Highlights of work report:
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-06 07:19

Targets for economic, social development:

GDP growth of about 8 percent; Hold rise in CPI to around 4.8 percent;

Create 10 million jobs in urban areas. Keep registered urban unemployment rate at around 4.5 percent.

Fiscal, monetary policies:

Follow a prudent fiscal policy and a tight monetary policy.

Food supply:

Provincial governors responsible for the "rice bag" (grain supply) program and city mayors for the "vegetable basket" (non-staple food supply) program.

Food safety:

Complete and update more than 7,700 national standards for the safety of food products, drugs and other consumer goods.

Energy, environment:

Implement the plan to close down outdated production facilities in the electricity, steel, cement, coal and papermaking industries.

Strive to reach the goal of 100 percent collection and treatment of sewage in 36 large cities within two years.

Stock market:

Establish a market for growth enterprises, accelerate development of the bond market and develop the futures market, while striving to improve the performance of listed companies, and maintaining an open, fair and equitable market environment.

Foreign investment:

Limit or ban foreign investment in projects that are energy intensive or highly polluting; limit or ban foreign investment in some areas of resource exploitation; and deal with illegal practices to attract foreign investment.

Olympics:

Prepare for and organize the Games well, strengthen cooperation with the international community, and create an environment to ensure that the Games are a unique, well-run sporting event.

Taiwan question:

The mainland firmly opposes "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities, and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any guise or by any means.

Any issue that concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be decided by all the Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots.

Super ministries:

A plan for the reform of State Council bodies will explore ways to establish larger departments that integrate the functions of smaller departments to resolve the problem of overlapping responsibilities and powers.

Rural development:

Allocations from this year's central government budget related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers total 562.5 billion yuan (78.8 billion), a year-on-year rise of more than 30 percent.

Education:

Realize free compulsory education in both urban and rural areas.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily 03/06/2008 page1)