Full Text: Report on the Work of the Government (18)

. Improving Government

We will fully promote the law-based governance of the country; move more swiftly to build an innovative, clean, service-oriented rule of law government; enhance the government' s administrative capacity and public credibility; and modernize China's governance system and capacity for governance.

We will exercise governance in accordance with the Constitution and other laws and bring all government work in line with the rule of law.

The Constitution is the fundamental guide on which our every action should be based; governments at all levels and their employees must faithfully observe it. We must respect, study, abide by, and apply the law, and fully perform our duties in accordance with it. All government activities must have a legal basis, and no government body may assume any power which is not provided for by law. We will deepen reform of the administrative law enforcement system, enforce the law in a strict, well-regulated, impartial, and appropriate manner, press ahead with coordinated law enforcement, and fully implement the accountability system for administrative law enforcement. We must see to it that all violations of laws and regulations are investigated and prosecuted, and all failures to enforce the law in an impartial and appropriate manner are rectified.

We will develop new ways of conducting regulation, strengthen services, and work to improve government performance.

In basic public services, we need to do all we can to use service procurement as the means of provision, and routine services that can be provided by a third party should be handed over to the market or society. We will work solidly to carry out government consultations. We will work to ensure decisions are made in a sound and democratic way and place importance on the role of think tanks. We will fully put into practice transparency in government affairs and promote the use of e-government and online administration. All levels of governments must actively accept oversight by people' s congresses and their standing committees at their respective administrative level; accept the democratic oversight of CPPCC committees; and earnestly solicit the views of deputies to people' s congresses, members of CPPCC committees, non-CPC parties, federations of industry and commerce, public figures without party affiliation, and people' s organizations. All our work must be subject to the people's oversight and be done in the way they expect it to be done.

We will exercise power in accordance with the law, encourage thrift and oppose extravagance, and work painstakingly to improve Party conduct, promote integrity, and fight corruption.

We will work conscientiously to implement the CPC Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct; work tirelessly to oppose formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance; and continue to strictly enforce the State Council' s three-point decision on curbing government spending. As rent-seeking is a feature common to all types of corruption, we will shed powers to make government cleaner, truss up the institutional fencing, and resolutely eliminate any room for rent-seeking, thus eradicating the breeding grounds of corruption. We will intensify government supervision, make full use of auditing oversight, and strictly monitor public funds, public resources, and state-owned assets. Our tough stance on corruption is here to stay; our tolerance for corruption is zero, and anyone guilty of corruption will be dealt with seriously. We will see to it that every instance of corruption, should it be committed higher up or lower down, is severely punished.

We will take an active approach to our work, focus on implementation, and work with diligence for the people.

China's economic development has entered a new normal, meaning we must adopt a new attitude. All public servants, especially officials, should always treat it as their greatest responsibility to promote development that benefits the people, carry the task of modernization on their shoulders, and keep the wellbeing of the people at the forefront of their minds. Governments at all levels must fully perform their functions and responsibilities, ensure thorough implementation, and be creative in their work. We will work to improve the mechanisms for assessing performance, and commend those who perform well, admonish those who do not, and expose and hold to account those who are indolent, sloppy, or neglectful of their duties.

Fellow Deputies,

China is a unified country of many ethnic groups. Working to enhance and develop socialist ethnic relations featuring equality, unity, mutual assistance, and harmony is the joint responsibility and in the fundamental interests of everyone.

We will uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, increase support for underdeveloped areas with concentrations of ethnic minorities, and aid the growth of ethnic minorities with smaller populations. We will work to boost development in border regions and improve living standards there. We will see to it that the fine traditional culture of our ethnic minorities and distinctively ethnic villages and towns are preserved and developed, and promote interaction, communication, and integration between ethnic groups.

We will work to successfully mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. With people of all our ethnic groups living together as one, sharing in a common cause, and developing together in harmony, the big family of the Chinese nation will enjoy greater prosperity, peace, and happiness.

We will fully implement the Party's basic policy on religion, promote harmonious relations between religions, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the religious community, and ensure that religious leaders and believers play a positive role in promoting economic and social development.

We need to ensure that overseas Chinese nationals, overseas Chinese nationals who have returned to China, and the relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who themselves live in China can all perform better the unique role they have to play in modernizing China, advancing its peaceful reunification, and promoting exchange and cooperation between China and other countries. We need to strengthen the bonds of attachment and affection of all Chinese, whether at home or overseas, to our motherland. (mor