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2008 Government Work Report: Targets for Economic and Social Development Highlighted

The 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s highest legislature, opened its first session in Beijing on March 5, highlighted by Premier Wen Jiabao’s government work report. The report outlined goals for economic development and social progress in 2008.

On the social front, the government plans to spend 130.7 billion yuan (US$18.3 billion) on the agricultural sector in 2008, along with 13.4 billion yuan (US$1.9) on science and technology. It expects to implement some important food safety initiatives and will make compulsory educations free for urban students by eliminating tuition and miscellaneous fees. It will also reduce bureaucracy by creating several so-called "Super Ministries." On the economic front, the government plans to create 10 million jobs in 2008 in urban areas to hold unemployment in check. It also expects inflation to level off, and GDP (gross domestic product) growth to remain solid.

Targets for Socio-Economic Development:

Eight percent growth is the target for China’s GDP in 2008; the CPI (consumer price index) is expected to be about 4.8 percent. Wen said China had made major achievements in reform and opening up and in modernization in the past five years. Meanwhile, he admitted there are still conspicuous, deep-rooted problems affecting the economy and society.

China’s GDP in 2007 rose to 24.66 trillion yuan (US$3.4 trillion), an increase of 65.5 percent over 2002, reflecting an average annual increase of 10.6 percent, making China the fourth largest economy in the world, up from sixth. Total governmental revenues increased to 5.13 trillion yuan (US$0.7 trillion), a 171 percent increase over 2002. Foreign exchange reserves exceeded US$1.52 trillion. The agricultural tax was rescinded, ending the centuries-old practice of farmers paying taxes. China’s grain output grew for four consecutive years to top 500 million tonnes in 2007.

Fiscal, Monetary Policies:

China will stick to its tight monetary policies to address the riddle of excessive liquidity: in the meantime, the government also pledges to earmark several hundred billion yuan in additional funds to support agriculture, education, medical care and to strengthen the nation’s social safety net.

Addressing the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress, Wen said the decision to follow a tight monetary policy is based on “the strong possibility of resurgence in fixed-assets investment, continued excessive supplies of money and credit, excessive liquidity, and considerable inflation pressures.”

The premier said a prudent fiscal policy is needed to “promote structural adjustment and balanced development,” and increased expenditures necessary “to shore up weak links, improve people’s lives and to deepen reforms.”

China’s fiscal policy has been closely aligned with its monetary policy in the past, whether they were pro-active, prudent or tight. Economists said that the breakaway from tradition this year indicates the government efforts to prevent the economy from overheating while turning the fruit of the country’s soaring economic growth in the past three decades to benefit more the country’s general public, especially those in the rural areas and the urban poor. According to Wen’s report, the central government budget deficit for 2008 will be set at 180 billion yuan (US$25 billion), 65 billion yuan (US$9 billion) less than in 2007; the government plans to issue 30 billion yuan (US$4 billion) of treasury bonds for investment, 20 billion yuan (US$3 billion) less. At the same time, allocations from this year’s central government budget related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers total 562.5 billion yuan (US$78.7), a year-on-year increase of 130.7 billion yuan (US$18.3 billion).

Inflation:

Wen said the country faces “increasing inflationary pressures” and its task of holding down inflation will be difficult.

In January 2008, China’s monthly CPI rose by 7.1 percent, a result of price increases during the Chinese Lunar New Year and the severest winter weather in five decades that slammed central, southern and eastern China. Analysts attributed China’s structural price increases to rising pork prices in the country and the growing costs of primary products on the world market.

Food, particularly pork and vegetable oil, price increases caused a direct 4 percent increase in the CPI in 2007. Food price hikes were again to blame for 80 percent of 2008 January’s 7.1-percent CPI rise. To curb domestic price hikes, Wen announced measures, including expanding the production of grain, meat and other consumer goods, restricting industrial use of grain and grain exports, increasing imports of consumer goods in short supply and aiding the low-income population.

Many political advisors and lawmakers attending the ongoing annual parliamentary session urged the government to protect the interests of low-income earners, who are usually the most affected by inflation, especially retirees and others living on fixed incomes. A recent survey of urban families’ income levels indicates that the average disposable incomes of the poorest 10 percent of urban families grew by 6 percent between 2001 and 2006, compared with a 15-percent increase for the wealthiest 10 percent of families surveyed. The increases in income for poor families, however, were nullified by last year’s 4.8 percent CPI rise, particularly the 11 percent price hike for food, as they had to spend 60 percent of their incomes on food, compared with 20 percent to 30 percent for wealthier families.

The People’s Bank of China, the central bank of the country, has said it will retain its tight monetary policy to rein in inflation. The central bank has raised the reserve requirement ratio 11 times and the benchmark interest rate six times since 2007 to absorb excessive liquidity. These actions seemed to have played a positive role in slowing inflation.

Olympics:

With the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games only five months away, China’s top political sessions were inevitably stamped with the marks of the Games. Preparing and organizing the Games well, strengthening cooperation with the international community, and creating an environment conducive to a successful sporting event were discussed by both the NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members. With all the 2008 Olympic venues completed and ready for tests or action, except the National Stadium, which will be ready by June, the sessions’ attendees have shown concern about improving public manners and behaviour to ensure that China puts its best foot forward in August. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) used the NPC and CPPCC sessions as rehearsal venues for its volunteer services by sending 80,000 Olympic volunteers to help maintain traffic order and to patrol Beijing’s streets. It is predicted that more than 20,000 journalists from all over the world will come to cover the sports event in Beijing, and the city will see an extra 500,000 foreign tourists during the Games, said Deng Yaping, a former table tennis player who is now a CPPCC National Committee member.

Political Reform High on Agenda:

Plans for the reform of the State Council’s bodies will explore ways to establish larger departments that integrate the functions of smaller departments to resolve the problem of overlapping responsibilities and powers.

Just days before the NPC and CPPCC sessions opened, the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party met and approved two lists of candidates, one for State leaders and the other for leading members of the CPPCC, to be recommended to the presidiums of the upcoming sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC.

 The CPC session also approved two documents on deepening the reform of the country’s administrative system and institutional restructuring of the State Council, the Cabinet. The latter will be submitted to the NPC for deliberation.

The broad goal is to form an efficient administrative system with Chinese characteristics by 2020, the statement said.

Achievements in 2007

•      China’s GDP rose to 24.6619 trillion yuan (US$3.4 trillion), up 11.4 percent from 2006.

•      Central government revenues for 2007 totalled 5.13 trillion yuan (US$718.2 billion), an increase of 32.4 percent over 2006.

•      Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 3.27 percent, a more effective decrease than that of 2006.

•      About 431.8 billion yuan (US$60.5 billion) from the central government budget was spent on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, a year-on-year increase of 80.1 billion yuan.

•      A bumper harvest yielded a total grain output of 501.5 million tons, 3.5 million tons more than in 2006: it was also the fourth consecutive annual increase.

•      A mechanism for ensuring adequate funding for rural compulsory education was implemented throughout the country, enabling 150 million rural primary and middle school students to be exempted from paying tuition and miscellaneous fees and to receive textbooks required by the state free of charge.

•      About 730 million farmers are now participants in the new rural cooperative medical care system and the system now covers 86 percent of the country’s counties.

•      About 55.6 billion yuan (US$7.8 billion) in central government allocations for development projects was spent in the western region, 4.1 billion yuan more than in 2006.

•      The per capita net incomes of rural residents increased by 9.5 percent, while that of urban residents increased by 12.2 percent in real terms.

•      The country’s combined exports and imports were valued at 2.17 trillion yuan (US$303.8 billion), up by 23.5 percent over 2006.

Keywords in Wen’s Government Work Report:

Foreign Investment:

Limit or ban foreign investment in projects that are energy intensive or highly polluting; limit or ban foreign investment in some areas of resource exploitation; and deal with illegal practices to attract foreign investment.

Stock Market:

Establish a market for growth enterprises, accelerate development of the bond market and develop the futures market, while striving to improve the performance of listed companies, and maintaining an open, fair and equitable market environment.

Rural Development:

Allocations from this year’s central government budget related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers total 562.5 billion yuan (US$78.8 billion), a year-on-year rise of more than 30 percent.

Education:

Free compulsory education will be available in both urban and rural areas. The basic frameworks for a public health system and a system of basic medical services covering both urban and rural areas have been put in place.

Food Supply:

Provincial governors are to be held responsible for the “rice bag” (grain supply) programme and city mayors for the “vegetable basket” (non-staple food supply) programme.

Food Safety:

The government will complete and update more than 7,700 national standards concerning the safety of food products, drugs and other consumer goods.

Energy and the Environment:

The government will implement a plan to close down outdated production facilities in the power, steel, cement, coal and papermaking industries; it will strive to attain the goal of 100 percent collection and treatment of sewage in 36 large cities within two years.

第十一届全国人民代表大会《政府工作报告》亮点聚焦

编写/薛京晶

2008年３月５日，来自全国各地的近3000名全国人大代表齐聚北京人民大会堂，第十一届全国人民代表大会第一次会议隆重开幕。中国国务院总理温家宝代表国务院向大会作《政府工作报告》（以下简称“报告”）。在长达40页的报告中，温家宝总理用了16页的篇幅来回顾总结过去5年的工作，坚定自信的话语清晰勾勒出在5年的时间段中，中国改革开放和现代化建设取得的举世瞩目的重大成就……　

“农业税”、“自主创新”、“股权分置”、“振兴东北”等热点词汇交替出现；民众的赞许源于报告中一系列明明白白的“数字”， “城镇新增就业1184万人”、“清付农民工工资330亿元”、“免除农村义务教育阶段5200万名学生的学杂费”等关系民生的数字“明明白白”；坦率承认“没有实现年初确定的单位国内生产总值能耗降低4％左右、主要污染物排放总量减少2％的目标”的背后，是政府对人民的高度责任感。

“忧民之忧者，民亦忧其忧。”一个心系百姓冷暖安危的政府始终都会得到百姓的真诚理解和支持。“一份关心人民的报告，一份人民关心的报告”成为与会代表们使用频率最高的评价。与2006年相比，2007年的报告中涉及经济的内容占有相当大比例，新亮点、新措施尤为突出。

科学发展观贯穿始终

“通篇贯穿全面落实科学发展观与构建和谐社会的要求，是2008年报告中最大的特点。”一位报告起草组成员这样评价说。不论是总结2006年的工作，还是布置2007年以及“十一五”发展时期的任务，落实科学发展观与构建和谐社会的要求无处不在。

整篇报告在科学发展观的引领贯穿下，体现出两个着力点——着力解决关系经济社会发展全局中的重大问题；着力解决涉及人民群众切身利益的热点、难点问题。报告起草组的成员对此解释说，这两方面问题既有交叉又各有侧重，比如在扩大消费需求、解决群众看病难和上学难的问题上，是既涉及群众切身利益，也关系经济社会全局发展的大问题，解决好这些问题是落实科学发展观的具体体现。“这就使得落实科学发展观不是一句空话，它既有思路、观点，又有政策、措施来加以保证和落实，体现了执政为民、与时俱进、求真务实的精神。”

报告中阐述的“三个坚持”清晰而准确——坚持加快改革开放和自主创新；坚持推进经济结构调整和增长方式转变；坚持把解决涉及人民群众切身利益问题放在突出位置。报告起草组成员表示，强调“三个坚持”是适应新形势、完成新任务的迫切需要，也是要进一步统一思想。

当前，对一些重要问题社会上存在着不同的争论，比如现在是不是到了自主创新的时候？经济结构的调整是不是非进行不可？……温家宝总理的报告给予了明确回答，表现出政府推进改革开放坚定不移的信心。

扩大消费需求跃升为重点

温家宝总理在报告中强调把扩大内需的重点放在扩大消费需求上，具有很强的现实意义。

2007年初以来，中国经济总体面临投资增长过多过快、出口顺差过盛过强、价格上涨压力加大、资本流动性过盛、势头较猛等一系列冲突和问题。针对所遇到的新情况和新问题，中国政府在进一步完善宏观调控措施和加大改革开放力度的同时，努力进行结构调整，形成投资、出口、消费三架马车均衡发力并驾齐驱的格局，使国民经济得以继续保持平稳和较快的发展。

报告起草组成员对此做出解释：首先，这几年中国拉动经济发展的这“三驾马车”都有不错的发展。但相对而言，投资和进出口的增长还是远远高于消费，中国的经济增长目前还过多的依赖于投资和出口。作为一个大国，中国要保持经济的稳定增长，最持续的动力在于国内市场，而国内市场中最有活力的就是消费。

统计显示，2007年，中国消费对经济增长的促进作用增强，消费、投资和净出口分别拉动经济增长4.5个、4.4个和2.5个百分点，消费的贡献率７年来首次超过投资。2007年，中国国内生产总值达到246619亿元，同比增长11.4%，这是中国经济自新一轮的宏观调控开始以来，连续5年达到10%以上的增长速度，并且这种增长是一个相对有序和稳定的过程。

其次，经济增长应体现以人为本。但目前一些地方出现“为了投资而投资”，导致产销不对路而出现亏损；也有的地方“马路宽没人走、盖了高价楼房百姓买不起”，尽管固定资产投资拉动经济增长的速度上去了，但是人民群众并没得到更多实惠。经济发展应当以人为本，生产建设最终是为了满足人们日益增长的物质文化需要，这符合资本投入要有回报的市场经济原则。因此，扩大消费需求成为保持2008年经济平稳快速增长的重要因素。

2008年奥运会使北京成为代表中国形象的一个窗口，而奥运会的筹备过程则可以看作是中国经济发展的缩影。所以在一定程度上，可以通过了解北京来观察中国经济的发展状况。2007年对于北京来说是奥运筹备过程中的关键之年，在这一年中，北京市投资运行适度、合理，结构调整效果明显。由于经济大环境持续稳定发展，使企业进入生产旺季，企业家信心指数和企业景气指数在较高的基础上继续攀升。八大行业——工业、建筑业、批发零售业、社会服务业、住宿餐饮业、房地产业、信息传输计算机和软件行业、交通运输业，都得以蓬勃发展，景气指数稳步提高。而且服务业需求旺盛，旅游业客源大幅度增长，企业经营环境逐步得到改善，流动资金状况明显好转。

2007年，北京市完成全社会固定资产投资3966.6亿元，同比增长17.6%。产业发展和结构更加符合城市功能定位的要求，服务型经济的主导地位进一步巩固。消费、投资对经济增长的拉动作用更趋均衡。2007年，北京房地产开发投资增幅继续回升。自2007年1至5月房地产开发投资增速降至年初以来最低点10.8%后，下半年一直保持较快的回升态势。截至2007年底，北京市共完成房地产开发投资1995.8亿元，同比增长16%，增幅提高3.2个百分点，占全社会固定资产投资的比重为50.3%。

由于2008年奥运会的积极影响，北京的基础设施投资增长仍处于高位。2007年，全市完成基础设施投资1175.8亿元，增长25.7%，占全社会固定资产投资的比重为29.6%，同比提高1.9个百分点，资金主要投向交通运输和公共服务业。其中，交通运输投资548亿元，同比增长24.7%；公共服务业投资289.5亿元，同比增长9.2%。从增长动力来看，大项目建设对投资的支撑作用趋于明显。

除房地产开发投资外，北京城市计划总投资超过10亿元的项目共81个，共完成投资760.5亿元，同比增长41.6%，占全社会完成投资（不含房地产开发投资）的比重为47.9%。从新开工项目来看，2007年计划总投资10亿元以上的新开工项目16个，共完成投资142.5亿元，对投资增长（不含房地产开发投资）的贡献率达到57.2%。新开工的16个大项目主要集中于交通运输业和公共设施管理业，两个行业共完成投资85.9亿元，占大项目完成投资的60.3%，对全社会完成投资（不含房地产开发投资）增长的贡献率则达到34.5%。

从上面的这些信息和数据可以看出，北京正是在宏观调控政策的引导下，完成了平稳增长基础上的城市经济格局的全面升级。作为中国首都和奥运之城，北京有其自身的特殊性，但是，北京的经济状况恰恰反映了中国宏观经济运行稳中有变、稳中求进的积极状态。

政策制定更具针对性　　

报告的一大亮点是根据现实生活中实际遇到的问题，采取有针对性的措施加以具体解决。因此，报告在扩大需求上采取了综合性措施，包括增加城乡居民收入、稳定居民支出预期、大力开拓农村消费市场、完善消费环境和政策。其中最重要的就是提高中低收入者的收入。

增加低收入居民的收入首先是指农民，其次是提高企业离退休人员基本养老金标准、优抚对象抚恤补助标准、城市居民最低生活保障补助标准。最后是政府公务员工资改革。温家宝总理的《政府工作报告》中，制定和推行最低小时工资标准成为人们关注的一个细节之处，为什么这样一个细微的规定进入了总理报告？

报告起草组成员对此解释说：“这是解决现实中存在的问题，切实保障低收入劳动者合法权益的重要措施。原来制定了最低工资制，但由于一些企业随意延长劳动时间，变相降低劳动者收入。此次要求全国各地建立最低小时工资制，多干一小时就要多给一小时钱，就是要从制度上遏制这一不合理现象，保护劳动者权益，增加劳动者收入。”

新农村建设方向明确　　

“要下决心调整投资方向，把国家对基础设施建设投入的重点转向农村，这是一个重大转变。”温家宝总理的这句话引发了代表委员们热烈的掌声。

报告起草组成员表示，这是工业反哺农业、城市支持农村的具体体现，其意义是多方面的：其一可以扩大农村需求。在一些农村，农民要买电视机却没有电，要用洗衣机却没有水，要发展农村旅游业却没有通畅的道路……农村基础设施落后成为制约消费需求的障碍。加强农村基础设施建设，村村有电、气、水，提高农村消费需求与扩大国内需求密切相关。其二是改善农村基本生产、生活条件，增加农民就业和农民收入，不仅直接给农民带来了实惠，还可以提高合理利用生产的能力。

“因此，这项措施是一个重大转变，可谓一举多得，给农业、农村、农民带来真正实惠。”报告起草组成员表示，新农村建设不能搞形式主义、政绩工程，要尊重农民意愿、维护农民利益、增进农民福祉。这既是新农村建设的出发点，也是落脚点。

在过去的5年中，“三农”工作得到了极大的好评，农业税在2006年的全部取消成为可以载入史册的重大历史事件。温家宝总理在2008年政府工作报告中说：“中央财政用于‘三农’的支出5年累计达到1.6万亿元。这笔巨款，由于中央政府“把促进粮食增产和农民增收作为首要任务”，农业基础设施建设分得近3000亿元、新增节水灌溉面积1亿亩、新增沼气用户1650万户、新增改建农村公路130万公里，解决了近1亿农村人口的饮水困难和饮水安全问题。”

2008年，中央财政将安排“三农”财政支出5625亿元，比2007年增加1307亿元，增幅历史罕见。同时，还将在中国农村全面推行新型合作医疗制度，用2年时间将筹资标准由每人每年50元提高到100元。

《政府工作报告》中的“民生清单”

民有所呼，必有所应。温家宝总理政府工作报告针对群众关心的热点、难点问题，提出了一项项改善民生的政策措施。这些惠民政策形成了一份全新的民生“清单”。40页的报告9页讲民生，成为名副其实的 “民生报告”。

“要抓紧解决广大群众最关心、最直接、最现实的利益问题，尤其要切实做好就业、社保、医疗、安全生产等工作”、“推进自主创新”、“义务教育”……这些内容赢得了代表委员们热烈的掌声。温家宝总理的报告对解决群众切身利益重大问题的阐述篇幅最长、措施最细、政策最明。除了对经济工作，还对社会发展和人民群众关注的问题作了详细阐述。

报告起草组成员对此表示，这是基于一种当前形势和社会发展的需要。虽然中国经济社会和社会发展取得了很大成绩，但还存在着“一条腿长、一条腿短”的情况，很多涉及人民群众切身利益的社会问题，如住房、医疗、就业、上学、社会治安、安全生产等问题突出，解决社会生活发展中和人民群众关心的问题不但是执政为民的需要，是社会全面和谐发展的需要，也是保持经济较快发展的需要。不扩大就业如何增加居民收入？不搞好环保、治安，人民如何安居乐业？法治不健全，信用缺损，经济更无法健康发展。

“经济发展和社会发展不可分割，因此在经济发展的同时，务必重视解决社会问题，使经济社会协调发展，互相促进。”报告起草组的成员解释说，这更是全面履行政府职责的需要。在履行经济调节、市场监管的职能同时，更加强调社会管理、公共服务，对教育、卫生、就业，该政府承担的职能，政府必须承担起来。充分体现执政为民、科学发展、全面履行政府职责的理念。

中国政府用于教育支出的费用5年来累计达到2.43万亿元，比前5年增长1.26倍。这与对“三农”支出的增幅一样，远远超出了同期中国国内生产总值的增幅。如今，农村义务教育已全面纳入财政保障范围、“两免一补”惠及1.5亿学生和780万名家庭经济困难寄宿生、2007年开始在教育部直属师范大学实施的师范生免费教育试点更是好评如潮……温家宝总理自信的宣布：“我们在实现教育公平上迈出了重大步伐。”

卫生方面的最热点词汇则是4年前的“非典”。这个词汇和“低温雨雪冰冻”在《政府工作报告》中出现的位置甚至位列中国国内生产总值和财政收入之前。5年来，中国政府用于医疗卫生的财政支出累计达到6294亿元，比前5年增长1.27倍，重点用于公共卫生、医疗服务和医疗保障体系。政府对于医疗卫生投入的力度是呈几何倍数增长的。温家宝总理在会上对代表委员说：“2005年的人均期望寿命是达到73岁，对于中国这样一个有13亿人口的发展中国家是了不起的成就。”

对于民生，“社保”也在最近5年成为普及性的词汇。中国政府用于社会保障的财政支出5年累计达到1.95万亿元，比前5年增加1.41倍。始于2005年的新型农村合作医疗制度不断完善，如今的范围已经扩大至中国86%的县，“参合”农民达到7.3亿人。到2008年底，新型农村合作医疗制度将全面完成覆盖。

此外，政府工作报告还提出，2008年中央用于廉租住房支付建设的资金68亿元，同比增加17亿元。地方各级政府都要增加这方面投入，增加中低价位、中小套型普通商品住房供应，建立多渠道投融资机制，通过多种途径帮助中等收入家庭解决住房问题。

“我们一定要让人民群众吃得放心、用得安心，让出口产品享有良好信誉。”温家宝总理的《政府工作报告》中谈到食品药品安全时，话语亲切有力，字里行间透着一种情感，更体现出一份承诺。食品安全、药品安全对于老百姓来说是民生幸福的基本问题。这其中的标准是关键，标准混乱不仅会让公众无所适从，也会导致责任不清和监管不力。报告提出，2008年要完成7700多项食品、药品和其他消费品安全国家标准的制定修订工作，健全食品、药品和其他消费品安全标准体系，标准的建立要“就高不就低”。食品、消费品安全性能要求及其检测方法标准，都要采用国际标准。

坚持改革开放不动摇

“改革开放是决定中国命运的重大决策。当前改革正处于攻坚阶段，必须以更大的决心加快推进各项改革。”温家宝总理工作报告中的这句话让代表委员对改革的认识更加深刻。

报告起草组成员说，其中的深刻内涵在于从中国改革开放和现代化建设的全局高度阐述了改革的重要性、必要性和紧迫性，表明了在新形势下继续推进改革开放的决心和信心，并明确提出2008年要在一些关系全局的重大体制改革要取得新进展。

当前，中国的改革开放处于攻坚阶段，面临着一些新的课题、难点和障碍。温家宝总理对于进一步推进改革开放的论述，有利于进一步统一思想，鼓舞信心，坚定不移地推进改革开放，不断为中国的经济社会发展注入新的活力和动力。