Premier Li Keqiang held a symposium on Jan 16 to seek suggestions on the government work report draft for 2017 from notable figures from education, science and technology (S&T), culture, health and sports circles and representatives at grassroots levels.

Premier Li took the opinions of eight representatives in each field seriously and responded positively.

With efforts from all sides, China’s economy and social development achieved hard-earned results last year, which should be valued greatly, said the Premier, adding that government work is aimed at making people’s lives better, so the government should hear opinions from all sides.

He urged that the work deployed from the Central Economic Work Conference should be implemented and economic and social development should be coordinated to better satisfy people’s demands and solve their problems.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 16 to seek suggestions on the government work report draft for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

Academician Huang Wei, also president of Nanjing Tech University, called for strengthening basic education and research to cultivate more young talents with creative ideas, innovative minds and entrepreneurial spirits.

Academician Shi Yigong, also vice-president of Tsinghua University, wants the attention to be on the cultivation and introduction of talents with scientific and technological minds, and establish a long-term and stable work mechanism to support excellent scientists.

Premier Li stressed the continuation of implementing the innovation-driven strategy, carrying out the policies of increasing the autonomy rights in science research of higher education institutes as well as science and research institutes, and encouraging talents in basic research fields to devote themselves to scientific research.

He also urged related departments to increase subsidies to postgraduates to raise the research enthusiasm of young talents.

Du Xueping, director of Yuetan community’s health care center under Beijing Fuxing Hospital, called for properly allocating medical resources through strengthened cooperation and integration.

The Premier wants grades assessment standards of public hospitals to be reformed in accordance with medical reform progress and improve incentive pay of family doctors who provide medical services at grassroots levels to allocate more quality medical resources and services to common people.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 16 to seek suggestions on the government work report draft for 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

Representatives from culture, sports and entertainment sectors, including China’s writer Wang Anyi, Head Coach of China’s table tennis team Liu Guoliang and famous actor Ge You, brought forward their recommendations of how to promote cultural prosperity, sports industries and the movie industry.

Culture, sports, movie and TV industries have a special role in shaping the spirit of humanism and society has huge demand in such industries. So efforts should be made to relax access and restrictions of those industries to satisfy people’s spiritual and cultural demands, Premier Li said.

Xu Haibo, a farmer who went back to his rural hometown to start his own business, said that he hopes the government can help reduce agricultural risks for farmers who explore entrepreneurship.

Premier Li said that related departments should make efforts to improve the agricultural insurance system to better serve agricultural production.

Huang Min, a technical worker who left a steel plant in Hangzhou to set up a household service company, talked about his experience of entrepreneurship amid the nation’s efforts to reduce steel and coal overcapacity.

Premier Li said that efforts should be made to properly handle the issues of job transitions during the process of overcapacity reduction and the worker’s experience represents the significant role of mass entrepreneurship and innovation in expanding employment.

Further efforts should be made to streamline administration and delegate power to lower-level governments and provide better services for the people, market, new industries and new business models, encouraging more entrepreneurship and innovation, he added.

Vice-Premiers Zhang Gaoli, Liu Yandong, Wang Yang and Ma Kai and State Councilor Yang Jing also attended the symposium.

Premier Li Keqiang holds a symposium on Jan 16 to seek suggestions on the government work report draft for 2017. [Photo/China Daily]