Premier Li Keqiang said the government needs to work hand in hand with non-Communist Party members as well as associations to meet challenges that lay ahead when he met leaders from non-Communist parties as well as associations at a symposium on Jan 25.

The meeting was held to seek suggestions from non-Communist parties on improving the draft of the government work report as well as the outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

Premier Li said 2016 will be more challenging than the previous year as the international context is growing more complicated and may affect China’s economic development. Meanwhile, China is at its point of transition in changing the mode of development and industrial upgrading. Therefore, the government needs new ideas and concepts to lead the changes, such as promoting reforms from the supply side, nurturing a new developing center of economy and expanding effective investment, as well as protecting people’s livelihoods.

Suggestions such as advancing law-based governance at regional levels, better alleviating poverty in education, deepening medical reform and providing a better institutional environment for encouraging self-started business and innovation, were raised among the 10 leaders from non-Communist parties as well as the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.

The representatives spoke highly of the government’s successful completion of the 12th Five-Year Plan.

Wan E’xiang, Vice-Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, suggested that more concentrated efforts are required on building law-based government, especially at regional government level.

“We’ve noticed during our field work over the past year that in some areas, local government still lacks the idea on the rule of law. One common example is that some governments do not earnestly fulfill their duty in signed contracts when cooperating with enterprises,” Wan said.

He suggested that more education is needed on international laws and regulations for provincial level government.

The year marks the first of the government’s 13th Five-Year Plan. Premier Li said by the end of the meeting that the State Council will take suggestions raised into serious consideration. The final report will be delivered at the annual session of the country’s National People’s Congress in March.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

[Photo/China News Service]

[Photo/China News Service]