Premier's rallying call as the new Cabinet meets

Premier Li Keqiang called for efforts to accomplish the goals set in this year’s government work report when presiding over an executive meeting yesterday as the new Cabinet assumed office.

Guided by the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, State Council departments and units should implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in full and see through the government work report, said a statement released after the meeting.

The meeting also called for greater efforts to promote high-quality development, deepen reform and opening-up, cultivate new growth engines through innovation and entrepreneurship and improve people’s well-being.

The meeting, the first since the new line-up of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, was endorsed by this year’s session of the 13th National People’s Congress, assigned each and every of the 57 key tasks in 12 aspects specified in the work report to relevant departments.

The report, adopted at the annual session of the national legislature, sets a GDP growth target of around 6.5 percent and pledged further market opening to foreign investors.

Government departments should perform their duties in accordance with the law and make dedicated efforts to achieve the targets for this year’s economic and social development.

The meeting called for an accountability mechanism as well as schemes to push forward key tasks to ensure that each task is implemented with detailed schedules overseen by designated officials.

Policies will be more harmonized, targeted and effective, and coordinated efforts will be made for growth, reform, structural adjustment, better livelihoods and risk preparedness. Sustained efforts will be made to forestall and defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty alleviation, and prevent and control pollution.

The institutional reform of the State Council will be carried out together with the reform to streamline administration, delegate power, step up compliance oversight and improve services. All these aim to transform the functions of the government.