From Chinese Press

People's livelihood

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-16 08:02

People's livelihood was in focus of the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, because improving people's livelihood is the main goal of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), says an article in People's Daily. Excerpts:

Almost all the broad goals of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) have been achieved.

In the last five years, China has registered an average annual GDP growth of 11.2 percent, scrapped the age-old agricultural tax in 2006, made compulsory education both in urban and rural areas free by 2010, and established a basic medical insurance system and a new rural cooperative medical care system that has benefited urban dwellers and rural residents both.

These moves have helped improve people's livelihood. But a lot more has to be done to further fulfill people's needs such as higher education and better healthcare, and solve important social and economic problems that include soaring commodity and housing prices.

In retrospect, by prioritizing development, China has succeeded in overcoming many of those challenges.

Hence, the government should still prioritize development during the 12th Five-Year Plan period. But it has to expedite the transformation of its development model at the same time.

People have high hopes from the country's next stage of development. To live up to their expectation and improve their livelihood further, the government should be committed to its goals, and work out scientific plans and set a timetable to meet those goals.

(China Daily 03/16/2011 page9)