Li pledges dutiful governance to improve residents' well-being

THE GOVERNMENT Work Report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday highlights the need to acknowledge and address the inefficient implementation of certain policies. That the report faces up to difficulties and shortcomings in governance is worth applauding, said Beijing Youth Daily on Monday:

Achievements aside, this year's Government Work Report demonstrated deeper reflection on a wide range of problems in social development and governance, as well as great political courage and governmental willingness to shoulder due responsibility.

As the report points out, China failed to achieve the expected target for economic growth last year due to shrinking global trade. The country recorded a GDP growth of 6.9 percent in 2015, the slowest in a quarter of a century, and both its imports and exports declined. Investment also struggled to increase, and some industries have been plagued with serious overcapacity, leading to a series of financial risks.