Premier Li Keqiang was on an inspection tour to East China's Zhejiang province from May 24 to 25, accompanied by secretary of the provincial Party committee Yuan Jiajun and governor Zheng Shanjie.
He asked for efforts to expand reform and opening-up, stimulate the vigor of market entities, actively cope with changes in domestic and international circumstances, and promote the economy to pursue progress with stable performance.
At Ningbo Zhoushan Port - China's major transfer station for bulk commodities - Premier Li heard reports on the operation of the port and pricing trends in international bulk commodities.
The Premier stressed the importance of keeping close tabs on the world's economic cyclic changes and price fluctuations in international bulk commodities, adding that the country must insist on expanding opening-up and further facilitating customs clearance to better integrate into the international market, conduct fair and free trade and fully make use of both domestic and international markets and resources.
He also urged making full use of the port's advantages in location, ship channels and river and ocean combined transportation to further optimize its layout. The import, storage, transport and trade of bulk commodities should be improved using market-oriented methods. Coping with future cyclical changes in the world economy and stabilizing industrial and supply chains should be strengthened.
The Premier talked with truck drivers and urged related departments to resolve their reasonable appeals this year, after he was told about the inconvenience they face, such as having to go back to the place of their household registration for annual examination for driving qualification certificates.
He told local officials to listen more to workers, individual business owners and small and micro-sized enterprises, and to help resolve their difficulties, adding that the country will further prosper with improved market entities.
At a Ningbo talent market, Premier Li learned about efforts in employment promotion and approved the local practice of ensuring the basic rights and interests of flexible employees.
The Premier encouraged job applicants to improve skills and told graduates that the government will further boost employment with better platforms. For many who want to start a business in the future, he extended hopes that they could keep aspiring and bear great fruits in mass innovation and entrepreneurship.
At Loctek Ergonomic Technology Corp, Premier Li checked out the company's innovative products and connected with warehouse staff in Europe via video. He encouraged the company to develop more consumer-friendly products, strengthen new growth drivers, give better play to the role of overseas warehouses, and encourage more domestic products to go out to the international market.
Premier Li exchanged ideas with leaders from more than a dozen manufacturing enterprises to learn about the impact on business operations brought about by changes in upstream raw material prices. Rising commodity prices not only bring pressure to large and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, but also affect micro and small enterprises, and individual businesses. Once the pressure is passed downstream, consumers will also be affected, he said.
It is important to effectively implement tax and fee cut policies and inclusive financial policies to support market entities. Market regulations should be strengthened to slow down the downstream transmission of pressure caused by rising prices. Enterprises should also focus on developing potential and innovation to ease cost pressures and improve competitiveness, the Premier said.
At the administrative service center in Yinzhou district, Premier Li heard a report on deepening administrative reform, and applauded their efforts to facilitate enterprises and the public, and boost the sharp increase in the number of market entities. There, he talked with people who came to handle issues such as registering enterprises or paying taxes.
Market entities are the foundation of economic development, and administrative reform will help solve any problems along the way, Premier Li said. To relieve the burdens on market entities, matters that do require presence in person should be processed all in one visit, and regular information should be reported at most one time with the application of information sharing, he added.
Premier Li stressed that there is no end to business environment improvement, and efforts should be made to deepen administrative reform to give enterprises and people easier access to government services, for fairer market competition.
He acknowledged the achievements of Zhejiang in economic and social development, and expressed his hope that the province could make more innovations and take bigger strides in high-quality development.
State Councilor Xiao Jie, and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also were present.
