SOEs' growing obligations

As a major force driving the national economy, the fast expansion of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) has contributed significantly to China becoming the world's second largest economy in 2010.

However, as the country prioritizes improving people's livelihoods instead of the speed of economic growth, SOEs need to play a bigger role than merely serving as powerful growth engines.

Given these enterprises' remarkable profitability, it is high time for Chinese policymakers to tap deeper into this source of government revenue to fund public welfare.