BEIJING -- Premier Li Keqiang said on Nov 1 that the central government has made the transformation of government functions a major work agenda in order to release more market vitality and better serve the people.

Faced with a complicated economic picture both at home and abroad and pressure from an economic slowdown, the central government has scrapped or devolved 334 administrative approval rights in efforts to further push forward administrative reform, the premier told a conference held in Beijing.

Li urged local governments to transform their administrative functions and press ahead with institutional reforms, saying these efforts will better balance the government’s relations with the market and society.