Highlights of news conference of NDRC

The NDRC holds a news conference in Beijing on March 6, 2019. [Photo by Kuang Linhua/chinadaily.com.cn]

He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), together with Ning Jizhe and Lian Weiliang, both vice-chairmen of NDRC, answered questions on promotion of high-quality development at a press conference during the second session of the 13th National People's Congress on March 6, 2019.

Here are the highlights:

China will continue opening-up, shorten negative list: Ning Jizhe

Ning Jizhe, vice-chairmen of NDRC, answers questions at a news conference in Beijing on March 6, 2019. [Photo by Kuang Linhua/chinadaily.com.cn]

China will continue to open up its economy and shorten the negative list, enabling a better business environment for foreign investment, according to the country's top economic planner.

"We will persist in developing a high-level open economy, fully implementing the management system on pre-establishment national treatment and negative lists and taking measures to encourage foreign investment," said Ning Jizhe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Ning said China will further shorten the negative list on market entry, introducing more open measures in the fields of agriculture, mining, manufacturing and services and allowing foreign investment to run more wholly foreign-owned enterprises in more areas.

China's trade with BRI countries, regions crosses $6t: Ning Jizhe

The China-Europe freight train for cross-border e-commerce waits to depart from Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province, March 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has made significant achievements with the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative in the past five years after the initiative was proposed. The total trade volumes between China and the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative has exceeded $6 trillion, Ning Jizhe said.

China has signed 171 cooperation documents with 29 international organizations and 123 countries, including developed and developing countries, the vice-chairman of NDRC said.

By the end of February, China-Europe freight trains, considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative, have made 14,000 trips.

Govt plans more steps to boost consumption: Ning Jizhe

A woman picks up imported snacks at a duty-free mall in Southwest China's Chongqing, Jan 18, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

More measures to support a steady growth in consumption are in pipeline this year, with a focus on key sectors including used cars, new energy cars, 5G, energy-efficient electric home appliances, senior and baby care, and consumption in rural areas, said Ning Jizhe.

The statement followed policies released this January that promoted the consumption in sectors including cars, electric home appliances, sustainable industries, information and technology, senior care and sports.

Government to focus on target investment in 2019: He Lifeng

He Lifeng, chairman of the NDRC, answers questions at a news conference in Beijing on March 6, 2019. [Photo by Kuang Linhua/chinadaily.com.cn]

Government at all levels will focus on targeted investment, and efforts will be made this year to prevent new debt, said He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

He said government investment will focus on improving livelihoods and urban services in 2019, and that no deluge of mass investment is needed.

Increased efforts will be made to expand access to private investment, He added.

China's economy remains steady while making progress: He Lifeng

The overall situation of China's economy is stable with some changes and worries, but the overall trend is generally smooth and making progress, said He Lifeng.

"The main economic indicators of the whole year ran in a reasonable range, with the total GDP reaching 90.03 trillion yuan. According to the annual average exchange rate, it is roughly equivalent to $13.6 trillion, with a growth rate of 6.6 percent and an increase of about $1.4 trillion, ranking first among the top five economies in the world," He said.

"The three numbers, including the GDP growth of $1.4 trillion, the employment increase of 13.61 million people and the poverty alleviation of 13.86 million people, can only be achieved in China," He said.

Economic performance to be good in 2019: He Lifeng

Chinese economy will maintain steady progress with good momentum for growth and meeting the government's stated target, said He Lifeng.

"With the implementation of various supportive policies, I believe this year the economy will register a good performance," he added.

China has also made big strides in fostering a better business environment, as the country ranked 46th place out of 190 countries in the World Bank's newly released ranking list in 2018. While China ranked 78th place for ease of doing business in 2017.

China to speed up infrastructure building in Guangdong, HK, Macao: He Lifeng

China will carry out more efforts to accelerate the construction of an international science and technology center in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said He Lifeng.

He said more measures will be taken to expedite the building of infrastructure in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to lay a sound foundation to boost exchange and communication among the regions.

The government will also roll out more policies to make it convenient for people from Hong Kong and Macao to work and start their businesses in Guangdong province, in the hope of boosting innovation, He said.

Govt to add more nursing beds, enhance elderly care services: Lian Weiliang

Lian Weiliang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, answers questions at a press conference for the second session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 6, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

The country will provide more than 1 million inclusive (affordable) nursing beds for seniors over the next three to five years, said Lian Weiliang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

The country will take significant steps to develop community elderly care services, such as day care, rehabilitation care, and assisted meals and assisted mobility, ensuring people enjoy more convenient, high quality services in the community, Lian said.

Meanwhile, children attending public kindergartens or low-priced private ones will account for 80 percent of all preschoolers over the next three to five years.

Govt to increase punishment for rule-breakers, strengthen incentives: Lian Weiliang

China will intensify punishment for those who break the rules, offer more incentives to those who obey the rules, and build new regulation mechanism core with credit, said Lian Weiliang.

Meanwhile, the country will strengthen protection of personal information during the process of punishment and incentive.

Last year, China launched special campaigns in 19 areas by enhancing exposure and joint enforcements, Lian said.

The campaigns achieved positive results. According to monitoring by third-party organizations, since the launch of special campaigns, the incidence of people breaking rules in these 19 areas dropped by more than 60 percent.

Govt to roll out more measures to strengthen reform: Lian Weiliang

China will strengthen State-owned enterprises' mixed ownership reform, private companies' reform and property protection, said Lian Weiliang, adding that it will also motivate entrepreneurship spirit and provide a better business environment in order to further promote reform.

Private enterprises can better engage in mixed ownership reform of State-owned enterprises by having increased access and more connectivity through higher quality reform, Lian said.

In competing areas joint-stock ownership is allowed to stimulate market vitality. Shareholders legitimate interests and rights will also be better protected so that they can better exercise their duties according to the holding equities, Lian said.