Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council, delivered the Government’s work report at the Opening of the National People’s Congress (NCP) in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing.
By Fatou Sillah
Premier Li Qiang, in his address at the opening of the National People’s Congress (NCP), the top legislative body of the country, delivered a significant update: Over 33 million Chinese citizens were lifted out of poverty in 2023.
“We made every effort to ensure public well-being and advanced the development of social programs. We addressed the people’s concerns and delivered benefits to them. We adopted, with a strong emphasis on keeping employment stable, policies to support enterprises in stabilizing and expanding employment and improved services to help college graduates and other key groups secure employment. Over 33 million people were lifted out of poverty and found jobs last year.
Li Qiang highlighted advancements in education, including efforts to alleviate student burdens and improve access to government-subsidized loans, benefiting over 11 million college students.
“We intensified efforts to shore up weak links in compulsory education and relieve students of excessive burdens from homework and off-campus tutoring. The cap on government-subsidized student loans was raised, and their interest rates were lowered, benefiting more than 11 million college students,” He said.
Economically, China saw substantial growth, with GDP surpassing 126 trillion yuan, ranking among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Urban employment saw an increase of 12.44 million jobs, maintaining an urban unemployment rate of 5.2 percent.
“China’s gross domestic product (GDP) surpassed 126 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.2 percent, ranking China among the fastest-growing major economies in the world. A total of 12.44 million urban jobs were added, and the average surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2 percent. The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.2 percent. A basic equilibrium was maintained in the balance of payments,” He said.
The Premier of the State Council also stated that Progress was noted in industrial modernization, with traditional industries undergoing transformation and emerging industries experiencing growth. Notable innovations were made, including domestically produced airliners entering commercial operation and China dominating the global electric vehicle market.
“Significant progress was made in building a modernized industrial system. Traditional industries saw accelerated transformation and upgrading, strategic emerging industries achieved vigorous growth, and groundwork was laid for developing industries of the future. Advanced manufacturing was further integrated with modern services, and a number of world-class innovations were made in major industries, including homemade airliners, that went into commercial operation, and a variety of large cruise ships were delivered. China accounted for over 60 percent of global electric vehicle output and sales,” He said
Li emphasized efforts to enhance governance, uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee, and implement decisions and plans effectively, particularly focusing on understanding and acting upon Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The government prioritized political advancement and strengthened its capacity to fulfill duties across all areas.
“We were firm in upholding the authority of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and its centralized, unified leadership and took solid steps to fully implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee. We launched initiatives to gain a good understanding of Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and acted on it.
“With top priority given to political advancement, we enhanced the government’s capacity to perform its duties in all areas,” He said.