Recently, Premier Li Keqiang presided over three symposiums and one plenary meeting of the State council and listened to opinions and suggestions on government work report (exposure draft).
Journalist from SSN learns from the information disclosed at the meetings that reduction in tax and fees, implementation of innovation-driven development strategy, revitalizing real economy and promoting private investment are expected to be key points of government work report in 2017.
First signal: reduction in tax and fees
Premier Li Keqiang presided over a meeting on Jan. 13 to hear opinions and suggestions on government work report (exposure draft) from experts, scholars and businessmen. Enterprises’ tax burden was focus of discussion at the meeting.
Li stated clearly at the meeting that government should make enterprises really feel fees cut and other non-tax burdens and State Council will carry out inspection over it.
Key contents of the government work report can be seen from remarks of attendees. “I couldn’t agree more with contents of the report saying that the government will continue to promote reduction in tax and fees, but source of tax reduction isn’t increasing deficit but lowering enterprises’ tax burden and governmental expenditure.” said Gao Peiyong, academician from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and director of the Institute of Economics at the CASS.
How to lower enterprises’ tax burden? Li pointed out that it needs to continue to deepen the reform of streamlining administration, delegating more powers to lower-level governments and to society in general while improving regulation and optimizing services, and to formulate, implement and gradually improve power list and responsibility power to truly reduce institutional transaction cost.
How to reduce governmental expenditure? Li required further squeezing general public expenditure and improving expenditure efficiency.
Second signal: Continue to implement innovation-driven development strategy
Premier Li hosted a meeting on Jan. 16 to hear opinions and suggestions on government work report (exposure draft) from experts in education, science and technology, culture, sanitation and sports fields and grass-roots representatives. Li emphasized continuing to implement innovation-driven development strategy.
Since being proposed at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, implementing innovation-driven development strategy has been included in the government work reports in recent years and many detailed implementation policies are put forward.
Premier Li mentioned several policies to be carried out in next step, including practicing policy on strengthening teaching and research independence of colleges, universities, scientific research institutes, reinforcing policy and capital support, encouraging researchers engaged in doing research; quickening study on improving basic subsidy standard for graduate students and arousing enthusiasm of the young.
Noticeably, many guests invited by Premier Li all mentioned something about technological innovation at these meetings.
TCL Corp Chairman Li Dongsheng suggested strengthening support on strategic emerging industry and development of core technology at the meeting held on Jan. 13. Hu Weiwei, cofounder of bike sharing startup Mobike, indicated that technological innovation should be encouraged and backed up to promote development of sharing economy and other new business types.
At the meeting held on Jan. 16, Shi Yigong, vice-president of Tsinghua University, advised paying attention to training and introducing technological talents and setting up mechanism of supporting excellent scientists. Li Wei, representative of nonparty personages, voiced his opinion on improving capability of independent innovation and developing artificial intelligence on Jan. 19.
Third signal: Revitalize real economy
Li presided over a symposium on Jan. 19, learning from principals of democratic parties, principals of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and political personages without party affiliation their opinions and suggestions on the draft of government work report. Li shared his views with representatives on various issues, including the “Belt and Road” initiatives, sponge city construction, treatment of agricultural non-point source pollution, revitalization of real economy and promotion of private investment.
It is noteworthy that focusing on revitalizing real economy is expected to become a major content in this year’s government work report.
At the symposium on Jan. 13, Li pointed out pushing forward the transformation of traditional industries via new technologies and new model, accelerating the development of advanced manufacturing, promoting the upgrading of the real economy (including the primary, secondary and tertiary industries) and improving the effectiveness of demands.
Li presided over the 6th plenary session of the State Council on Jan. 18 to discuss the government work report to be submitted to the 5th session of the 12th National People's Congress for review. Li said that China should push forward the upgrading of the real economy and the continuously improvement of people’s livelihood.
In view of this year’s local government work reports, most of their policies for revitalizing real economy highlight promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and cultivating and expanding emerging industries.
For example, when making arrangements for this year’s economic works, Jilin Province stresses that it will pay more attention to the development of the real economy. Policies will focus on developing intelligent manufacturing and other emerging industries and transforming and expanding auto industry, petrochemical, agricultural products processing and other traditional pillar industries. Tianjin also proposes to push forward industry transformation and upgrading and vigorously develop the real economy. Its policies highlight vigorously developing the advanced manufacturing sector, establishing fund for the development of emerging industries with strategic importance, carrying out actions for “Internet plus” industrial cluster and pushing forward technological, intelligent and green transformation of traditional industries.
Translated by Vanessa and Coral
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