City legislators offer suggestions for five-year plan
Shanghai legislators stressed education and talent policies in a latest survey of their opinions for the city’s new five-year plan, which is now being formulated.
Among other suggestions, they emphasize innovation and technology, enhancing the business environment, addressing an aging society and call for renewed efforts to balance the offering of high-quality health services and education.
The results of the survey, which was carried out by statistics authorities and the Shanghai People’s Congress, the city’s legislature, among nearly 8,000 deputies to all levels of people’s congresses, were released on Wednesday.
Two out of three deputies surveyed named nurturing, attracting and retaining talent as their top concern for the city to enhance global competitiveness in market resources, while half of surveyed deputies believe that attracting and nurturing innovative businesses and talent is key for the city to become a global innovation hub.
About 42 percent of deputies surveyed suggested that key areas such as Lingang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and Zhangjiang Science City be given more free rein in attracting talent.
In terms of furthering the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region, every other deputy surveyed said that free regional movement of capital, technology and talent should be enhanced.
Apart from multiple choices, questionnaires for the deputies also included the soliciting of open suggestions, and 1,390 suggestions were collected, according to statistics authorities.
Ruan Qing, vice director of the city’s development and reform commission, said suggestions from the deputies are very important in the formulation of the five-year plans because they’re collected from a wider public.
“The suggestions will be fully answered or absorbed in the draft of the plan, and the commission will continue to consult with the people’s congress in planning key projects and policies to improve life for residents in Shanghai,” he said.
Shanghai’s new five-year plan, its 14th, will be voted on during the meeting of the Shanghai People’s Congress at the beginning of next year.
China started to introduce five-year plans for economic and social development in 1953, and such plans for concurrent time periods are introduced also on other administrative levels.
In Shanghai, all 16 districts will introduce their own five-year plans, which are set to be voted on during sessions of district-level people’s congresses next year. The city will also have themed five-year plans for areas and spatial planning.
Dai Liu, director of the finance and economy committee of the Shanghai People’s Congress, revealed that a whole section in the draft of the new five-year plan of Xuhui District will be dedicated to improving the business environment.
Shi Zheng, president of the workers’ union of Shanghai Jingao Public Transportation Co and a member of the urban construction and environmental protection committee of Shanghai People’s Congress, at the press release of the survey on Wednesday
Shi Zheng, president of the workers’ union of Shanghai Jingao Public Transportation Co and a member of the urban construction and environmental protection committee of the Shanghai People’s Congress, said Shanghai residents are more concerned about the overall economic and technological development and international relations than before.
“It’s understood that the development of key industries such as the chip industry entails a set of policy vehicles covering capital, talent and law making, and soliciting suggestions from the public is important in the process of forming such policies,” she said.
In terms of social issues, Shi stressed the aging population and their ensuing needs, as every one in three residents in Shanghai is above 60 years old.
“There might be a lot of uncertainties for the city’s future, but one thing is surely certain, and that is the population here is getting older,” she said.
Xie Jinliang, president of the people’s congress of Gaohang Town in the Pudong New Area, at the press release of the survey on Wednesday
Xie Jinliang, president of the people’s congress of Gaohang Town in the Pudong New Area, said deputies at the grassroots level have pivoted attention to Shanghai’s position and future in a changing world and how to make all residents live with happiness and dignity.
“Residents are still more concerned about daily issues such as messy bike parking outside Metro stations and poor real estate property management in older neighborhoods.”
