1st Ld-Writethru: Chinese leaders confer with political advisors over state governance

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other leaders on Friday joined the country's political advisors in panel discussions on key state affairs including a new five-year national development plan (2016-2020).

Meeting with advisors from economic and agricultural sectors, the premier warned of bigger challenges to the country's economy this year.

Despite complicated and difficult circumstances at home and abroad, China achieved hard-earned progress in economic and social development last year and successfully completed the 12th five-year national development plan, Li said.

But the country will face even more serious challenges and difficulties this year, he said, calling for firm faith and actions.

The premier listed a few priorities this year, including a more accurate and effective macro-economic policy, further economic restructuring, especially for the supply-side reform, as well as opening-up policies.

The government also aims to stimulate effective investment and consumption, defuse risks and close loopholes so that the economy will remain in a reasonable range, he said.

It will spend more resources in new economic sectors and upgrade traditional growth engines with new technology and new models.

While the government continues to streamline itself, it will work to offer freedom and room for all players in the market so as to release greater creativity, Li said.

Li also stressed that the government will increase productivity and competitiveness in agriculture and keep the growth of farmers' income.

Joining panel discussions with advisors from Hong Kong and Macao, top legislator Zhang Dejiang urged the two special administrative regions to consolidate their faith in the "one country, two systems" principle.

He called on Hong Kong and Macao to seize opportunities created by the country's 13th Five-Year Plan to focus on economic growth and improvement of people's lives, and combine national development strategies with local competitiveness.

Rule of law is the basis for the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, Zhang said, adding that there should be no tolerance for acts that undermine the rule of law in the regions.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, joined the group discussion with political advisors from the health industry.

Yu fully endorsed the contributions made by health workers and urged them to provide safe, effective and affordable public and basic health services to the public, improve the health system, and make more contributions to the building of a healthy China.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joined the group discussion of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party and China Democratic League.

Political advisors during the discussion made suggestions on how to tell China's story well and on the implementation of the new ideas, strategies and concepts put forward by the CPC.

Liu said that the essential way to achieve the development goals of the 13th Five-Year Plan and the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, is to study and implement President Xi Jinping's remarks and understand the new ideas, strategies and concepts put forward by the CPC.

Liu urged political advisors to use the CPPCC as an important platform to make suggestions for state governance.

Joining a panel discussion with CPC-affiliated political advisors, CPC disciplinary chief Wang Qishan called on the advisors to contribute ideas and strength to the Party's anti-corruption efforts.

Wang, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, pledged persistent efforts to strengthen Party discipline and crackdown on corruption.

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli told political advisors from the education sector that the current pace in modernizing education should be stepped up.

Zhang called for investing greater resources in education and deepening reforms to cultivate more talented people for an innovation-driven economy.

He also stressed education equality to ensure that development could be shared by all and called on raising the quality of education across the board. Endi