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NPC Annual Session Opens in Beijing
NPC Session Opens
The Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) opened Monday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, with the adoption of China's 10th five-year plan high on the agenda.
Premier Zhu Rongji delivered a report on the draft outline of the 10th five-year plan for national economic and social development between 2001 and 2005 at the opening meeting of the session attended by 2,870 deputies to the NPC.
Senior Chinese leaders Jiang Zemin, Li Ruihuan, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing and Li Lanqing attended the opening meeting presided over by Li Peng, executive chairman of the session and executive chairman of the presidium of the session.
Premier Zhu said that, compared with previous five-year plans, the 10th five-year plan has reduced targets for physical production and stresses the role of market forces in implementing government plans and the use of economic leverage, policies and legal means in attaining macro-economic goals.
The plan sets an annual growth rate of seven percent for the Chinese economy in the next five years, which is obviously conservative considering the 8.3 percent growth rate recorded in the ninth five-year plan period from 1996 to 2000, he said.
The premier explained that this is meant to allow the nation to focus its efforts on economic restructuring for higher efficiency,and to prevent overheating the economy and reduce redundant construction.
Much of his report also focuses on economic restructuring, which will be given top priority throughout the next five years.
As an important means of economic restructuring, the government has decided to kick off a batch of strategic projects, among them the Qinghai-Tibet railway, the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, the natural gas pipeline running from the west to coastal regions and projects to divert water from south to north.
Zhu stressed the importance of focusing on economic development, promoting reform and opening and scientific and technological progress as major engines of growth, adhering to the fundamental goal of improving people's life, and concerted economic and social development.
He advocated the building of an ideological and moral system adapted to a socialist market economy.
He reiterated that China will further develop ties with all nations in the world and strive for a sustainable world peace and favorable regional environment.
Zhu said China will explore every possibility for the achievement of peaceful reunification of the motherland.
Also present at the meeting were more than 2,000 members of the Ninth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is also having its annual session.
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