Li calls for a 'new attitude' by officials

Some government employees still neglecting duties and behaving irresponsibly, premier tells nation's lawmakers

In a rare media report on Chinese leaders with a human touch, Premier Li Keqiang was described to have "thumped the table" in front of ministers. Some officials "would rather stand idle than do work to prevent making mistakes", Li was quoted as saying in a recent article published on the State Council's website. "They hold onto their posts but make only perfunctory efforts. Aren't they like deadwood?"

Removing such "deadwood" from government posts has become one of the four major missions for the government to tackle in the year ahead, according to the annual Government Work Report delivered by the premier on Thursday at the opening of the National People's Congress plenary session.