Premier Li Keqiang and other Chinese leaders joined national lawmakers Tuesday to deliberate the government work report, stressing reform and development.
Speaking to lawmakers from Chongqing, Li urged them to continue administrative streamlining and improving services to stimulate people’s creativity and vitality.
Chongqing should take a leading role in reform and opening up in central and western China by improving technology and governance and developing brands, the premier said.
He said Chongqing should nurture new growth drivers and enhance the productivity of traditional industries by capitalizing on the country’s urbanization wave.
The southwestern metropolis should serve as a pacemaker in the development of the Yangtze River economic belt and give impetus to China’s “Go West” development strategy.
Joining lawmakers from Jilin Province, Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, called for revitalizing the northeastern industrial base.
Zhang asked the province to upgrade industries, foster new growth drivers, deepen reform of state-owned enterprises and support private companies.
The province should also modernize agriculture, Zhang added.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, told NPC deputies from central China’s Henan Province to make more efforts to cut overcapacity, destock, deleverage, lower business costs and fix weak areas.
Henan should work harder toward the completion of a major logistic hub to boost the development of the local and national economy.
Yu called on local authorities to implement the basic religious policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC), to enable religious figures and followers to contribute to economic and social development.
Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined NPC deputies from northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
Liu underscored the importance of Party officials’ motivation in the implementation of new development concepts and in the building of a moderately prosperous society. He urged Party officials to follow the CPC Central Committee and become more self-motivated and competent.
Standards for evaluation of Party officials should also be improved, Liu said.
Speaking to lawmakers from northeast China’s Liaoning Province, CPC disciplinary chief Wang Qishan said the implementation of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan required concrete action rather than empty words.
He urged Liaoning authorities to combine the Party’s policies with the local reality, comprehensively deepen reform, cultivate a favorable environment for development and create new competitive edges.
“As long as we are heading in the right direction, every single step forward is a victory,” he said.
Joining lawmakers from the northwestern Gansu Province, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli demanded adherence to innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, the development philosophy for the 13th Five-Year Plan period.
Zhang called on Gansu authorities to integrate local development with the Belt and Road Initiative, and step up structural reforms, poverty alleviation and environmental protection.