The Chinese economy has run within reasonable range in the past year, and the country will effectively stabilize its growth and guard against risks this year, Premier Li Keqiang said.

“We have the confidence and capability in tackling challenges in various fields” to promote the stable and healthy development of the economy, Premier Li said while hosting a symposium for soliciting opinions on the draft of the annual Government Work Report.

The Premier will deliver the report at the annual session of the National People’s Congress in March, and the Premier hosted several symposiums ahead of that to collect ideas and perfect the draft.

Participants at the symposium on Jan 20 — the third of its kind this year — include leaders of non-communist political parties, officials of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and prominent figures without party affiliation.

He made the comments at a time in which the Chinese economy faces great pressure, and rising global trade protectionism is adding uncertainty to China’s businesses.

The Premier said the growth rate of the economy “was a forerunner in the world” last year, and the country’s annual new employment has remained above 13 million people for four years.

Elaborating on work expected to be done by the government this year, Chen Changzhi, chairman of the China National Democratic Construction Association — one of the eight non-communist parties — said the country should further cut administrative fees levied on enterprises to lower their costs.

Yan Junqi, chairwoman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, said training for grassroots medical workers should be improved.

It is hoped that they continue working together to ensure that the economy maintains its medium-and high-speed growth and steps up into a medium and high level of development, he said.