Chinese premier solicits opinions on draft gov't work report

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chairs a seminar to solicit opinions on the draft government work report from grassroots organization representatives and people from all walks of life, in Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 6, 2023. Vice Premier Han Zheng attended the seminar. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday chaired a seminar to solicit opinions on the draft government work report from grassroots organization representatives and people from all walks of life.

The document will be deliberated at the top legislature's annual session in March. Li communicated with the representatives at the meeting.

In the past year, China achieved extremely hard-won results in its development. The country has kept its economy operating within an appropriate range despite strong disruptions to economic operations from multiple unexpected factors, Li said.

Highlighting the country's great development achievements in the past five years, he said that China's economy has grown at an average annual rate of 5.2 percent in the period, although COVID-19 had disrupted economic operations for three of those years.

Over the last decade, China's economy has grown at an annual average of 6.2 percent, realizing medium and high-speed expansion over a long term, he said.

During the same period, the annual growth of the consumer price index has been maintained at no more than 3 percent, and the total number of enterprises and private businesses has jumped from over 50 million to more than 160 million.

China's economic growth stabilized at the end of last year and rebounded at the beginning of 2023, Li said, adding that consumption, a major growth driver for years, logged robust expansion in January this year.

He urged efforts to continue to implement a package of policies and measures to stabilize the economy, promote economic and social development well, and keep consolidating and boosting economic recovery.