Report on the implementation of the central and local budgets for 2014 and on the central and local draft budgets for 2015 (5)

Spending on education totaled 410.19 billion yuan, 99.2% of the budgeted figure and an increase of 8.2%. This total consists of 125.392 billion yuan of central government spending and 284.798 billion yuan made in transfer payments to local governments. The second phase of the three-year action plan for preschool education was launched; a pilot initiative for offering remote rural areas preschool education supported by volunteers on a rotating basis was put into action; and encouragement was given to the development of both government and private provision of education services to increase the resources for pre-schooling. We further improved the mechanisms for guaranteeing the funding for compulsory education in rural areas, made a further 40 yuan increase to the benchmark for public funding per student in primary and secondary schools in rural areas, and on top of this, further increased public funding for boarding schools in rural areas. We supported local governments in comprehensively improving the basic conditions of schools providing compulsory education in poor areas, so as to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas in terms of compulsory education. As of November 2014, the subsidy given to those areas covered by the pilot scheme to implement a national plan for improving the nutrition of students receiving compulsory education in rural areas was raised from three to four yuan per student per day, benefitting over 32 million primary and secondary school students. We continued to support local governments to effectively solve the issue of providing equal access to compulsory education for the children of migrant workers living with their parents in cities. We encouraged local governments to set up a sound, reform-oriented, and performance-based system for the allocation of funds on a per student basis for higher vocational schools. Adjustments and improvements were made to the method for providing government subsidies for the waiving of tuition fees at schools providing secondary vocational education; and by using awards in place of subsidies, support and guidance were given to local governments to optimize the distribution of secondary vocational schools and, on this basis, improve the basic conditions at these schools. We improved the system for allocating funds from the central budget to central government institutions of higher learning to help promote an internal quality building model of development of higher education. Support was continued for the development of local universities and colleges. We further improved the system of government financial aid policies; extended this assistance to cover preparatory students from ethnic minorities; and adjusted and refined the policies related to national education assistance loans, benefitting approximately 6.6 million college students, 4.88 million regular high school students, and 12.34 million secondary vocational school students.

Spending on science and technology came to 254.182 billion yuan, 95.1% of the budgeted figure and an increase of 3.5%. The main reason that total spending fell below the budgeted figure was that the allocation of funds to major national science and technology programs was carried out on the basis of their actual progress, and certain programs fell behind the schedules set in early 2014 due to the great difficulty of the research being conducted. This total is comprised of 243.666 billion yuan of central government spending and 10.516 billion yuan in transfer payments to local governments. Safeguards were provided for the implementation of major national science and technology programs, and important progress and breakthroughs were made in electronics, information, energy, environmental protection, biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, and other fields. Strong support was given for basic research, strengthening the groundwork for making national innovations. Impetus was given to research on cutting-edge technologies and major generic key technologies, as well as research for the public benefit, and the integration of science and technology with industry was strengthened. We supported the building of platforms for innovation in science and technology, including basic national science and technology facilities, and key national laboratories, and worked to help ensure that scientific and technological resources are openly shared. We launched the national seed fund for encouraging the application of advances in science and technology, and drew on market mechanisms to promote the use of advances in science and technology for profit and for application in industry. Support was given to making major advances in the development of the national defense science and technology industry.

Spending on culture, sports, and media totaled 50.815 billion yuan, 99.2% of the budgeted figure and an increase of 8.3%. This figure is comprised of 22.269 billion yuan of central government spending and 28.546 billion yuan made in transfer payments to local governments. Efforts were continued to open more public cultural facilities such as public libraries, museums, and memorial halls to the public free of charge. Efforts were stepped up to extend wireless digitalized coverage of central radio and television programming. Support was provided for the protection of cultural heritage, and trials were launched to preserve 327 traditional villages. Work was begun to provide funding through the China National Arts Fund, and following assessment, 393 projects were selected to be granted funding. Efforts were made to see that large stadiums and gymnasiums are opened to the public free of charge or at low cost, and further improvements were made to community sports and fitness facilities. Support was given for the introduction of soccer in schools. Support was also given for the development of cultural industries, and encouragement was given to the integrated development of cultural and creative industries, design services, and other related industries.

Spending on guaranteeing housing totaled 252.978 billion yuan, 100% of the budgeted figure and an increase of 9%. This figure consists of 40.541 billion yuan of central government spending and 212.437 billion yuan made in transfer payments to local governments. We integrated the central government funds earmarked for low-rental housing, public rental housing, and the redevelopment of rundown urban areas. Work to integrate the operations of public- and low-rental housing moved forward. Policies were launched to subsidize the interest on loans used to finance the construction of government-subsidized housing in urban areas. Construction on 5.11 million units of government-subsidized housing in urban areas was basically completed, and construction was begun on another 7.4 million units. Support was given to the renovation of dilapidated housing for 2.66 million poor rural households.