The government will also resume its policy of full tuition scholarship and stipends for key teacher-training universities from this year. The policy was suspended at many universities in recent years.

Financial issues in the education sector have emerged as a major social problem for the country in recent years.

Families feel a mounting burden to support students while some cash-strapped universities borrowed heavily from banks.

Fuel tax

Jin also offered his thoughts on the long-anticipated fuel tax, which was first proposed about a decade ago.

He said the first major policy goal of the fuel tax should be to replace the road-use fee.

He admitted a fuel tax could also encourage energy conservation and help environmental protection, but it could also increase the financial burden on citizens.

"China's fuel tax should primarily solve the problem of the road-use fee. The design should ensure the tax should not increase the burden on society," he said.

He said he hoped the tax would be introduced soon, but the timing will depend on whether conditions are right.

1

2

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)