Full Text: Report on the Work of the Government(2)

Fifth, we improved social governance and maintained social harmony and stability. In the face of natural disasters and other emergencies, we worked in an orderly and efficient way and in accordance with laws and regulations, put people first, and responded in a well-planned way. We both coped with emergencies effectively and explored how to set up new mechanisms to improve social governance.

Last year, several severe natural disasters occurred in China, including earthquakes in Lushan, Sichuan Province, and in Min and Zhang counties, Gansu Province; floods in the Heilong, Songhua and Nen river areas; high temperatures and drought in southern China; and ferocious typhoons in coastal areas. The transmission of avian flu to humans also occurred. We improved the emergency response and disaster relief mechanism based on separate responsibilities for central and local governments and close coordination between them. With the central government coordinating overall aid and assistance and local governments in the affected areas exercising direct relief management, people's lives and property received the best possible protection.

Workplace safety and market oversight were strengthened. We improved relevant mechanisms, conducted thorough investigations into major workplace accidents and held those involved accountable. As a result, serious and major work-related accidents decreased by 16.9%. We merged food and drug oversight agencies, carried out a campaign to improve food and drug safety, exercised strict oversight over the quality of infant formula in accordance with drug supervision regulations, and strove to ensure that people have access to safe food and drugs.

To enhance law-based governance, the State Council made proposals to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on enacting or revising 34 laws, put forward a bill for abolishing the system of reeducation through labor, and enacted or revised 47 administrative regulations. We improved the system for handling people's complaints expressed in letters or visits and for mediating disputes, and prevented and defused social conflicts. We cracked down on all kinds of crime in accordance with the law.

We fully implemented the CPC Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, carried out the campaign to heighten awareness of and implement the mass line, firmly opposed formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance, and strictly implemented the State Council's three-point decision on curbing government spending. Spending by central government bodies on official overseas visits, official vehicles, and official hospitality was reduced by 35%, and spending by provincial-level governments on official hospitality decreased by 26%. Efforts to uphold integrity and fight corruption were strengthened and a number of people violating the law or discipline were brought to justice.

Last year, we made new ground in conducting China's diplomacy. President Xi Jinping and other new state leaders accomplished much through their participation in major multilateral events, including the G20 Leaders Summit, the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, the BRICS Leaders Meeting, and the East Asian leaders meetings, and their visits to a number of countries.

China entered a new phase in pursuing neighborhood diplomacy. Progress was made in economic diplomacy. China's exchanges and cooperation with other developing countries reached a new level. China's relations with other major countries steadily grew through interaction. China played the role of a large responsible country in important international and regional issues and hotspot issues. We resolutely safeguarded China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests. China's influence in the world further increased.

Fellow Deputies,

The achievements we made last year did not come easily. We owe them to the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary as well as to the concerted efforts of the whole Party, the entire armed forces, and the people of all of China's ethnic groups.

On behalf of the State Council, I express our sincere gratitude to the people of all our ethnic groups and to the democratic parties, people's organizations and people from all sectors of society. I express our heartfelt appreciation to our compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, our Taiwan compatriots, and overseas Chinese. I also express our sincere thanks to foreign governments, international organizations and friends from all over the world that show understanding of and support China in its endeavor to achieve modernization.

In carrying out our work ahead, we will adhere to the thinking and practices that proved effective in last year's government work and keep improving them.

At the same time, we must be keenly aware of the many difficulties and problems on our road ahead. The main ones are: The foundation for sustaining steady economic growth is not yet firm, and the internal impetus driving growth needs to be increased. Risks and hidden dangers still exist in public finance and banking; some industries are heavily burdened by excess production capacity; and the exercise of macro-controls has become more difficult. Increasing agricultural output and rural incomes is becoming more difficult. Air, water and soil pollution is severe in some places, and the task of conserving energy and reducing emissions remains arduous. There are major structural problems constraining employment. There are still many problems which people are unhappy about in housing, food and drug safety, medical services, old-age services, education, income distribution, land expropriation and resettlement, and public order. Serious and major industrial accidents occur frequently. The social credibility system needs to be improved. Some government employees are prone to corruption and some still do not perform their duties with integrity and diligence.

Some of these problems have arisen in the course of development and others have occurred because we have not done our work well enough. The government must first examine itself to identify the causes of these problems and work out ways to resolve them. It must follow people's wishes in exercising governance. We must firmly bear in mind our duties and mission, increase our sense of vigilance against potential dangers, be eager to take on challenges, work tirelessly and effectively to solve problems, and truly live up to people's expectations.