Report on the Work of the Government (full text)
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-03-15 10:42

II. The Master Work Plan for 2005

This year is crucial for accomplishing all the tasks of the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) and for laying a solid foundation for development during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2006-2010). The basic ideas for the work of the government this year are: to take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide; to conscientiously put into practice the guidelines of the Sixteenth National Congress of the Party and the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of its Sixteenth Central Committee; to continue to guide overall economic and social development by a scientific outlook on development; to strengthen and improve macro regulation; to make reform and opening up the driving force for all our work; to build a harmonious socialist society; and to promote the simultaneous progress of socialist material, political and spiritual civilization.

Taking all domestic and international factors into account, we have set our main targets for this year's economic and social development as follows: GDP growth around 8 percent, 9 million new jobs for urban residents, registered urban unemployment rate within 4.6 percent, rise in the consumer price index of no more than 4 percent, and basic balance in international payments.

Maintaining steady and rapid economic development is an important issue that the government must successfully handle. This is a period of important strategic opportunities for China, and the economy should grow rapidly, but not be allowed to overheat. Both drastic upturns and downturns in economic growth are bad for economic development, reform and opening up, and social stability. In setting the target for this year's economic growth at around 8 percent, the Central Committee took into consideration both what is necessary and what is feasible, as well as what will be needed to meet employment, price and other targets to ensure that the growth target accords with actual conditions. Under the conditions of the socialist market economy, targets are only guidelines for economic and social development and can be adjusted in line with economic changes. All localities should set their targets for economic and social development in line with local conditions and focus on improving the quality and efficiency of economic growth. They should not blindly compete with each other for the fastest pace of economic growth.

To ensure completion of all the tasks for economic and social development for 2005, we will pay particular attention to the following three aspects in our guidance and planning work. First, we will concentrate on doing our macro regulatory work well. We will continue to eliminate destabilizing and unsound factors in our economic activities, promote economic restructuring and transformation of the pattern of economic growth, maintain steady and rapid economic growth, and keep overall price levels basically stable. Second, we will press ahead with reform and opening up. We will make reform the driving force behind all aspects of our work, integrate efforts to deepen reform with efforts to implement a scientific outlook on development and to tighten and improve macro regulation, and use reform to solve institutional problems in our development. We will open to the outside world more fully and make better use of both domestic and international markets and resources. Third, we will build a harmonious society. To build a socialist society that is democratic and law-based, fair and just, trustworthy and friendly, full of vigor and vitality, secure and orderly, and in which man and nature are in harmony, we need to unite all forces that can be united, bring all positive factors into full play and stimulate the creativity of the entire society. We need to properly balance the interests of all quarters and ensure that everyone shares the fruits of reform and development. We also need to balance reform, development and stability and strive to create favorable conditions and a good climate for sustained economic and social development.