The draft outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020)

on national economy and social development was

presented on Saturday to the Fourth Session of the 12th

National People's Congress for review.

Following are the goals and missions set in the draft

outline for the years between 2016 and 2020.

GROWTH

-- Keep medium-high growth to double China's GDP

and per capita income by 2020 from the 2010 level.

-- Promote innovative, coordinated, green, open, and

shared development.

INNOVATION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

-- Make breakthroughs in core technologies including

information communication, new energy, new materials,

aviation, biological medicine and intelligent

manufacturing.

-- Advance scientific research on universe evolution,

material structure, origin of life, as well as brain and

cognition.

-- Vigorously initiate international major science

projects.

-- Ease the criteria for foreign talents' applying for

permanent residence.

-- Improve the quality and efficiency of supply and

stimulate real demand to strengthen new growth

momentum.

-- Foster new competitive advantages of foreign trade by

exporting more high-end equipment and cutting-edge

products with high added value.

MODERN INDUSTRIES

-- Further implement "Made in China 2025" strategy

and focus on manufacturing innovation and the

integration of information and manufacturing

technologies.

-- Support strategic emerging sector and improve its

share in GDP to 15 percent.

-- Boost information technology, new energy vehicles,

biological technology and low-carbon industries, as well

as high-end equipment and materials.

-- Nurture the growth of high-tech sectors involving

semiconductors, robots and intelligent systems.

INTERNET

-- Speed up building a new generation of information

infrastructure.

-- Advance 5G telecom technology and

comprehensively upgrade to IPv6.

-- Implement "Internet Plus" and promote Internet

technologies to revolutionize production and organization

modes.

-- Promote big data strategy to facilitate industrial

upgrade and social governance innovation.

-- Push forward the establishment of a multilateral,

democratic and transparent international Internet

governance system.

ENERGY REVOLUTION

-- Deepen energy revolution by establishing a modern

energy system that is clean, low-carbon and efficient.

-- Build a coordinated and integrated energy network.

URBANIZATION

-- Accelerate urbanizing rural migrants.

-- Build world-class city clusters in Beijing-Tianjin-

Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River

Delta.

MARITIME POWER

-- Strengthen maritime law enforcement, safeguard

maritime interests and maintain free navigation and

maritime passage safety at seawaters under China's

jurisdiction.

-- Improve sea-related dialogue and cooperation

mechanisms with neighboring countries and boost

pragmatic maritime cooperation.

ENVIRONMENT

-- Keep annual energy consumption within five billion

tonnes of standard coal.

-- Implement the strictest environmental protection

system by gathering efforts from government, enterprises

and the public to realize environmental improvement.

-- Control carbon emissions, honor climate commitments

and deeply participate into global climate governance.

OPENING UP

-- Expand international production capacity cooperation

in sectors including steel, railway, telecommunications,

machinery and aviation.

-- Increase service trade's share in total foreign trade to

16 percent.

-- Relax restrictions in service sector for foreign capital,

widen market access in banking and securities, encourage

foreign investment to flow into advanced manufacturing,

high-tech industries and energy saving.

-- Improve business environment to facilitate win-win

cooperation.

-- Realize the convertibility of Chinese currency the yuan

and promote its global use.

-- Enhance two-way opening up of capital market,

including securities and bond markets.

-- Strive to sign high-standard bilateral investment

agreements with more countries.

BELT AND ROAD

-- Quicken Belt and Road construction and expand win-

win cooperation to form a new comprehensive opening-

up landscape.

-- Strengthen cooperation with international financial

institutions, push forward the Asian Infrastructure

Investment Bank and the BRICS New Development

Bank, and properly operate the Silk Road Fund.

-- Build China-Mongolia-Russia, China-Central Asia-

West Asia, China-Indochina Peninsula, China-Pakistan

and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic

corridors, as well as the new Eurasian Land Bridge.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE

-- Safeguard the role of the World Trade Organization

and push forward multilateral trade negotiations.

-- Vigorously set up free trade areas with countries along

the routes of the Belt and Road.

-- Step up talks with the Regional Comprehensive

Economic Partnership and Gulf Cooperation Council and

on free trade area of China, Japan and the Republic of

Korea.

-- Push forward the establishment of free trade

agreements with Israel, Canada, the Eurasian Economic

Union and the European Union, as well as an Asia-

Pacific free trade area.

-- Continue to propel investment agreement talks with the

United States and Europe.

-- Actively participate in the making of international

rules on the Internet, deep sea, polar region and space

and of international standards.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

-- Increase assistance to developing countries in

education, medicine, disaster relief, animal protection

and poverty alleviation.

-- Safeguard international public security and oppose any

forms of terrorism.

PEOPLE'S WELL-BEING

-- Lift 50 million people out of poverty and build a

moderately prosperous society in all aspects.

-- Fully implement two-child policy, with the total

population reaching 1.42 billion.

STRATEGY AND SECURITY

-- Formulate and implement national security policies in

politics, territory, economy, society, resources and the

Internet.

-- Reinforce anti-terrorism forces and increase

international cooperation.

-- Advance national defense and military modernization.

Press conference on 4th session of

China's 12th NPC (Xinhua)

Updated: 2016-03-04 11:43

Fu Ying, spokesperson for the fourth session of China's 12th National

People's Congress, waves to the journalists at a news conference at the

Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 4, 2016. [Photo by Wang

Zhuangfei/China Daily]

Press conference on 4th session of China's 12th NPC is

held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 4,

2016.

Key Points

China to raise 2016 defense budget by 7-8 pct

A spokesperson of the national legislature talked on

Friday about what could be China's slowest military

budget increase for six years, as the world's second

largest economy feels the chill amid rising headwinds.

Fu Ying, spokesperson for the National People's

Congress annual session, said military spending is

budgeted to grow by around 7 to 8 percent in 2016.

The exact figure will be released in a budget report to the

session, Fu told a press conference.

China's defense budget rose by 10.1 percent last year.

A growth rate within the range that Fu mentioned might

be the lowest for years since 2010, when the figure stood

at 7.5 percent.

The spokesperson said the raise in 2016 is in line with

China's national defense need and fiscal revenue.

China's economy expanded 6.9 percent year on year in

2015, the slowest in one fourth a century, weighed down

by a property market downturn, falling trade and weak

factory activity.

Premier Li Keqiang will unveil the government's GDP

target on Saturday.

The figure is expected to be in a range between 6.5 and 7

percent, compared with the "approximately 7 percent"

target announced by Li last year.

[Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

US militarizing South China Sea

A spokesperson for China's national legislature said

Friday that it is the United States that is militarizing the

South China Sea.

Fu Ying, spokesperson for this year's annual session of

the National People's Congress that will kick off

Saturday, said at a press conference that currently most

of the advanced aircraft and warships passing through the

South China Sea belong to the United States.

Fu made remarks when answering a question from a CBS

correspondent about China's construction of military

facilities in the islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

She said that according to its strategy of pivot to Asia-

Pacific, the United States has decided to deploy a larger

part of its naval force to this region. It is also

strengthening military presence in the Asia Pacific region

with its allies.

"Isn't it militarization?" She asked in reply, adding that

wrongly accusing China's militarization in the waters is a

hegemonic act in language, which will also mislead the

situation.

Most of Chinese lawmakers and ordinary people are not

pleased and do not agree with the U.S. showing off

military power by sending warships to waters close to the

South China Sea islands and reefs.

The United States said it did not take sides in the South

China Sea disputes, however, its acts and rhetoric make

people feel that it is raising tensions in the region, Fu

said.

Philanthropy is developing fast in China and the

nation aims to standardize it through a charity law.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference a day ahead

of the Fourth Session of the 12th National People's

Congress (NPC), Fu Ying said that the importance of

charity law cannot be underestimated. China has a

tradition of helping the poor and needy, Fu said, citing

that the amount of donation by social entities and

individuals in 2014 reached 100 billion yuan (15 billion

U.S. dollars), a big rise from the 10 billion yuan seen in

2004.

With the fast development of philanthropy, China is in an

urgent need of a charity law that can protect the rights of

donors and the needy, and punish fraud.

China guarantees the rights of lawyers to fulfill their

missions in line with law, regarding them an

important force in promoting the rule of law

Lawyers should be examples of observing law and they

will face legal punishment if they violate law.

She said she did not agree with the label of so-called

"human rights lawyers", which seemed to be a

classification in a political sense.

Lawyers have been an important group in China's society

to ensure the proper implementation of law and safeguard

social fairness and justice. The number of lawyers has

increased from about 2,000 in 1979 to more than 300,000

now, Fu added.

China Daily reporter asks a question during the news conference in

Beijing, March 4, 2016. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

Altogether 43 national lawmakers have resigned and 27

others were dismissed in China since 2013, largely due to

graft, a spokesperson with the top legislature said Friday.

Some of them were dismissed because of violating Party

codes of conduct and laws, while some others resigned

for their involvement or suspected involvement in graft,

Fu Ying told a press conference prior to the Fourth

Session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC).

Photo/Wang Zhuangfei

China's NPC supervision not formality

China's top legislative body's supervision over law

enforcement and government work is not a formality, a

spokesperson said Friday.

The National People's Congress (NPC) has been

improving and innovating its supervision and will

continue to make efforts to prompt positive changes, said

Fu Ying at a press conference.

The NPC has formed an effective supervision chain that

combines law enforcement examination and special

inquiries, Fu said.

Fu said legislators conducted law enforcement

supervision on six laws, including vocational education

law last year, and pushed forward measures that led to

practical improvement after discussions with government

agencies.

"The supervision will not stop until we see good results,"

Fu said.

Proposed bill not to restrict overseas NGOs in China

A new bill to regulate overseas non-governmental

organizations (NGOs) in China, yet to be finalized, aims

not at restricting them but providing a better legal

environment, a spokeswoman for the annual session of

the country's top legislature said Friday.

The bill has been read twice by the Standing Committee

of the National People's Congress (NPC) and is still

being amended, Fu Ying told reporters, noting that

lawmakers have extensively solicited opinions and

suggestions from both within and outside China.

The purpose of the law is not to restrict their lawful,

helpful activities in China, but to provide a sound legal

environment, she said.

Statistics show there are more than 7,000 overseas NGOs

operating in China, mainly in sectors such as

environment, science, education and culture, the

spokeswoman said.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is in charge of

drafting the bill, Fu said, as it is a tradition that the MPS

handles foreigners' activities in China, such as visa

application and residence registration.

Proposed bill to provide clearer lines for China's

filmmaking

A new bill to promote China's movie industry will

provide clearer lines for filmmakers, a spokeswoman for

the annual session of the national legislature said Friday.

There is a consensus among filmmakers and censors that

there should be clearer lines for China's filmmaking, and

that the censorship system should be open and

transparent, said Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the Fourth

Session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), at

a press conference.

Fu quoted the draft bill as saying that, in establishing

specific criteria for movie censorship, opinions and

suggestions must be sought from experts and other

members of society.

After setting a record of 44 billion yuan (6.7 billion U.S.

dollars) in 2015, China's cinemas made history once

again this February.

With 6.87 billion yuan (1.05 billion U.S. dollars) in ticket

sales, China's box office surpassed North America (810

million U.S. dollars) for the first time ever last month,

according to the State Administration of Press,

Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

The bill, which had been read once by the NPC Standing

Committee, is still being amended and will help build a

better legal environment for China's movie industry, Fu

added.

Premier Li Keqiang is looking to the technology industry

and emerging sectors as a leading factor to give impetus

to the economy during its difficult transition.

The growth industries also have helped the country create

more jobs than expected, Li told some political advisers

on Friday, one day before he is to deliver the

Government Work Report to lawmakers and political

advisers as the National People’s Congress convenes its

annual session in Beijing.

In the coming months, the government will provide more

support to growth industries, such as information

technology, biotechnology and new energy, in policies

and in financial incentives, Li said.

He made the remarks while meeting with members of the

economy and agriculture groups of the nation’s top

advisory body.

Li also told the advisers at the meeting that the country

has achieved most of its goals set in its previous Five-

Year Plan (2011-15).

The country is ready to unveil its 13th Five-Year Plan

(2016-20) during the annual session of the top legislature.

On the policy front, the premier promised that the

government will release more supply-side reform

initiatives aimed at cutting overcapacity and easing

taxation burdens on enterprises.

The premier said that enough funds and favorable terms

will be guaranteed so the economy can achieve a

reasonable growth rate this year, widely estimated at 6.5

percent or higher.

During the meeting, Yang Yuanqing, CEO of Lenovo

Group, suggested that large enterprises provide a

platform for startups and young entrepreneurs.

These enterprises, with wide brand recognition, ample

funds and a technological edge, can help small

technology enterprises to translate research results into

gains in the market, said Yang.

Yang also called for support from the government so that

the country’s scientific research achievements can be

applied in the marketplace.

Citing information security as an example, he suggested

that government departments purchase more equipment

from domestic high-tech companies rather than from

transnationals.

Wu Yueshi, vice-president of Longping High-Tech

Agriculture in Hunan province and also a political

adviser, suggested that the government provide more

support on the research and innovation of seed breeding

to further develop the modern agriculture sector.

The enterprise was set up by Yuan Longping, the

scientist who pioneered the country’s high-yield hybrid

rice.

It is the third straight year that the premier has solicited

opinions and suggestions from political advisers with the

agriculture and economy sectors before delivering the

Government Work Report.

Xu Hongcai, an economist at the China Center for

International Economic Exchanges, said this shows that

the government has prioritized stable economic growth

for the years ahead

Xi vows to curb Taiwan secessionists By Wu Jiao (China Daily)

Updated: 2016-03-06 09:06

Chinese President Xi Jinping joins a group deliberation of deputies from

Shanghai to the annual session of the National People's Congress in

Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing will "resolutely curb" secessionist activities

seeking "Taiwan independence" in any form, and will

never let the historic tragedy of "national separation"

recur, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.

He made the remarks when attending the panel

discussion on the Government Work Report by

lawmakers from the Shanghai delegation.

Shanghai, China's economic hub, is home to tens of

thousands of Taiwan businesspeople and their families.

It is the first time Xi has made remarks on cross-Straits

relations since Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan's

pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, won a

leadership election on the island in January. She is

scheduled to take office in May.

"Our policy toward Taiwan has been consistent and clear

and will not change because of political changes in

Taiwan," Xi said.

He said the 1992 Consensus, which says both Taiwan

and the mainland are parts of one China, explicitly

defines the nature of the cross-Straits relationship and is

crucial to the stable and long-term development of cross-

Straits ties.

Only by acknowledging the 1992 Consensus, and

accepting its core content, can the two sides have a

common political foundation and maintain healthy

interactions, according to Xi.

Xi made no direct mention of Tsai.

Thepast eight years, during which time Ma Ying-jeou has

served as the island's leader, have been marked by

smooth exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan.

"Compatriots across the Straits are very expectant about

the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties, and we

should not let them down," Xi said.

Premier Li Keqiang also said in the Government Work

Report on Saturday that authorities on the mainland will

uphold its policies toward Taiwan, oppose separatist

activities, maintain the peaceful development of

crossStraits relations and safeguard peace and stability of

the Taiwan Straits.

"We will strive to make progress in cross-Straits

economic integration. We will encourage cultural,

educational, scientific and technological exchanges and

help strengthen exchanges between ordinary people and

the younger generation on both sides of the Straits," he

said.

He added that, guided by the conviction that people on

both sides of the Straits belong to one and the same

family, the mainland will share with people in Taiwan

both the responsibility of the Chinese nation and

opportunities for development, and jointly build a cross-

Straits community of common destiny.

Zhu Songling, director of the Institute of Cross-Straits

Relations at Beijing Union University, said Xi's remarks

reaffirmed the mainland leadership's determination to

safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They also reflected goodwill from Xi toward the people

in Taiwan, he added.

Peng Yining contributed to this story.

Xi vows to curb Taiwan secessionists By Wu Jiao (China Daily)

Updated: 2016-03-06 09:06

Chinese President Xi Jinping joins a group deliberation of deputies from

Shanghai to the annual session of the National People's Congress in

Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing will "resolutely curb" secessionist activities

seeking "Taiwan independence" in any form, and will

never let the historic tragedy of "national separation"

recur, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.

He made the remarks when attending the panel

discussion on the Government Work Report by

lawmakers from the Shanghai delegation.

Shanghai, China's economic hub, is home to tens of

thousands of Taiwan businesspeople and their families.

It is the first time Xi has made remarks on cross-Straits

relations since Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan's

pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, won a

leadership election on the island in January. She is

scheduled to take office in May.

"Our policy toward Taiwan has been consistent and clear

and will not change because of political changes in

Taiwan," Xi said.

He said the 1992 Consensus, which says both Taiwan

and the mainland are parts of one China, explicitly

defines the nature of the cross-Straits relationship and is

crucial to the stable and long-term development of cross-

Straits ties.

Only by acknowledging the 1992 Consensus, and

accepting its core content, can the two sides have a

common political foundation and maintain healthy

interactions, according to Xi.

Xi made no direct mention of Tsai.

Thepast eight years, during which time Ma Ying-jeou has

served as the island's leader, have been marked by

smooth exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan.

"Compatriots across the Straits are very expectant about

the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties, and we

should not let them down," Xi said.

Premier Li Keqiang also said in the Government Work

Report on Saturday that authorities on the mainland will

uphold its policies toward Taiwan, oppose separatist

activities, maintain the peaceful development of

crossStraits relations and safeguard peace and stability of

the Taiwan Straits.

"We will strive to make progress in cross-Straits

economic integration. We will encourage cultural,

educational, scientific and technological exchanges and

help strengthen exchanges between ordinary people and

the younger generation on both sides of the Straits," he

said.

He added that, guided by the conviction that people on

both sides of the Straits belong to one and the same

family, the mainland will share with people in Taiwan

both the responsibility of the Chinese nation and

opportunities for development, and jointly build a cross-

Straits community of common destiny.

Zhu Songling, director of the Institute of Cross-Straits

Relations at Beijing Union University, said Xi's remarks

reaffirmed the mainland leadership's determination to

safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They also reflected goodwill from Xi toward the people

in Taiwan, he added.

Peng Yining contributed to this story.