9. Strengthening the all-around improvement of government
We must uphold leadership by the Party, willingly maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core, and keep in alignment. We should firmly uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core; closely follow the Central Committee in terms of thinking, political stand, and action; and speed up efforts to transform government functions and improve government performance so as to deliver better services to the people.
We will continue to work to see that government functions are fully carried out in accordance with law.
Governments at all levels and all government employees must meet every requirement for fully advancing China's law-based governance. We must strictly observe the Constitution; we must hold the rule of law in the highest esteem; we must hold the law in reverence; we must conduct administration in accordance with law, and we must build a rule of law government. We will make government operations more transparent. We will ensure that policies are made in a sound and democratic way on the basis of law; and we will widely solicit input and criticism from all interested parties in policy making.
We at all levels of government must subject ourselves, as required by law, to oversight by people's congresses and their standing committees at the corresponding levels, to the democratic oversight of CPPCC committees, and to public oversight and oversight through public opinion. We should willingly solicit input from deputies to people's congresses, members of CPPCC committees, other political parties, chambers of commerce, public figures without party affiliation, and people's organizations. As ours is a government of the people, all of our work must reflect their will, safeguard their interests, and be placed under their oversight.
We will maintain ethical conduct and moral integrity at all times.
We will continue to make every effort to fully strengthen Party self-governance, improve Party conduct and moral integrity, and effectively combat corruption. We will act with firm resolve to implement the Party Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, and make continued efforts to correct formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance.
We will strengthen administrative supervision and auditing-based oversight. We will continue to maintain a tough stance against corruption. With the focus on key areas, we will conduct full investigations into and punish corruption and other forms of misconduct that undermine people's interests. All public servants must have integrity, be upright, and get on honestly with their jobs of serving the people.
We will perform with a strong work ethic, sense of responsibility, and enterprising spirit.
China's remarkable achievements in reform and development are the work of officials and the people; the only way to make new achievements is more hard work. Governments at all levels and all government employees must make it our priority to get things done. In performing duties, we should work hard, in a down-to-earth way; and we should be innovative as actual conditions allow. Implementing decisions made at meetings of higher-level authorities and contained in the documents they issue does not mean just holding more meetings and issuing more documents. It's no good to just push paper and pay lip service.
We need to keep both the central government and local governments fully motivated, and encourage local governments to work according to local circumstances and be bold in their explorations, so that together we are all promoting sustainable and balanced development. We will strictly enforce the responsibility systems, particularly those for implementing key tasks. We must see responsibilities are fulfilled without fail, that pressure is felt at every level of government, and that implementation is carried out to the letter.
We will strengthen oversight and accountability, take tough steps to address incompetence, inertia, and negligence, and resolvedly address failures to act in good faith in government work. We will improve mechanisms that give incentives and allow for and address mistakes so as to support those who are dedicated to their work and stand behind those who live up to their responsibilities.
Every one of us in government must take an active approach to our work and have the courage to tackle the toughest problems; we must work closely with the people, using concrete action to make progress in development, and using genuine hard work to realize a bright future.
Esteemed Deputies,
China is a unified country of many ethnic groups. We will uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, fully implement the Party's policies concerning ethnic groups, and intensify our efforts to foster ethnic unity and progress. We will make sure celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are a great success.
We will increase support for development in areas inhabited mainly by ethnic minorities. We will deepen efforts to boost development in the border regions to benefit the people living there. We will protect and develop the fine traditional cultures of ethnic minorities and support the growth of ethnic groups with smaller populations. We will encourage people of all China's ethnic groups to develop together and thrive together in the course of finishing the building of a society that is moderately prosperous in all respects. With people of all our ethnic groups living together in friendship, sharing in a common cause, and developing in harmony, the big family of the Chinese nation will enjoy more happiness.
We will fully implement the Party's fundamental policy on religion, manage religious affairs in accordance with law, promote harmonious relations between religions, and encourage religious leaders and believers to actively involve themselves in promoting economic and social development.
We will fully implement government policies related to overseas Chinese nationals, protect the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese nationals, Chinese nationals who have returned from overseas, and the relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who reside in China, and ensure that they can all give full play to their unique strengths and perform their important roles. I am confident that all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, both in and outside China, will forge stronger bonds of attachment.
Esteemed Deputies,
Last year, we achieved major breakthroughs in the reform of national defense and the armed forces and made fresh progress and new achievements in our work to make the military more revolutionary, modern, and well-structured.
This year, in pursuing the Party's goal of strengthening the armed forces in a new era, we will work to build them through political work, strengthen them through reform, and ensure they are run by law. We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests of China are resolutely and effectively safeguarded.
We will uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces and uphold and implement the system whereby the Chairman of the Central Military Commission assumes overall responsibility over military affairs.
We will continue to deepen reforms in national defense and the armed forces. We will strengthen maritime and air defense as well as border control and ensure that important operations related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping, and providing escort in high seas are well organized.
We will enhance our capacity for innovation in defense-related science and technology and step up the development of advanced logistics and equipment. We will strengthen national defense education among the general public, and step up national defense mobilization and readiness of reserve forces. We will continue to promote coordinated, balanced, and compatible development of the economy and national defense, deepen structural reform of defense-related science and technology industries, and intensify military-civilian integration.
We at every level of government should take more solid and vigorous steps to support the reform and development of our national defense and armed forces. We should see that the tree of unity between the military and the government and between the military and the people continues to grow deep roots and is always in blossom.
