Extracts. Thursday, December 14, 2000, updated at 10:32(GMT+8)
Premier Zhu Rongji on Economic Issues
------------------------------------------------------
Premier Zhu Rongji said next year China will cement
and extend its achievement in getting State-owned
enterprises (SOEs) out of difficulties and SOE
reform, and attach more importance to the status of
agriculture as the foundation of the national
economy.
During a recent inspection tour to east China, the
premier also urged to accelerate the improvement of
the social security system,and regulate the market
economy order in order to achieve faster economic
growth next year.
Zhu inspected rural financial reform, enterprise
reform and future development, social security
system, and market economy order in Jiangsu and
Zhejiang provinces from December 7 to 13.
He noted that as the economy takes a major turn for
the better, the adjustment of agricultural structure
could not meet the demand of the economic situation.
There has been a slow increase in farmers' income and
in some major grain-producing areas, farmers even
earned less.
He urged that the problems be solved immediately to
avoid negative impact on the stability and
development of China's rural areas, or even the
national economy.
He asked governments at all levels to vigorously push
ahead the readjustment of the agricultural and rural
economic structure; develop planting, breeding and
high-yield agriculture suited to local conditions;
try every means to extend the channels of raising
farmers' income; further reform the circulation
systems of agro-products; actively promote the rural
fee-to tax reform and fundamentally reduce the
burdens on farmers; and step up infrastructure
construction in agriculture and rural areas to
improve farmers' production and living conditions.
On the Rural Credit Cooperative (RCC), the premier
said that full play should be given to RCC's role as
the main force in rural finance and the bond linking
farmers. The RCC should adhere to its principle of
serving agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.
The RCC reform has achieved some positive results and
quite a few problems are yet to be solved, Zhu said.
The premier hailed as a remarkable achievement that
China has basically realized its target to deepen the
SOE reform and pull most of the large- and
medium-sized SOEs out of difficulties within three
years.
The SOEs, however, need to transform their management
mechanism, and raise their innovative capabilities,
competitiveness and profitability, Zhu said, adding
that there is still a long way to go for SOE reform
and development.
He encouraged large- and medium-sized SOEs to adopt a
shareholding system by getting themselves listed, a
move he said will help pool funds, transform
management mechanisms, and place the operation of the
SOEs under public supervision.
He said that every entrepreneur should have a
pioneering spirit and determination to blaze new
trails to make a success of their enterprise.
On the building of the social security system, the
premier said that it is a major issue that impacts on
China's reform, development and stability.
He promised that laid-off workers of SOEs and retired
workers will have their basic allowances and pension
distributed adequately and punctually. The central
government will make public information of allowance
and pension distribution of all administrative
regions.
China will gradually replace the basic allowances for
laid-off workers with unemployment insurance.
Northeast China's Liaoning Province and several other
provinces have been selected as the pilot places for
the reform.
Another important task for next year's economic work
is to regulate the market economic order, said the
premier. The central government is determined to
fight against tax fraud, smuggling, manufacturing or
selling of counterfeit and inferior quality
commodities, sleights of hands in bidding for
construction projects.
He asked local financial departments to provide
adequate funds for the police and other
law-enforcement departments to crack down on various
economic crimes and to safeguard an orderly market
economy and social stability.
****
Thursday, December 14, 2000, updated at 08:54(GMT+8)
Beijing Invites Public Discussion on Five-Year Plan
Beijing made public December 13 its draft for a
five-year plan (2001-2005), inviting public opinions
from its citizens.
According to the draft, Beijing expects an annual GDP
growth rate of 9 percent in the coming five years.
Its GDP is scheduled to reach 370 billion yuan
(calculated based on the price of 2000).
The local financial revenue will increase at an
average rate of 10 percent. The adjustment of the
economic structure will result in the service
industry making 60 percent of the whole.
Beijing plans to increase investment in high
technology to improve its innovative capability. By
the year 2005, the investment in research and
development (R&D) by the whole society is expected to
make up 5 percent of the GDP.
High-tech industries will account for 11 percent of
the municipality's GDP.
Beijing plans to offer over 1 million new jobs for
its people within five years. The registered urban
unemployment rate is scheduled to be under two
percent. A social security system will basically
benefit the whole capital city.
Half of the high school students will be able to go
to college five years later.
Beijing aims to see the disposable income of its
urban residents grow at an average rate of 6 percent
each year. The net income of farmers is also expected
to increase by 6 percent annually.
For housing, the average floor space per capita is to
reach 18 square meters. The average life expectancy
of Beijing residents will be 76.
Beijing, in its bid to hold the 2008 Olympic Games,
will improve its environment effectively. By the year
2005, the air quality in the downtown area will reach
the national criteria of class II, the best, but
second standard for evaluating air quality in China.
The urban sewage treatment rate will increase to 90
percent. The rate for the unharmful treatment of
house refuse will be 95 percent. The afforestation
rate will reach 47 percent.
The draft, after being revised according to public
opinions, will be submitted to the Municipal People's
Congress for examination and approval two months
later, said government sources.
****
China Welcomes Ethiopia-Eritrea Peace Accord China is pleased with and
welcomes the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement by Ethiopia and
Eritrea on Tuesday in Algiers, Algeria, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman.
Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remark on Wednesday, December 13, when
asked to comment on the matter.
She said that thanks to the active mediation of parties concerned within
the international community, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed the peace
agreement on Tuesday in Algiers, ending a two-year border conflict and
hostility between the two neighboring countries.
"This will not only be conducive to the construction and development of
their respective countries, and will also benefit peace, stability,
security and development in the Horn of Africa and the continent as a
whole," Zhang said.
"We heartily rejoice at and welcome the development," she said.
China expresses appreciation for and congratulates the international
community, especially the Organization of African Unity (OAU), on their
unremitting efforts to peacefully settle the conflict over the past two
years, she said.
"We sincerely hope that with the help of OAU and the United Nations, the
two countries, in the spirit of reconciliation and mutual understanding and
compromise, will earnestly implement the accord, so as to seek a final and
peaceful settlement of their border dispute at an early date," she added.
China will, as always, join the international community to work to help the
two countries settle the territorial dispute and realize lasting peace,
Zhang said.
Peace Treaty Signed
Ethiopia and Eritrea formally ended their two-year war on Tuesday, December
12, signing a peace agreement that halts a conflict over a barren patch of
land that left tens of thousands dead.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki
signed the accord before a crowd of applauding diplomats, many of whom
participated in the peace process.
The signing, held at a government-owned resort outside the Algerian capital
of Algiers, was attended by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
US President Clinton, traveling in Ireland, sent his congratulations. "My
relief and happiness on this occasion mirrors the sadness I felt when I
witnessed two allies and friends embroiled in a tragic conflict," he said.
"To the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea, I say the hope and promise of this
day is yours," Albright told the gathering, adding, "May today"s peace last
long in your children"s future."
****
Castro Meets Chinese Foreign Trade Minister President of the State Council
of Cuba Fidel Castro Tuesday, December 12, met with Shi Guangsheng,
minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of China.
At the meeting, Castro, who is also president of the Council of Ministers,
inquired in detail about the implementation of some projects for bilateral
trade and economic cooperation and spoke highly of the economic situation
in China, including the robust growth in its exports.
Shi is here for a regular meeting of the China-Cuba Mixed Committee on
trade and economic cooperation.
Shi briefed the Cuban leader on the discussions at the meeting of the mixed
committee and the progress in China's efforts to join the World Trade
Organization (WTO), and added that there was great promise for trade and
economic cooperation between the two countries on the basis of equality and
mutual benefit.
On the same day, Shi also met Vice President of the State Council Carlos Lage.
****
MOFTEC: US's Deduction of China's Textile Quota Violates Sino-US Textile
Agreement A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic
Cooperation (MOFTEC) made a statement on the US government's unilateral
deduction of the quota of China's textiles on December 12.
The spokesman said that the US government decided to unilaterally reduce
the quota of China's textiles on the grounds that enterprises of the
Chinese mainland delivered textile products in transit to the United
States, with the total money of goods involved amounting to about US$9
million. The US government's unilateral reduction of China's textile quota
without providing convincing evidence has grossly violated the Sino-US
Bilateral Textile Agreement.
The Chinese government has always conscientiously carried out the Sino-US
bilateral agreement and advocated that Sino-US bilateral trade be developed
on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and trade disputes be solved
in a pragmatic, understanding and cooperative attitude. The US government's
act of violating the Bilateral Textile Agreement is unacceptable to the
Chinese government.
We strongly demand that the US government reconsider its decision on
cutting back the quota, so as to avoid that the problem of illegal transit
of textiles affect Sino-US trade relations. If the US government insists on
its deduction decision, the Chinese government will reserve its right to
take further action.
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