Li says clean govt leads to good growth
In teleconference, premier calls for full implementation of tax, fee cuts
Premier Li Keqiang called for greater efforts to promote clean governance at all levels to facilitate China's economic and social development.
Governments must fully implement all major decisions and fight graft, Li said at a State Council teleconference on Tuesday. He spoke highly of the progress made against corruption in the past year, which spurred healthy and sustainable social and economic development.
But he reminded government officials of existing problems and shortcomings in the anti-graft campaign, which he said is a long-term task that requires consistent effort.
Li called for full implementation of tax and fee reductions, which will take effect in May. In the Government Work Report he delivered on March 5, he pledged to cut 2 trillion yuan ($297 billion) in taxes and fees for enterprises around the country.
A substantial decrease in taxes for the manufacturing sector must be ensured, along with a drop in taxes for construction and transportation sectors, Li said, adding that taxes in other sectors should not increase.
Additional money used to cover the spending gap created by tax and fee reductions must be used for proper purposes, and enterprises that are supposed to receive benefits from the reduction plan must get what they have been promised, Li said.
The premier urged firm resolve in carrying out the policy of lower-ing social security costs for enterprises, placing no additional burdens on small and micro-sized businesses, which are the backbone for the country's job market, he said, adding that employees' welfare should remain unchanged.
The premier urged better use of long-term deposit funds and spending in key areas, such as improving people's livelihoods. Unnecessary expenditures should be cut; but random charges of fees must not be used to balance local budgets and spending, he said.
Administrations should be streamlined to eliminate "the soil for corruption" by enhancing fair and just supervision, optimizing government services and improving the business environment, the premier said.
Li called for a stronger political buildup of the government, while preventing and punishing violations and corruption in key areas, such as public funds and resources.
Before Li's remarks, several high-ranking officials reported on their work during the teleconference. Wang Jun, head of the State Taxation Administration, said 341.1 billion yuan in taxes had been cut in the first quarter of this year.
Yin Li, governor of Sichuan province, said his province has adopted timely disclosure of government budgets to keep public money "under the sunlight". Ma Xingrui, governor of Guangdong province, said the industrial hub has invested in "digital government" to improve the efficiency of administrative approvals to better serve the public.
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