Road map for social, economic development unfolded

Delegates sing the national anthem, accompanied by a military band, during the opening of the National People's Congress annual session in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Climate change

China will continue with its efforts to tackle climate change by pushing for energy efficiency and cutting energy consumption and CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively. It will also enhance environmental protection by reducing the release of major pollutants by 8 to 10 percent.

China is putting more emphasis on clean air and water, and ramping up its efforts to cut down carbon emissions during the next five years, Martin Sajdik, the Austrian ambassador to China, told China Daily after attending the NPC's opening session.

This is very important "not only for China but also for the whole world," he said.

Xianfang Ren, senior China analyst from IHS Global Insight, said in his analysis sent to the media: "The Chinese leadership is shifting further from a growth-at-all-costs mantra toward a development-oriented strategy that emphasizes economic, social and environmental sustainability."

Ren said China is also "conducting a new industrialization drive that focuses on boosting added-value and creating jobs. That implies more avaricious acquisition of key technologies and aggressive development of emerging strategic sectors that could put China in the same league as developed countries in such industries."

The new tasks are identified in the government work report to better address domestic problems and meet global challenges.

Wen said the world's economic slump following the financial crisis in late 2008 had a "far-reaching" impact because there is still no solid footing for a global economic recovery. The prices of major commodities and the exchange rates of major currencies "have become more volatile in the international market, with asset bubbles and inflationary pressures growing in emerging markets".

China is especially aware of the importance of global economic restructuring and rebalancing, he said.

Moreover, China has to tackle a plethora of its own growth impediments.

"We are keenly aware that we still have a serious problem: Our development is not yet well balanced, coordinated or sustainable," Wen said.

China's growth has been held back by "resource and environmental constraints", a lack of scientific and technological innovation, "an irrational industrial structure", a weak agricultural foundation and imbalance between investment and consumption, he explained.

Income divide wider

China achieved a 10.6 percent annual rise in per capita GDP since 2006. However, Wen admitted the income divide has become wider and a development gap remains between urban and rural areas and between regions.

While acknowledging the challenges, Wen said the government must "work tirelessly and painstakingly to solve these problems more quickly to the satisfaction of the people".

The road ahead will not be smooth, say some experts.

"The Chinese leadership faces multiple constraints, such as employment challenges and resistance from regional and industry interests groups," Ren said.

Hu Yongqi, Xu Fan and Xin Zhiming contributed to this story.