Chinese govt targeting to generate around 13 million new jobs this year: Li Keqiang

BEIJING, March 20 (APP): Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Tuesday said the government was targeting to generate around 13 million new jobs during the current year.
He made these remarks while addressing a press conference along with newly-elected vice premiers at the Great Hall of the People here, following the closing meeting of the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress.
Premier Li answered questions on various topics including China’s reform and opening-up, economic strategy, foreign policy and people’s livelihood.
On China’s reform and opening up in the new era, he said China would open its door even wider to the world than before, with an aim to ensure both Chinese and foreign investors to compete in a fair market.
Li listed several measures including to further widen market access to education, healthcare and financial services, to fully open up in manufacturing sectors, to better protect intellectual property rights (IPR), and to shorten the negative list of foreign investment.
Responding to a question regarding the transformation of government function, he pledged that the government would further cut the red tape and further streamline the accession process to the market.
He stressed that it was a must to undertake strong reform measures as “small steps are critical to achieving a bigger policy goal.”
To improve the business environment, the government would cut the time, it took for opening a business by another half, reduced the time required for reviewing a project application by another half and put in the national place a platform for accessing government services, he detailed.
Other measures included to let people get things done in one place without a need for a second trip and to ensure that any requirement for certification that had no basis in law or regulation would be abolished, Li told reporters.
On Korean Peninsula issues, he said China welcomed recent de-escalation on the Korean Peninsula, Premier Li said, saying China would continue its role in promoting dialogue and pushing for denuclearization process.
To a question on China-US trade relations, he said “No winners will emerge in a trade war,” said Premier Li when answering a question on China’s measures in case of a trade war between Beijing and Washington.
Li maintained that China would firmly protect intellectual property rights, and expressed hope that the US would ease restrictions on exports of high-value added goods to China and sought balanced China-US trade.
While commenting on China-Russia relations, he said China and Russia were each other’s biggest neighbors, Premier Li said, adding that the stable and friendly development of bilateral relations was beneficial to both countries and to the world.
On cross-Strait relations, he said China should not tolerate any external forces using Taiwan as a card to cause difficulties for the cross-Strait relations, Li said, adding that continuous efforts would be made to pursue the peaceful development of ties.
To a question regarding health care issues, Li said China improved its basic health care system over the past years, but some families still fall through the safety net, adding, the government would take measures to better serve those with serious diseases which could push families back into poverty.
Responding to a question about China-Japan relations, he said he was actively considering paying an official visit to Japan when he attended the China-Japan-ROK leaders’ meeting in the country later this year.