Full Text: Report on the Work of the Government(12)

VI. Improving Government

We will fully promote the law-based governance of the country; move more swiftly to build an innovative, clean, service-oriented rule of law government; enhance the government' s administrative capacity and public credibility; and modernize China's governance system and capacity for governance.

We will exercise governance in accordance with the Constitution and other laws and bring all government work in line with the rule of law.

The Constitution is the fundamental guide on which our every action should be based; governments at all levels and their employees must faithfully observe it. We must respect, study, abide by, and apply the law, and fully perform our duties in accordance with it. All government activities must have a legal basis, and no government body may assume any power which is not provided for by law. We will deepen reform of the administrative law enforcement system, enforce the law in a strict, well-regulated, impartial, and appropriate manner, press ahead with coordinated law enforcement, and fully implement the accountability system for administrative law enforcement. We must see to it that all violations of laws and regulations are investigated and prosecuted, and all failures to enforce the law in an impartial and appropriate manner are rectified.

We will develop new ways of conducting regulation, strengthen services, and work to improve government performance.

In basic public services, we need to do all we can to use service procurement as the means of provision, and routine services that can be provided by a third party should be handed over to the market or society. We will work solidly to carry out government consultations. We will work to ensure decisions are made in a sound and democratic way and place importance on the role of think tanks. We will fully put into practice transparency in government affairs and promote the use of e-government and online administration. All levels of governments must actively accept oversight by people' s congresses and their standing committees at their respective administrative level; accept the democratic oversight of CPPCC committees; and earnestly solicit the views of deputies to people' s congresses, members of CPPCC committees, non-CPC parties, federations of industry and commerce, public figures without party affiliation, and people' s organizations. All our work must be subject to the people's oversight and be done in the way they expect it to be done.

We will exercise power in accordance with the law, encourage thrift and oppose extravagance, and work painstakingly to improve Party conduct, promote integrity, and fight corruption.

We will work conscientiously to implement the CPC Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct; work tirelessly to oppose formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance; and continue to strictly enforce the State Council' s three-point decision on curbing government spending. As rent-seeking is a feature common to all types of corruption, we will shed powers to make government cleaner, truss up the institutional fencing, and resolutely eliminate any room for rent-seeking, thus eradicating the breeding grounds of corruption. We will intensify government supervision, make full use of auditing oversight, and strictly monitor public funds, public resources, and state-owned assets. Our tough stance on corruption is here to stay; our tolerance for corruption is zero, and anyone guilty of corruption will be dealt with seriously. We will see to it that every instance of corruption, should it be committed higher up or lower down, is severely punished.

We will take an active approach to our work, focus on implementation, and work with diligence for the people.

China's economic development has entered a new normal, meaning we must adopt a new attitude. All public servants, especially officials, should always treat it as their greatest responsibility to promote development that benefits the people, carry the task of modernization on their shoulders, and keep the wellbeing of the people at the forefront of their minds. Governments at all levels must fully perform their functions and responsibilities, ensure thorough implementation, and be creative in their work. We will work to improve the mechanisms for assessing performance, and commend those who perform well, admonish those who do not, and expose and hold to account those who are indolent, sloppy, or neglectful of their duties.

Fellow Deputies,

China is a unified country of many ethnic groups. Working to enhance and develop socialist ethnic relations featuring equality, unity, mutual assistance, and harmony is the joint responsibility and in the fundamental interests of everyone.

We will uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, increase support for underdeveloped areas with concentrations of ethnic minorities, and aid the growth of ethnic minorities with smaller populations. We will work to boost development in border regions and improve living standards there. We will see to it that the fine traditional culture of our ethnic minorities and distinctively ethnic villages and towns are preserved and developed, and promote interaction, communication, and integration between ethnic groups.

We will work to successfully mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. With people of all our ethnic groups living together as one, sharing in a common cause, and developing together in harmony, the big family of the Chinese nation will enjoy greater prosperity, peace, and happiness.

We will fully implement the Party's basic policy on religion, promote harmonious relations between religions, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the religious community, and ensure that religious leaders and believers play a positive role in promoting economic and social development.

We need to ensure that overseas Chinese nationals, overseas Chinese nationals who have returned to China, and the relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who themselves live in China can all perform better the unique role they have to play in modernizing China, advancing its peaceful reunification, and promoting exchange and cooperation between China and other countries. We need to strengthen the bonds of attachment and affection of all Chinese, whether at home or overseas, to our motherland.

Fellow Deputies,

Building a solid national defense and strong armed forces is fundamental to safeguarding China's sovereignty, security, and developmental interests. We must keep to the Party' s goal of strengthening the armed forces under the new conditions, uphold the fundamental principle of the Party' s absolute leadership over the armed forces, strengthen our efforts in all areas in a coordinated way to maintain military preparedness, and ensure border, coastal, and air defense security and stability. We will comprehensively strengthen modern logistics, step up national defense research and development of new- and high-technology weapons and equipment, and develop defense-related science and technology industries.

We will deepen the reform of national defense and the armed forces, and increase the level of rule of law in their development. We will strengthen efforts to modernize the armed police forces. We will raise public awareness of the importance of national defense, and improve mobilization for national defense and the building of reserve forces. We will coordinate national defense development and economic development and deepen the integration of the military and civil sectors. Governments at all levels must always take an active interest in and support the strengthening of our national defense and armed forces, and remain committed to consolidating and increasing the unity between the government and the armed forces and between the people and the armed forces.

Fellow Deputies,

We will steadfastly carry out the principles of "one country, two systems," the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong, the people of Macao governing Macao, and both regions enjoying a high degree of autonomy, and we will strictly comply with the Constitution and the basic laws of these two regions. We will give full support to the chief executives and governments of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions in governing their regions in accordance with the law, growing the economy, improving people's standard of living, advancing democracy, and promoting social harmony.

We will ensure that the mainland and the two regions develop more exchange and cooperation in all fields, and that the two regions continue to play their special role in the country's reform, opening up, and modernization. We are confident that with the central government continuing its strong support for Hong Kong and Macao, and with continuous improvements to their own competitiveness, these two regions will enjoy long-term prosperity and stability.

We will adhere to our policies concerning Taiwan and work to strengthen the political foundation of both sides of the Straits, upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing the independence of Taiwan, and keep cross-Straits relations on the right course in peaceful development. We will strive to make progress in discussion and dialogue between the two sides of the Straits, advance cross-Straits economic integration for mutual benefit, and promote local and youth exchanges. We will protect the rights and interests of our compatriots from Taiwan in accordance with the law, and see that the fruits of peaceful growth of cross-Straits relations benefit more people. We hope that our compatriots on both sides of the Straits will continue to strengthen mutual understanding and trust, deepen their bonds of kinship, bring hearts and minds closer together, and work together to achieve China' s peaceful reunification. We are firmly confident that the peaceful growth of cross-Straits relations is a historical trend that can be neither resisted nor reversed.

Fellow Deputies,

We will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and coordinate China's domestic and international efforts. We remain fully committed to peaceful development and pursuing a win-win strategy of opening up. We will resolutely safeguard China' s sovereignty, security, and developmental interests, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons overseas. We will help develop a new type of international relations based on mutual benefit and cooperation, work to deepen strategic dialogue and practical cooperation with other major countries, and work to build a sound and stable framework for major-country relations. We will work comprehensively to make progress in neighborhood diplomacy and work to create a community with a common future with our neighbors. We will work to strengthen unity and cooperation with other developing countries and protect our common interests. We will actively participate in international and multilateral affairs and work to make both the international system and the international order more just and equitable. We will host events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory in the world' s war against fascism and in the Chinese people' s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and work together with other members of the international community to uphold the victory of World War II and international justice. China is willing to work hand in hand with all other countries to sustain enduring peace and build a more prosperous world.

Fellow Deputies,

This is an era that has given to China a historic opportunity for development and prosperity. 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 to break new ground. Let us endeavor to accomplish this year' s objectives and tasks for economic and social development. By doing so, we will make new and greater contributions toward achieving the Two Centenary Goals* and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Note:

* The Two Centenary Goals are to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the time the CPC celebrates its centenary in 2021; and to turn China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its centenary in 2049.