Full Text: Report on the Work of the Government(9)

9. Building China into a beautiful homeland with a sound ecological environment

Fostering a sound ecological environment is vital for people's lives and the future of our nation. Smog is affecting larger parts of China and environmental pollution has become a major problem, which is nature's red-light warning against the model of inefficient and blind development. We must strengthen protection of the ecological environment and resolve to take forceful measures to complete this challenging task.

We will take strong measures to strengthen pollution prevention and control.

We will fully implement the plan for preventing and controlling air pollution, with the focus on mega cities and regions with frequent occurrence of smog. We will start by reducing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions, and focus on the following key areas: improving the industrial structure, raising energy efficiency, reducing vehicle exhaust emissions, and preventing and monitoring wind-borne dust.

We will improve the new mechanism involving government, enterprises and the general public, coordinate prevention and control efforts in affected regions, and fully implement the action plan for preventing and controlling air pollution.

This year, 50,000 small coal-fired furnaces will be shut down, and we will carry out desulphurization in coal-burning power plants with production capacity of 15 million kilowatts, denitrification in plants with 130 million kilowatts of production capacity, and dust removal in those with 180 million kilowatts of production capacity. Six million old high-emission vehicles will be removed from the roads, spread the use of new-energy vehicles and diesel fuel for vehicles that meets fourth-stage national standards will be provided nationwide.

We will implement the clean water action plan, strengthen the protection of sources of drinking water, prevent and control water pollution in key river basins, and carry out land restoration. We will control non-point agricultural source pollution and build beautiful rural areas. We will declare war against pollution and fight it with the same determination we battled poverty.

We will change the way energy is produced and consumed.

We will strengthen energy conservation and emissions reduction and impose a ceiling on total energy consumption. This year, we aim to cut energy intensity by more than 3.9%. The emissions of sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand will both be reduced by 2%.

We will continue to raise the proportion of electricity generated by non-fossil fuel, develop smart grids and promote balanced distribution of energy resources, encourage the development of wind and solar power and biomass energy, and start construction of a number of hydropower and nuclear power projects. We will strengthen exploration, exploitation and utilization of natural gas, coal seam gas and shale gas.

We will reform pricing of resource products and establish a sound system of tiered pricing for household water and gas consumption. We will launch projects to enhance energy efficiency of buildings and subsidize the production of energy-efficient products; develop clean production, green and low-carbon technologies and the circular economy; and become better able to respond to climate change. We will intensify water and materials conservation and comprehensive utilization of resources. We will speed up the development and use of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies and products and turn the energy conservation and environmental protection industries into dynamic sunrise industries.

We will move forward with ecological protection and development.

We will continue to carry out the project to convert marginal farmland back to forests and grassland, with this year's target being 333,300 hectares. We will implement major ecological projects to return grazing land to grassland, protect natural forests, prevent and control sandstorms, conserve water and soil, prevent and reverse the expansion of stony deserts, and recover wetlands.

We will strengthen ecological conservation at the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. We will implement the functional zoning system and give impetus to the establishment of trans-regional and cross-watershed mechanisms to compensate for ecological damage. Ecological conservation and environmental protection benefit future generations. Governments at all levels and the whole society should act more vigorously to protect the land our lives depend on.

Fellow Deputies,

To do the government's work well, we must strengthen its internal reform and self-governance. Governments at all levels should faithfully fulfill the responsibilities conferred upon them by the Constitution and laws. We should, in keeping with the requirements for modernizing the country's governance system and governance capacity, speed up the building of a law-based, innovative and clean government, enhance its credibility and law-enforcement capability, and strive to provide high-quality and efficient services to the people.

We will fully implement the basic strategy of law-based governance, act in accordance with the law in all our government work, and be guided by law in both thinking and action in performing our duties.

We will strengthen government work concerning the legal system and reform the system of government law enforcement. We will improve guidelines on and ways of conducting government administration; improve decision-making, enforcement and oversight mechanisms; and advance reforms of government procurement of services. We will raise the competence of public servants and improve their overall performance. All public servants must put people's interests first and perform their duties honestly, diligently and faithfully.

Governments at all levels must practice economy, eliminate waste, and tighten their belts. They must strictly observe the following three rules: The construction of new government buildings and renovation and expansion of existing government buildings are prohibited. The total number of government employees is to be reduced. Government spending on official overseas visits, official vehicles, and official hospitality is to be reduced. Reform of the system for using official vehicles will be launched.

We will strengthen administrative oversight and correct improper conduct in trades. We will intensify auditing and release more auditing results to the public. This year, we will comprehensively audit the revenue from the sale of land-use rights and its use and also audit farmland protection. We will energetically build a system for combating corruption and upholding integrity, resolutely investigate corruption cases, and penalize offenders without mercy in accordance with the law.

Governments at all levels should willingly accept the oversight of people's congresses and their standing committees at the same level; accept the democratic oversight of CPPCC committees; and eagerly solicit the views of deputies to people's congresses, the democratic parties, federations of industry and commerce, public figures without party affiliation and people's organizations.

We will make our operations more open, improve the spokesperson system, and respond to people's concerns promptly. Our government is a government of the people. In all our work, we should fully reflect their aspirations and be completely open to their oversight.

Fellow Deputies,

China is a unified country with many ethnic groups, all of which are equal members of the Chinese nation. We need to fully and faithfully implement the Party's policies concerning ethnic groups, uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and promote ethnic unity, progress, common prosperity and development.

We will conscientiously carry out the central leadership's policies and measures for supporting the development of ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas. We will support the growth of ethnic groups with small populations and continue to implement programs to boost development of border regions and improve the lives of people there. We will protect and develop the fine cultural traditions of ethnic minorities.

We are the people of all of the ethnic groups in the big family of the Chinese nation. We live in peace and harmony, work together for a common cause, develop in harmony and share mutual affinity. We will definitely enjoy more peace, happiness, and prosperity as well as greater development.

We will comprehensively implement the Party's basic policy on religion, promote harmonious relations among religions, and give full rein to the positive role of religious leaders and believers in promoting economic and social development.

We will promote unity with overseas Chinese nationals, foreign citizens of Chinese descent, overseas Chinese nationals who have returned to China and relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who live in China. We will give full play to their distinctive role in carrying out China's modernization, advancing its peaceful reunification, and promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and strengthen the close bond of all Chinese at home and overseas.

Fellow Deputies,

Last year, we made solid progress in strengthening national defense and the armed forces, and the armed forces and armed police force now are full of new vigor and have enhanced their capabilities. This year, with the Party's goal of strengthening the armed forces under the new conditions in mind, we will comprehensively enhance the revolutionary nature of the Chinese armed forces, further modernize them and upgrade their performance, and continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age.

We will carry out coordinated planning for military preparedness in all scenarios and areas, strengthen and improve the political beliefs of the armed forces, speed up the comprehensive development of modern logistics, and strengthen research on national defense and the development of new- and high-technology weapons and equipment.

We will run the armed forces with strict discipline and in accordance with the law. We will deepen reform of national defense and the armed forces, strengthen military strategic guidance, and improve the system of modern military power. We will strengthen national defense mobilization and the reserve forces, place war preparations on a regular footing, and enhance border, coastal and air defenses. We will deepen the integration of military and civilian sectors.

We will speed up the building of a modern armed police force. The armed forces must resolutely carry out their mission of providing disaster relief, countering terrorism, maintaining stability, keeping peace, providing escort and handling emergencies, and actively participate in and support economic development.

Governments at all levels should continue to concern themselves with and support strengthening national defense and the armed forces, forge closer ties between the people and the army, and build unbreakable unity between the government and the armed forces and between the people and the armed forces.

Fellow Deputies,

We will unswervingly implement the principles of "one country, two systems," fully and faithfully carry out the basic laws of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and maintain the two special administrative regions' long-term prosperity and stability.

We will support the chief executives and governments of the two regions in governing their regions in accordance with the law, energetically developing the economy, effectively improving people's wellbeing, advancing democracy in accordance with the law and maintaining social harmony. We will further increase cooperation between the mainland and the two regions and help them become more competitive. As China continues to comprehensively deepen reform and modernize itself, Hong Kong and Macao will stand to benefit greatly from this process.

We will fully implement the major policies concerning Taiwan affairs, uphold the 1992 Consensus, uphold the one-China framework, strengthen and enhance cross-Straits political trust, promote economic integration, promote exchanges and cooperation, and engage in consultations and negotiations.

Guided by the vision that "we people on both sides of the Straits are one family," we will uphold our kindred friendship and work together with our compatriots to build the beautiful homeland of the Chinese nation and achieve China's peaceful reunification. We hope that the two sides will build increasingly close and intimate ties so that the peaceful growth of cross-Strait relations will become an irresistible and irreversible historical trend.

Fellow Deputies,

This year is the 60th anniversary of the issuance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The Chinese people love peace and cherish development, and China needs a long-term stable international environment for its modernization. We will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit; unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development; and unwaveringly implement a win-win strategy of opening up.

We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons overseas. We will comprehensively advance China's neighborhood diplomacy, and strengthen friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with our neighbors. We will safeguard the victory of World War II and the postwar international order, and will not allow anyone to reverse the course of history. We will strengthen unity and cooperation with other developing countries and uphold our shared interests. We will deepen strategic dialogue and communication and pragmatic cooperation with other major countries and promote the sound growth of relations of long-term stability with them. We will be a good host of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

As a responsible power, China will actively participate in international, multilateral affairs, play a constructive role in resolving global and hotspot issues, earnestly safeguard international fairness and justice, and work to make the international order more just and equitable. China will join hands with other countries to achieve enduring peace, common development and prosperity of the human race.

Fellow Deputies,

The people have placed great trust in us, and we will work hard to create the future. Let us rally closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and work together as one. Let us endeavor to break new ground and make solid progress, and strive to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious. With all these efforts, we can surely realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!