Speaker:
Huang Shouhong, head of the State Council Research Office and leader of the report's drafting team

Chairperson:
Hu Kaihong, spokesperson of the State Council Information Office

Date:
March 5, 2017

Hu Kaihong:

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this policy briefing conference organized by the State Council Information Office. In the morning, the Fifth Session of the 12th National People's Congress opened, and Premier Li Keqiang delivered the government work report, attracting much public attention. Today, we are delighted to have with us Mr. Huang Shouhong, head of the State Council Research Office and leader of the report's drafting team, to brief you on the drafting of the report and answer your questions.

Huang Shouhong:

Friends from the press, good afternoon.

This year is of great significance to China. It will see the opening of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress; it is an important year for the country to implement the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), and to press ahead with supply-side structural reform. It is also the last year of this particular government's term in office. With the increased complexity and uncertainties of the international situation, Chinese people, like the international community, are paying close attention to the thinking and the actions, as well as the future outlook of the national leaders. During his delivery of the government work report this morning, Premier Li Keqiang reviewed government work in 2016, clarified the government plans for this year and responded to various public concerns.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attached much importance to the drafting of the work report. CPC General-Secretary Xi Jinping presided over meetings of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and meetings of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to discuss the report and provide some important instructions. Premier Li Keqiang personally chaired the work of drafting this report. During the initial stage, the Premier laid down specific requirements in terms of its guiding principles, structure, major contents and expressions. During the drafting process, he worked with the drafting team on revisions and contributed many important points to the report. He also chaired executive meetings and plenary sessions of the State Council to discuss the various drafts. Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and other State Council leaders also provided specific instructions. The report has the following features:

First, the report fully displays new visions, new thoughts and new strategies of governing the country created by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. The report fully implements the major spirit of the 18th CPC National Congress, its third, fourth, fifth and sixth plenary sessions as well as the Central Economic Work Conference. It further explores the thinking laid out in the important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as his new visions, new thoughts and new strategies on how to govern the country. It is drafted in accordance with the overall plan to seek economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress while adhering to the Four-pronged Strategy. The drafting work was developed in accordance with the working principles and new development visions of making progress while maintaining national stability

Second, the report fully responds to various social concerns, reflects the common understandings reached by various parties and pools the combined wisdom of various entities. Premier Li Keqiang emphasized that all the government work is undertaken for the people and that drafting the government work report should, therefore, solicit ideas and opinions from the people. He personally made various research trips to meet grassroots communities, and chaired three workshops with: non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation; experts, scholars and entrepreneurs; and people in science, education, culture, health and sports circles, as well as local communities. He listened to the opinions and suggestions expressed in such events while also drawing on many other sources. Many policy measures were adopted after the Premier listened to the opinions of the public.