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China pushes economic reforms, raises military budget
Beijing (Alliance News) - Chinese leaders promoted their economic reforms at the annual state parliament on Wednesday, announcing an annual growth target of 7.5%, as well as a 12.2% rise in the budget for the armed forces.
The country should expect "painful" adjustments in the economy, Premier Li Keqiang warned in a state-of-the-nation speech to delegates, adding that officials must "break the mental shackles and vested interests" for the government to succeed in spreading economic benefits to poorer people.
The nine-day congress, held amid tight security at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, is also expected to focus on curbing corruption and reducing pollution.
The latest hike in military spending, following double-digit growth for most of the past 20 years, was needed to fund an ongoing modernization drive by the People's Liberation Army, Li told some 3,000 delegates to the National People's Congress.
The Finance Ministry presented a draft budget allocating 808.2 billion yuan (132 billion dollars) for defence spending this year, following previous double-digit rises that prompted international concern over China's growing military power.
Among the major budget items, only health care spending rose by a higher margin, up 15.1% to 303.8 billion yuan.
The 12.2% rise in defence spending was the highest since 2011 and follows double-digit growth for most of the last 20 years.
"This year, with the party's goal of strengthening the armed forces under the new conditions in mind, we will ... continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age," Li said.
"We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests," he said.
Some Western critics say China's real military spending is up to three times the budget figure, but the government insists that the budget includes the cost of all weapons systems.
China has been increasingly assertive in the East China Sea and South China Sea, worrying some Western and South-East Asian observers.
Unconfirmed reports say it is building one or more aircraft carriers to join its first operational carrier, the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet carrier expected to be used mainly for training exercises.
"The seas are our valuable national territory," Li said.
"We will steadfastly promote land and marine development in a coordinated way ... resolutely uphold China's maritime rights and interests, and build China into a maritime power," he said.
Li said China will act as a "responsible power" and "play a constructive role in resolving global and hotspot issues."
The government aimed for economic growth of about 7.5% this year, keeping annual consumer price inflation at around 3.5%, he said.
Annual growth slumped to 7.7% in the last two years, the slowest since 1999, and is not expected to increase this year.
China retained the "foundation for maintaining a medium-high rate of economic growth for some time" despite a "complex environment" at home and internationally, Li said.
"The basic conditions underpinning development are undergoing profound changes, deep-seated problems are surfacing, painful structural adjustments need to be made, the pace of economic growth is changing, and downward pressure on the economy remains great," he said.
After severe winter smog covered some 15% of China last month, measures to curb air pollution are expected to be a major topic at the congress.
The meeting was expected to discuss measures to encourage private business, control inflation, spread the benefits of development to rural areas, promote social stability and oppose corruption.
"We need to ensure that the market plays the decisive role in allocating resources," Li said.
China should develop into a "modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious," he said.
But Li made no mention of any moves towards multi-party democracy, which the party has ruled out indefinitely.
President Xi Jinping and other party leaders were among some 3,000 NPC delegates who heard Li's speech.
The congress will endorse several reports and draft legislation in quick-fire, "rubber stamp" voting on the final day. It has never rejected a bill proposed by the ruling Communist Party since its first sitting in September 1954.
Some 2,200 members of an advisory body, hundreds of journalists and observers, and a military brass band attended the opening of the congress.
Copyright dpa
China pushes economic reforms, raises military budget
Beijing (Alliance News) - Chinese leaders promoted their economic reforms at the annual state parliament on Wednesday, announcing an annual growth target of 7.5%, as well as a 12.2% rise in the budget for the armed forces.
The country should expect "painful" adjustments in the economy, Premier Li Keqiang warned in a state-of-the-nation speech to delegates, adding that officials must "break the mental shackles and vested interests" for the government to succeed in spreading economic benefits to poorer people.
The nine-day congress, held amid tight security at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, is also expected to focus on curbing corruption and reducing pollution.
The latest hike in military spending, following double-digit growth for most of the past 20 years, was needed to fund an ongoing modernization drive by the People's Liberation Army, Li told some 3,000 delegates to the National People's Congress.
The Finance Ministry presented a draft budget allocating 808.2 billion yuan (132 billion dollars) for defence spending this year, following previous double-digit rises that prompted international concern over China's growing military power.
Among the major budget items, only health care spending rose by a higher margin, up 15.1% to 303.8 billion yuan.
The 12.2% rise in defence spending was the highest since 2011 and follows double-digit growth for most of the last 20 years.
"This year, with the party's goal of strengthening the armed forces under the new conditions in mind, we will ... continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age," Li said.
"We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests," he said.
Some Western critics say China's real military spending is up to three times the budget figure, but the government insists that the budget includes the cost of all weapons systems.
China has been increasingly assertive in the East China Sea and South China Sea, worrying some Western and South-East Asian observers.
Unconfirmed reports say it is building one or more aircraft carriers to join its first operational carrier, the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet carrier expected to be used mainly for training exercises.
"The seas are our valuable national territory," Li said.
"We will steadfastly promote land and marine development in a coordinated way ... resolutely uphold China's maritime rights and interests, and build China into a maritime power," he said.
Li said China will act as a "responsible power" and "play a constructive role in resolving global and hotspot issues."
The government aimed for economic growth of about 7.5% this year, keeping annual consumer price inflation at around 3.5%, he said.
Annual growth slumped to 7.7% in the last two years, the slowest since 1999, and is not expected to increase this year.
China retained the "foundation for maintaining a medium-high rate of economic growth for some time" despite a "complex environment" at home and internationally, Li said.
"The basic conditions underpinning development are undergoing profound changes, deep-seated problems are surfacing, painful structural adjustments need to be made, the pace of economic growth is changing, and downward pressure on the economy remains great," he said.
After severe winter smog covered some 15% of China last month, measures to curb air pollution are expected to be a major topic at the congress.
The meeting was expected to discuss measures to encourage private business, control inflation, spread the benefits of development to rural areas, promote social stability and oppose corruption.
"We need to ensure that the market plays the decisive role in allocating resources," Li said.
China should develop into a "modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious," he said.
But Li made no mention of any moves towards multi-party democracy, which the party has ruled out indefinitely.
President Xi Jinping and other party leaders were among some 3,000 NPC delegates who heard Li's speech.
The congress will endorse several reports and draft legislation in quick-fire, "rubber stamp" voting on the final day. It has never rejected a bill proposed by the ruling Communist Party since its first sitting in September 1954.
Some 2,200 members of an advisory body, hundreds of journalists and observers, and a military brass band attended the opening of the congress.
Copyright dpa
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