Plan Ahead and Make the Right Moves

The 2015 annual sessions of Chinas National Peoples Congress（NPC） and Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference （CPPCC） signify a new chapter in the countrys quest to achieve a moderately prosperous society in all aspects through deepening reforms， advancing the rule of law， and imposing strict discipline on its Communist Party members.

In 2013， China put forward the goal of comprehensively deepening reform， which entails promoting the improvement and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing the countrys governance system and governance capacity. Since then， reform has become an irresistible trend. The year 2014 was when China first delivered on its reform promises. Within that year， 188 key reform tasks were fulfilled， 370 reform measures were rolled out， and the goal of cutting the existing administrative approval items by one third in five years was completed ahead of schedule， an achievement unprecedented in both scale and intensity.

At this years NPC and CPPCC sessions， a series of reform targets were further explicated. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang vows to further streamline government administration， abolish or delegate a batch of administration items to lower-level governments， and sift out all items requiring non-administrative review and approval. The premier said the pain caused by the governments self-imposed reform is acute， like “taking a knife to ones own flesh.” But China must persevere since these obstacles have impeded healthy market development and bred rent-seeking behaviors. The Chinese government is expected to make room for the market， tap peoples enthusiasm for starting their own businesses， and better play its role in supervision and service.

In the judicial system， the reform of the Communist Partys discipline inspection system and peoples supervisory system will be advanced so as to build the necessary institution to combat corruption and enhance judicial fairness.

In the economic sphere， the country will carry forward the Belt and Road Initiatives， construct more pilot free trade zones， propel the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions coordinated development and the building of the Yangtze River Economic Belt， stimulate regional economic progress， and generate new economic growth points through institutional innovation. China formulated the “Made in China 2025”strategy and the “Internet Plus” action plan to stimulate manufacturing and emerging industries， and to inspire innovation and creativity by society as a whole. It will also introduce various supportive measures for small and micro businesses， cultivate a new type of skilled farmer， and develop diversified and scaled agricultural operations.endprint

As far as peoples livelihood is concerned， China will increase social security benefits and launch trial public hospital reforms in 100 cities above prefecture level. Meanwhile， more efforts will be made to rebuild rundown urban areas and renovate dilapidated homes. For the nations spiritual wellbeing， more outstanding works of literature and art will be created to encourage a love of reading in all Chinese people， building a society of lifelong learners.

At the press conference at the conclusion of this years NPC， Premier Li used a metaphor relating to the Chinese board game Go. He pointed out that in this game， the player needs two “eyes” （an open point next to a stone） to keep his/her formations alive. When it comes to the economy， maintaining stable growth and making structural adjustments are the two “eyes” necessary for the healthy development of the Chinese economy.

The country has lowered its economic growth target to approximately seven percent this year， with the aim of improving the quality and efficiency of its economic development. Even though China has downgraded its economic growth prospect， it remains a major contributor to the world economy， as a seven-percent increase in its economy is equivalent to the aggregate of a medium-sized economy.

Chinas outbound direct investment reached US $102.9 billion in 2014， a 14.1 percent rise on 2013. Its investment in the U.S. rose by 23.9 percent and in the EU， 1.7 fold. The country spent 64.6 percent of its total direct investments abroad in the service sector， with investment in the sector up 27.1 percent on 2013s figure， while investment in mining dropped by 4.1 percent， representing a declined share of 18.8 percent. In the coming years， driven by the Belt and Road Initiatives， Chinas outward investment will increase and its competitive industries and excess capacity are encouraged to transfer to the countries involved in the project. In 2014， China topped the world in attracting FDI with a total of US $120 billion. It surpasses major economies including the U.S. and the EU in its growth rate of FDI inflows. Over the last 23 years， China has remained the largest FDI destination among developing countries.

In addition， conserving energy and reducing emissions are listed among the main targets for Chinas economic and social development in this years government work report. For the first time ever， the targets for cutting the intensity of carbon dioxide and reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides are clarified in a government work report. This implies that the Chinese government has realized that environmental protection is the premise of economic and social development. The work report also hails such measures as promoting the use of new-energy vehicles， reducing vehicle exhaust emissions， and raising the national production standards for and improving the quality of fuel. It is hoped that strict enforcement of environmental laws， and closing down and transforming heavy-polluting plants will bring back clear skies and clean air to China. The country is taking on this responsibility for its people and the whole world.endprint