Voice from Los Angeles

Los Angeles Times: Stress on economy as China holds annual meetings 03/03

China's top parliamentary adviser says 2010 will be critical for maintaining growth, creating jobs, and diversifying away from exports, underscoring the economy's central importance as the annual legislative session prepares to open.

The stress on economic measures is expected to be even more pronounced at the annual session of the legislature, the National People's Congress, which opens on Friday with a major address by Premier Wen Jiabao.

The overlapping meetings mark the highlight of the Chinese political calendar, laying out priorities for the rest of the year.

Along with economic policy, this year's session will give a full airing to hot-button issues such as soaring real estate prices in many Chinese cities.

The government, which releases a budget and work plan for the year, is expected to boost spending on education, pensions and medical care, continuing a push begun over the past decade to strengthen a tattered social safety net.

Netizen: Florida USA 03/03

Most Americans greatly respect China and her people and the tremendous progress that it has and is making. Going forward, USA and China should develop a very close and respectful relationship. We both need and depend on each other. Hopefully when Obama leaves office, the relationship between our two countries will strengthen. By the way, congratulations to China's athletes for a great showing at the Vancouver Olympics!!

Los Angeles Times 02/03

Many of the hot-button issues like soaring real estate prices in many Chinese cities are expected to get a full airing during the 10-day legislative session. The congress is also expected to pass legislation on safeguarding state secrets and amend a law on how deputies are selected, correcting a disparity that gave urban Chinese greater representation over their more numerous rural neighbors.

The government, which releases a budget and work plan for the year, is expected to boost spending on education, pensions and medical care yet again, continuing a push begun over this decade to repair a tattered social safety net.

"It is the government's responsibility to make the cake of social wealth as big as possible and the government's conscience to distribute the cake in a fair way," Premier Wen Jiabao said in an online chat this past weekend.

Such sentiments and social spending have made Wen and President Hu Jintao popular.