Nation prepared to play larger role in global system
As China plays a larger role on the global stage, the two sessions are becoming increasingly significant internationally, according to a senior academic in London.
Erik Berglof, director of the London School of Economics’ Institute of Global Affairs, said China’s domestic reform and its championing of free trade and globalization set the scene for this year’s legislative meetings.
“Chinese leaders need to do much more to take into account the international implications of domestic decisions,” he said. “China is an important part of the global economic system. It cannot stand on the sidelines.”
He referred to projects such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative as important examples of the nation’s aspiration to encourage global growth and development.
Meanwhile, China’s domestic issues, such as the need to trim excess capacity from its heavy manufacturing sector and the rising debt levels, need to be dealt with because “those issues will have ramifications, not just for China, but also for the rest of the world”.
Berglof, who formerly worked as chief economist and special adviser to the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said the AIIB is an encouraging initiative, especially in setting a precedent to show that developing economies can take a leading role in establishing a multinational development bank.
“The AIIB is innovative in the way it came about,” he said. “It is an initiative by an emerging economy, and it was built from a lot of learning from other institutions. It has attracted plenty of staff from other international financial institutions quickly.”
He said it is also important for China to consider how to involve other countries and institutions in its projects, rather than trying to achieve objectives alone.
According to Berglof, China will have to play an increasingly important role in upholding the rules of global institutions such as the World Trade Organization because the United States under President Donald Trump is questioning their legitimacy.
Six million substandard urban houses will be rebuilt this year. China is able to meet the target because this year’s tasks are better defined and we started earlier with stronger financial support. The government will offer more financial support to those who live in substandard urban houses to purchase existing homes rather than building new property, especially in third- and fourth-tier cities and counties. Chen Zhenggao,
ministerof housingandurban-rural development directorofChina MeteorologicalAdministration
China will see severe weather conditions in 2017, with southern regions experiencing more rainfall and northern parts facing greater chances of drought, and the possibility of more typhoons. With increasing global warming, China was hit by severe meteorological disasters, including major hailstorms last year, and the overall situation in 2017 will also be severe. Liu Yaming,
directorof theGeneralAdministration ofSportofChina
We have been alert to soccer clubs’ excessive spending on foreign players and have issued a series of measures. We will look into it seriously and take further action to bring rational thinking back to the market. It’s a tough issue that has drawn a lot of attention, and the sports body has been looking into it very seriously. The reason for those overpriced signings of foreigners is because some cash-rich club investors made the decisions imprudently for business reasons, not for the development of the game. Gou Zhongwen, The management of electric tricycles has been a pressing issue for the development of the courier service sector. We will accelerate the implementation of national standards and local regulations on tricycle production and management to guarantee safety in traffic. An average worker delivers 80 to 100 packages, which altogether weigh about 150 kg, every day, so an electric tricycle is the proper carrier. In 2016, the postal authority in Beijing required 57,000 courier tricycles to run with unified logos and insurance under a safety regulation. Hopefully, the approach could be promoted and adopted in more cities.
Junsheng,
headof theStatePostBureau
deputydirector oftheStateOceanicAdministration
The government plans to rehabilitate the environment in 85 square kilometers of coastal wetlands and to improve the ecology in 66 bays and 50 islands before the end of 2020. The nation’s overall marine environment is getting better. There were 227,000 sq km of clean seas in 2016, up 15,000 sq km from 2015. However, there were 37,000 sq km that remained severely polluted last year. Fang Jianmeng,