Premier underlines reform, opening-up, people's livelihood

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for joint efforts to advance reform and opening-up, promote innovation, sustain economic growth and improve people's livelihood at the ongoing national legislative session Tuesday.

Joining deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) from southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Li stressed following the guide of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Li said as this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up drive, local governments should not only fully implement national reform policies, but launch tailored measures of their own to create a business-friendly environment for the benefit of enterprises and the public.

Local governments were also told to practise frugality but increase spending on programs for people's livelihood and focus on poverty alleviation.

Senior leaders including Wang Yang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also joined panel discussions of political advisors and NPC deputies Tuesday.

Joining political advisors from ethnic minority groups, Wang Yang called for concrete efforts to secure victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in areas with large ethnic minority populations. He asked them to focus on targeted poverty reduction and environment protection.

While attending discussions of NPC deputies from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, Wang Huning stressed implementation of the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress on work related to the two regions, urging efforts to act in strict compliance with China's Constitution and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions, support the governments and chief executives of both regions in exercising law-based governance.

Speaking to NPC deputies from Shaanxi province, Han Zheng encouraged people to strive to achieve more efficient, fairer, and more sustainable development with better quality by following the philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, and open development that is for everyone.