Full text: Report on China's economic, social development plan (13)

4. We will keep overall prices basically stable.

1) We will ensure market supply. We will effectively implement the system of holding provincial governors responsible for grain supplies and city mayors for non-grain food supplies. We will take multiple measures to spur farmers' enthusiasm for production. We will coordinate production, transportation, and sale of important commodities; properly handle commodity reserves and adjust imports and exports of commodities; make appropriate arrangements on stockpiling and releasing grain, edible oil, cotton, sugar, and meat; and improve the reserve system for winter and spring vegetables in major northern cities.

2) We will boost market distribution. We will introduce an overall working plan for lowering distribution costs and improving distribution efficiency. We will intensify efforts to build storage and logistic facilities for grain, edible oil, cotton, and sugar, with the focus on increasing the storage capacity of major grain production areas. We will quicken development of cold-chain logistics, improve direct supply of agricultural products from farmers to stores, and support upgrading of wholesale markets for agricultural products. We will strengthen supervision of prices in the distribution process, and standardize fees in distribution areas.

3) We will improve the regulation mechanism. We will enhance monitoring and early warning on price changes. We will maintain proper intensity and pace when the government regulates prices. We will formulate sound contingency plans to cope with sharp price fluctuations of agricultural products that have a direct bearing on people' s lives. We will improve the mechanism to increase social assistance and social security benefits when consumer prices rise.

4) We will tighten oversight of prices. We will continue to eliminate improper fees related to agriculture, enterprises, and other areas concerning people' s lives; carry out intensive inspections on prices and fees in education, medical and health care services, banking, and industry and commerce administration; maintain orderly tourism, daily necessities, and agricultural products markets; crack down on price irregularities; and become better able to counter price fixing.

5) We will provide better guidance on public opinion. We will fully explain our pricing policies and properly guide public expectations.