postpartum visits for women, and monitor the growth of infants and toddlers less than three years of age. We will intensify our efforts to prevent birth defects. We will increase the reward to rural women at or above the age of 60 who have complied with family planning regulations from 600 yuan to 720 yuan per person. We will improve services for and intensify management of the floating population and better protect the rights and interests of women and minors. We will provide routine gynecological examinations for rural women. We will support and accelerate programs benefiting people with disabilities. We will continue to intensify our work concerning the elderly.

We will vigorously develop culture and sports. Developing cultural programs and promoting cultural enrichment will help not only enrich people's cultural lives but also expand avenues of consumption. We need to vigorously develop non-profit cultural programs and accelerate improvement of the system of public cultural services. We will intensify construction of key cultural facilities as well as community-based cultural facilities in both urban and rural areas, particularly the project to extend radio and TV coverage to all villages, and the construction of multipurpose cultural centers in towns and townships and small libraries in rural areas, and we will vigorously promote cultural projects that benefit the people. We will help accelerate the development of cultural industries, improve policy support for them and foster leading cultural enterprises. We will help philosophy and the social sciences flourish, and actively develop literature, the arts, radio, TV, film, the press and publishing. We will strengthen development and management of Internet culture and effectively protect our cultural relics and intangible cultural heritage. We will reform management and operation of nonprofit cultural institutions and transform for-profit cultural agencies into enterprises. We will build more and better community-based public sports facilities, vigorously promote mass sports activities, raise the level of competitive sports and develop the sports industry.

We will strengthen the development of democracy and the legal system. We will carry out political restructuring in an active yet prudent manner and develop socialist democratic politics. We need to improve democratic institutions, enrich the forms of democracy, expand its channels, and carry out democratic elections, decision-making, administration and oversight in accordance with the law. We will improve the mechanisms of self-governance by the people at the community level and expand the scope of community-level self-governance, improve the system for community-level democratic administration and ensure that the people directly exercise their democratic rights and administer community-level public affairs and public programs in accordance with the law. We will increase publicity of and education in the law, intensify education about citizenship, and promote the values of socialist democracy, the rule of law, freedom, equality, equity and justice. We will coordinate development of urban and rural communities and promote the healthy growth of civic organizations. We will strengthen government work concerning the law, increase transparency in government legislation, expand public participation therein, and ensure that the law is enforced in a standardized, fair and civilized manner.

We will strengthen public administration and maintain harmony and stability in society. We need to pay special attention to safeguarding people's legitimate rights and interests, correctly handle problems among the people, properly deal with their complaints in a timely manner, and resolutely correct all actions that harm their interests. We will improve the mechanism for mediating, handling and resolving social tensions and guide the people in expressing their concerns relating to their interests by reasonable and lawful means. We will adhere to the system whereby leading cadres, especially principal ones, handle people's letters and receive people's visits in order to serve the people and resolve conflicts. We will improve the early-warning system for social stability to actively prevent and properly handle all types of mass incidents. We will launch intensive campaigns to ensure public security and maintain law and order through a full range of measures. We will be on high alert for and severely crack down on criminal offenses in accordance with the law in order to safeguard national security and social stability.

7. Intensifying government self-improvement and making the government better able to manage overall economic and social development

Achievements were made in reforming the government and intensifying its self-improvement over the past year, but they still fall considerably short of what the people expect. The functions of government have not yet been completely transformed. Administrative efficiency needs to rise. Formalism and bureaucratism are still pronounced. Corruption remains a serious problem in some localities, departments and areas. Tremendous effort is needed to solve all these problems. We need to focus on the overall objectives of sustaining economic growth, ensuring people's well-being and maintaining stability, and intensify the work of government self-improvement.

We will continue to run the government in accordance with the law. We will standardize government administration, ensure that our administration is based on law and reason, executed through proper procedures, highly efficient, convenient for the public, honest and trustworthy, and that authority and responsibility are united. We will thoroughly implement the Administrative Permit Law, continue to carry out reform of the administrative examination and approval system, reduce the number of items it covers, especially investment examination and approval and project approval, and ensure that enterprises make their own investment decisions. We will promote fair competition, break regional blockades and industry monopolies, and organize and mobilize all social resources to promote economic growth. By ensuring that all government departments fully and properly execute their functions, we will create a favorable environment for development, and increase enterprises' confidence in investment, individuals' confidence in consumption and people's confidence in the development of the country.

We will make decisions scientifically and democratically. In all decisions we make, the procedures need to be lawful and standardized, the process democratic and open, and the results scientific and equitable. In formulating and implementing major government policies and decisions, we need to conduct thorough research and studies, heed people's concerns, solicit their opinions, pool their wisdom, act in accordance with objective laws, and make our policies and decisions more foresighted, scientific and effective. We need to make government affairs more open and transparent. We will ensure the people's right to stay informed about, to participate in, to express views on, and to oversee government affairs, and keep them informed as to what the government is thinking and doing so that we can win their thorough understanding, wide support and active participation. The government is investing a large sum of money and launching numerous new projects this year, and we will ensure they receive proper oversight. We will prohibit image projects that waste both human and financial resources and vanity projects that are divorced from reality, and will never allow any organization or individual to exploit the surge in public spending for private gain. Governments at all levels must conscientiously subject themselves to the oversight by the people's congresses and the democratic oversight by the CPPCC committees at their corresponding levels. We will tighten professional oversight by supervision and auditing departments, and attach great importance to oversight by the public and the news media. We will strive to make sure that oversight takes place wherever administrative power is exercised and that government funds will be audited wherever they are used.

We will earnestly improve our conduct. Governments at all levels need to resolutely implement the policy decisions and arrangements of the central leadership, stay firmly grounded in reality, and work creatively to ensure all policies are carried out fully and effectively. Leading cadres need to conduct thorough research and studies to promptly discover and resolve problems, maintain close contact with the people, show concern for their sufferings, listen to their opinions, and help them solve their problems. Government employees need to always maintain high morale, embody a vigorous spirit and work with the people to meet challenges head on, break new ground through hard work and tide over bad times together.

We will strengthen our efforts to promote clean government and combat corruption. We will focus on standardizing institutions and limiting the exercise of power, and prevent and punish corruption at its source in areas and links prone to corruption. We will resolutely investigate and prosecute corruption cases and punish corruptionists in accordance with the law. We must discharge our duties with great diligence and, through our actions and achievements, build a government that is for the people and is pragmatic, clean and efficient to satisfy people's needs and win their trust.

Fellow Deputies,

Promoting unity among all ethnic groups and achieving common development and prosperity serves the fundamental interests of the people of all our ethnic groups. We will fully implement the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy and ensure that the policies and measures of the central government supporting economic and social development of ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas are effectively implemented. We will continue to increase support to ethnic groups with small populations. We will expand coverage of the "bring prosperity to border areas and residents" campaign to all border counties and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps' regimental pastures and farms in border areas. We will support more rapid development of pastoral areas and ethnic minority mountain regions. We will unswervingly uphold national unity and further develop socialist ethnic relations based on equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony.

We will fully implement the Party's basic principles on work related to religions and enable religious figures and people with religious belief to play a positive role in promoting economic and social development.

We will diligently implement the Party's policy on matters related to overseas Chinese nationals and support overseas Chinese nationals, returned overseas Chinese and their relatives in showing concern for and participating in the modernization and peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Last year significant progress was made in the modernization of national defense and the army. The People's Liberation Army played an important role in safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, supporting its modernization drive, and completing urgent, difficult, dangerous and daunting tasks. In the coming year, we need to make our army more revolutionary, modern and standardized, focusing on enabling it to fully carry out its historic missions in the new stage and in the new century. We will strengthen ideological and political work in the army. We will effectively transform our military training based on mechanized warfare to military training for warfare under conditions of greater IT application, and continue to enhance the army's ability to respond to multiple security threats and accomplish a diverse array of military tasks. We will modernize weapons, equipment and logistics support across the board. We will improve defense-related research, the weapons and equipment production system, the military personnel training system, and the army's logistics support system that integrate civilian with military purposes and combine military efforts with civilian support. We will actively and steadily carry out reform of the army to inject more vigor and vitality into army building. We will intensify the improvement of the People's Armed Police Force to make it better able to carry out its duties, respond to emergencies, combat terrorism and safeguard stability. We will strengthen defense mobilization and reserve forces. We will strengthen and develop unity between the army and the government and between the army and the people.

Fellow Deputies,

We will unswervingly adhere to the principle of "one country, two systems" under which Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong and Macao people administer Macao with a high degree of autonomy, and fully support the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions in actively responding to the global financial crisis and maintaining their prosperity and stability. We will increase cooperation between the mainland and the two regions, consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international financial center and promote an appropriate level of diversity in Macao's economy. We will accelerate the pilot program for the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to use RMB as the settlement currency for trade in goods. We will constantly deepen and expand cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. We will accelerate construction of infrastructure such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Airport Rail Link and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. We will give Hong Kong and Macao greater access to the mainland's service sector. We will adopt effective measures to support development of Hong Kong- and Macao-funded enterprises on the mainland, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, and help ease their difficulties. The great motherland will always provide strong backing to Hong Kong and Macao. We firmly believe that our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao will surmount their current difficulties and create an even brighter future.

Last year important progress was made in our Taiwan-related work. Positive changes occurred in the situation in Taiwan, and major breakthroughs were made in cross-Straits relations. Consultations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits were resumed on the basis of the 1992 Consensus, and complete, direct and two-way mail, transport and trade links were established. The two sides enjoyed more frequent people-to-people exchanges, closer economic ties, more active cultural exchanges and broader common interests. Cross-Straits relations have embarked on the track of peaceful development. In the coming year, we will continue to adhere to the principle of developing cross-Straits relations and promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland. We will remain committed to the goal of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and work actively to build a framework for and strive to achieve new progress in the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. We will continue to comprehensively strengthen cross-Straits economic cooperation to jointly respond to the global financial crisis. We will actively promote financial cooperation across the Straits, support the development of Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland, provide financing services for qualified ones, and encourage their independent innovation, transformation and upgrading. We will strengthen two-way investment and industrial cooperation and expand and deepen agricultural cooperation between the two sides. We will support economic development on the west coast of the Straits in Fujian Province and in other areas where Taiwan investment is concentrated. We will accelerate normalization of cross-Straits economic relations and facilitate the signing of a comprehensive agreement on economic cooperation, and gradually establish economic cooperation mechanisms tailored to both sides of the Straits. We will increase contacts between individuals, expand exchanges among all sectors of society, vigorously promote Chinese culture and consolidate the common cultural bonds between the two sides. We will work on the basis of the one-China principle to enhance mutual political trust between the two sides. Based on this, we are ready to make fair and reasonable arrangements through consultation on the issue of Taiwan's participation in the activities of international organizations. We are also ready to hold talks on cross-Straits political and military issues and create conditions for ending the state of hostility and concluding a peace agreement between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. We are convinced that, with the concerted efforts of the people on both sides of the Straits, we will achieve complete reunification of the motherland and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Fellow Deputies,

Significant achievements were made in our diplomatic work last year. We joined hands with the international community in tackling the global financial crisis. We successfully hosted the Asia-Europe Meeting and enhanced mutual political trust and pragmatic cooperation between Asian and European countries. We actively advanced bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, and played a constructive role in global and regional hotspot issues. We stood firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests and in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals and corporations overseas. Further significant progress was made in carrying out all-round diplomacy, and China's international standing and influence rose to a new height. In the coming year, we will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to the path of peaceful development and an independent foreign policy of peace, and pursue an open strategy of mutual benefit. We will increase friendly contacts with other countries in the world to create a favorable external environment for the steady and rapid development of China's economy. We will continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation with other parties, work with them to curb the spread of the global financial crisis, promote reform of the international financial system, and oppose trade and investment protectionism, in order to help bring about an early recovery of the world economy. We will continue to take the fundamental interests of the people of China and the world as our starting point and make new contributions to the proper resolution of hotspot issues and global problems. The Chinese government and people stand ready to work with the governments and peoples of other countries to jointly respond to risks and challenges, share development opportunities, and build a harmonious world of durable peace and common prosperity.

Fellow Deputies,

The tasks we face are arduous and formidable, and the responsibilities we bear are great and glorious. Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, let us strengthen our conviction for victory, boldly meet challenges, work in a down-to-earth manner and press ahead resolutely to make new achievements worthy of the times, history and the people, carry forward the great cause of reform, opening up and modernization and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=58 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-02-26T21:27:28+08:00 2009-02-26T21:27:28+08:00

本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
对话尼克松（Frost/Nixon）
米尔克（Milk）
生死朗读（The Reader）
贫民窟的百万富翁 （Slumdog Millionaire）

最佳女主角

安妮·海瑟薇《蕾切尔的婚礼》/ Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
安吉丽娜·朱莉《换子疑云》/ Angelina Jolie, Changeling
梅丽莎·雷欧《冰冻之河》/ Melissa Leo, Frozen River
梅丽尔·斯特里普《质疑》/ Meryl Streep, Doubt
凯特·温斯莱特《生死朗读》/ Kate Winslet, The Reader

最佳男主角

理查德·詹金斯《不速之客》/ Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
弗兰克·兰格拉《对话尼克松》/ Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
肖恩·潘《米尔克》/ Sean Penn, Milk
布拉德·皮特《本杰明·巴顿奇事》/ Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
米奇·洛克《摔跤手》/ Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

最佳女配角

艾米·亚当斯《质疑》/ Amy Adams, Doubt
佩内洛普·克鲁兹《午夜巴塞罗那》/ Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
维奥拉·戴维斯《质疑》/ Viola Davis, Doubt
玛瑞莎·托梅《摔跤手》/ Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
泰吉·汉森《本杰明·巴顿奇事》/ Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

最佳男配角

乔什·布洛林《米尔克》/ Josh Brolin, Milk
小罗伯特·唐尼《热带惊雷》/ Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
菲利普·西摩尔·霍夫曼《质疑》/ Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
希斯·莱杰《蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士》/ Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
迈克尔·香农《革命之路》/ Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

最佳导演

大卫·芬奇《本杰明·巴顿奇事》/ David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
朗·霍华德《对话尼克松》/ Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
加斯·范·桑特《米尔克》/ Gus Van Sant, Milk
史蒂芬·戴德利《生死朗读》/ Stephen Daldry, The Reader
丹尼尔·鲍耶《贫民窟的百万富翁》/ Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

最佳改编剧本

艾里克·罗斯《本杰明·巴顿奇事》/ Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
约翰·帕特里克·山利《质疑》/ John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
彼得·摩根《对话尼克松》/ Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
大卫·海尔《生死朗读》/ David Hare, The Reader
西蒙·比尤弗伊《贫民窟的百万富翁》/ Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

最佳原著剧本

考特尼·亨特《冰冻之河》/ Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
迈克·雷《无忧无虑》/ Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
马丁·麦克唐纳《杀手无假期》/ Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
达斯汀·兰斯·布莱克《米尔克》/ Dustin Lance Black, Milk
安德鲁·斯坦顿、吉姆·瑞尔顿《Wall-E》/ Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Wall-E

最佳摄影

换子疑云（Changeling）
本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
生死朗读（The Reader）
贫民窟的百万富翁 （Slumdog Millionaire）

最佳艺术指导-道具布景

换子疑云（Changeling）
本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
公爵夫人（Duchess）
革命之路（Revolutionary Road）

最佳服装设计

澳大利亚（Australia）
本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
公爵夫人（Duchess）
米尔克（Milk）
革命之路（Revolutionary Road）

最佳音效

本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
贫民窟的百万富翁（Slumdog Millionaire）
Wall-E（Wall-E）
刺客联盟（Wanted）

最佳电影剪辑

本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
对话尼克松（Frost/Nixon）
米尔克（Milk）
贫民窟的百万富翁（Slumdog Millionaire）

最佳音响编辑

蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
钢铁侠（Iron Man）
贫民窟的百万富翁（Slumdog Millionaire）
Wall-E（Wall-E）
刺客联盟（Wanted）

最佳视觉效果

本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
钢铁侠（Iron Man）

最佳化装

本杰明·巴顿奇事（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button）
蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士（The Dark Knight）
地狱男爵2：黄金军团（Hellboy II: The Golden Army）

最佳歌曲

"Down to Earth" -《Wall-E》（Wall-E）
"Jaiho" -《贫民窟的百万富翁》（Slumdog Millionaire）
"O Saya" -《贫民窟的百万富翁》（Slumdog Millionaire）

最佳配乐

亚历山大·德斯普拉《本杰明·巴顿奇事》/ Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
詹姆斯·纽顿·霍华德《反抗》/ James Newton Howard, Defiance
丹尼·艾夫曼《米尔克》/ Danny Elfman, Milk
拉曼《贫民窟的百万富翁》/ A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
托马斯·纽曼《Wall-E》/ Thomas Newman, Wall-E

最佳动画长片

闪电狗（Bolt，迪士尼公司）
功夫熊猫（Kung Fu Panda，梦工厂公司）
Wall-E（Wall-E，迪士尼·皮克斯公司）

最佳动画短片

积木之屋（La Maison en Petits Cubes）
公厕爱情故事（Lavatory - Lovestory）
章鱼（Oktapodi）
魔术师和兔子（Presto，皮克斯）
两个抬棺材的人（This Way Up）

最佳真人短片

地铁线上（Auf der Strecke/On the Line）
躺在路面上的马农（Manon on the Asphalt）
新来的男孩（New Boy）
猪（The Pig）
玩具王国（Spielzeugland/Toyland）

最佳纪录短片

Nhem En的良心（The Conscience of Nhem En）
最后的一英寸（The Final Inch）
微笑的Pinki（Smile Pinki）
306房阳台的目击者（The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306）

最佳纪录正片

背叛（The Betrayal/Nerakhoonｑ站上发表文章称，“不折腾”译成avoid self-inflicted setbacks（字面意思为:避免自己造成的退步）最恰当。

　　任小萍认为，这是说，新中国成立以来，因内外因素而走的冤枉路并不少。历次的政治运动和反复都给国家发展造成不少损伤，“文化大革命”是损伤最大的一次。改革开放也几经受挫，成功来之不易。如今，将过去的曲折、错误一律以“折腾”称之，表明中国不再做与经济发展无关的、内耗的路线辩论或政治斗争，“不折腾”的确有现实针对性，而且微妙贴切。　

　　任大使在网上收集了几种译法：

　　1、don't flip flop (别翻来倒去，朝三暮四)

　　2、don't get sidetracked (别走岔路)

　　3、don't sway back and forth (别反复)

　　4、no dithering(不踌躇)

　　5、no major changes (没有重大变化)

　　6、avoid futile actions (不做无用工)

　　7、stop making trouble and wasting time

　　8、no self-consuming political movements (不搞自我消耗的政治运动)

　　上述译法都不够准确，不够精彩，没有把“折腾”的全部意思表达出来。这里推荐一个译法，感觉比较恰当：

　　avoid self-inflicted setbacks (不折腾)

　　原因是：

　　“self-inflicted” has the connotation of creating the unnecessary pain for one self.

　　折腾 in Hu’s speech has a strong connotation that such kind of setback is self-seeking instead of being due to the interference from outside.

　　“Setback” is a much better word than “trouble”， which an unseasoned translator would like to use in the first instance. “Setback” especially refers to the obstacle or difficulty encountered in achieving a strategic goal. ]]>

http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=56 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-02-19T01:37:19+08:00 2009-02-19T01:37:19+08:00

所以一个President，有各种各样的翻译方式，并非都是总统。昨天博文谈到美国Mayor是否一律应该翻译为“市长”的问题，其实还有一种更常见的情况就是英美银行的Vice President是否可以翻译为“副总裁”的问题。我在工作中常与国外银行同业开会，每每在我的对面可以一次性地坐上四个Vice-Presidents。在国内大公司的职位系列中，Vice-President是一言九鼎的公司副总裁。显然我所面对的Vice-Presidents不是“副总裁”。

所以提醒各位，国外银行的Vice-President有的是副总裁或者副行长，比如世界银行的Vice-President（即便是世界银行也有25位Vice-Presidents之多，权限并不相同，真正管事的副总裁是Managing Director）；但大部分商业银行的Vice-President只是一个中低级专业人士，只需要MBA 或博士毕业工作后2－4年的经验，且大多是年龄为30岁左右的年轻人。

对此问题《人民日报》海外版2001年12月12日刊登过纽约银行分行营业部刘冰先生的文章，对英美金融机构的副总裁有过这样的描述：

欧美银行的“Vice President”并不相当于中国的“副总裁”。“Vice President”只是白领专业人员（相当于学校的讲师、副教授，而不是校长、系主任）。这些“Vice President”留学人员有的只是计算机程序员，他们手下无部下，本身无任何授信额度，不从事银行的主业务。一流的欧美大银行可能有数千名“Vice President”，数十人的欧美银行街道营业所一半职员可是“Vice President”。（“Director”也并不相当于中国的“董事”。一些自称“董事”的人，其“Director”不是董事会成员，只是部门经理。）

此种错误是不会发生在国际化较早的我国港台地区和日本的，他们不会上这种当。因为欧美银行的“Vice President”在港台、日本绝不会译成“副总裁”，大部分场合不译，因为这不是一级职务，偶尔直接写成“VP”或音译。港台、日本金融机构的“副总裁”译成英文为“DeputyPresident”，而绝不会是“Vice President＂。（“董事”译成英文为“Board Director”）。

（以上内容代表作者本人观点，仅供参考）

（来源：新浪博客http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_48670cb20100bazc.html ）
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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=55 Frank http://www.itheone.com/ frank722@126.com 2009-02-19T01:29:48+08:00 2009-02-19T01:29:48+08:00

经济刺激方案 economic stimulus bill (US President Obama will sign the $787b economic stimulus bill, which has been passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, Tuesday in Denver, a White House official has said. 美国国会众议院和参议院先后通过总额为7870亿美元的经济刺激计划，据白宫官员称，总统奥巴马将于周二在丹佛签署该法令。) (2009-02-17)

脱轨 derailment (A massive rescue operation is under way in eastern India's orissa state Saturday after at least 16 people were killed and 161 injured in a train derailment Friday evening. 一辆火车周五晚在印度东部的奥里萨邦发生脱轨事故，目前已造成至少16人死亡，161人受伤，大规模救援行动正在展开。) (2009-02-16)

详细计划 road map (US President Obama Saturday promised to lower mortgage costs, offer job-creating loans for small businesses, get credit flowing and rein in free-spending executives as he readies a new road map for spending billions from the 2nd installment of the financial rescue plan. 美国总统奥巴马在周六表示，在为数十亿美元的第二批金融救市方案做详细计划时要降低抵押贷款利率，为小企业提供就业刺激贷款，促使信贷市场恢复流动，并且要严格控制那些恣意挥霍钱财的高管。) (2009-02-13)

形象大使 promotion ambassador (Sarah Brightman, who sang at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, has been named Shanghai 2010 World Expo promotion ambassador in Britain. 曾在北京奥运会上演唱主题歌的萨拉•布莱曼获聘为2010年上海世博会英国推广形象大使。) (2009-02-12)

争购 snap up (Chinese homebuyers are going to visit the US in February to snap up cheap homes to take advantage of the real estate plunge on the other side of the globe. 中国一批购房者将于二月前往美国，希望在房地产市场低迷的美国能争购到便宜的房子。) (2009-02-11)

太空游 space tourism (Russia's space agency chief Anatoly Perminov said there is no more room for space tourists in the International Space Station after 2009 because of plans to double the full-time crew from 3 to 6 people at the orbiting outpost, Russian media reported Wednesday. 俄媒体周三报道，俄联邦航天署署长佩尔米诺夫表示，由于国际空间站常驻宇航员人数今年将翻倍、从3人变为6人，俄计划09年后不再运送"太空游客"前往空间站。) (2009-02-10)

庙会 temple fair (Visiting temple fairs is one of the most important traditional activities during the Spring Festival holidays. 春节期间，逛庙会是最重要的传统活动之一。) (2009-02-09)

拐点 turning point (Since financial markets have been stable during the past 6 weeks, and economic growth is unlikely to fall further than the 4th quarter, the first half of this year could well be the turning point. 由于在过去6周内金融市场走势平稳，经济增长不太可能继去年第4季度后继续下滑，今年上半年市场将出现拐点。) (2009-02-06)

婚纱照 pre-wedding photos (Dickie Cheung and Zhang Qian took pre-wedding photos in the Philippines on January 10. 张卫健和张茜1月10日在菲律宾拍摄了婚纱照。) (2009-02-05)

内置的 built-in (Japanese toy company Tomy released a digital camera with a built-in printer. 日本玩具制造商Tomy公司推出了一款配备内置打印机的数码相机。) (2009-02-04)

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http://www.itheone.com/default.asp?id=54