Premier Li Keqiang delivers the government work report on March 5

Chinese Government charts a new course, setting a diverse range of future policy goals By Yin Pumin An important function of the Chinese Government after the start of the Chinese New Year is to review the work of major state organs in the past year and set new targets. This is done during two key sessions held annually in Beijing with the eye of the world on them. One of them, the Third Session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, was held in Beijing from March 5 to 15. The other, the Third Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, was held from March 3 to 13.

The NPC's new task

NPC deputies approved a number of important documents, including the government work report, the national economic and social development plan, and the central budget.

They also endorsed the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court (SPC), and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said one of the most important outcomes of the session was revision of the Legislation Law, which improved the legislative system, clarified legislative power and streamlined procedures. The revised law would boost efforts to improve China's socialist legal system based on the Constitution.

"The NPC faces new requirements," said Zhang, who presided over the NPC closing meeting. "It has a new task - to balance reform and legislation." The NPC, while adhering to the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, will ensure that all reform measures are legitimate and that legislation is updated according to the needs of reform and economic and social development, he added.

This year, the NPC secretarial department received 522 motions, 54 more than last year, according to Guo Zhenhua, deputy head of the department's proposal group. Over 90 percent of the motions were on major legislative initiatives, including economic and judicial reforms. 

The CPPCC session

The annual session approved a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the 12th CPPCC National Committee over the past year, and a report on the proposals CPPCC National Committee members had submitted at the session. This year, there were nearly 5,800 proposals concerning economic and social development.

According to the report on the proposals, much of the focus was on deepening reforms, advancing the rule of law, and safeguarding and improving people's well-being.

There were almost 2,100 proposals regarding China's economic development and the formulation of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) in the face of the "new normal" of slower economic growth. Another 600 proposals focused on the political front, calling to intensify the anti-corruption campaign, improve legislation and build a law-based government. About 1,500 proposals were on social affairs, and over 400 on environmental protection and ecological progress.

At the closing meeting, Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, urged political advisors to pool "positive energy" to contribute to the country's development.

Government work report

On March 15, the government work report was passed with 2,852 approval and 18 opposition votes. It was tabled by Premier Li Keqiang on March 5.

The premier had said, "Whatever fiscal difficulties we may face, our policies to support agriculture must be strengthened, and funding must be increased." Guo Jianren, an NPC deputy from rural China, said he was encouraged by this promise. "I'm expecting to receive more benefits to improve my living standards," Guo said.

Lei Jun, co-founder and CEO of Xiaomi Corp., the world's third largest smartphone maker, gave the work report the thumbs up for encouraging technological innovation and popular entrepreneurship. "Though only a small part of the report is related to the Internet, it is insightful," he said.

NPC deputy Chen Lifen, who is also chair of the Jiangsu Sunshine Group, a textile company, noted the importance attached to traditional industry and the report's determination to transform it. "As a traditional industry representative, I have received hope from the report," she said. "It encourages me to continue our operation and seek development."

Lu Qingguo, NPC deputy and Chairman of Chenguang Biological Technology Corp., lauded the premier's statement that "powers should not be used without good reason." "This is exactly what companies want most," Lu said.

On March 7, NPC deputy Luo Zhijun briefly summarized their deliberations on the report when Premier Li joined the discussion of NPC deputies from Jiangsu Province. According to Luo, many lawmakers think the most distinctive features of the present leadership are determination and pragmatism. 

Judicial reports

The SPC and SPP work reports won record support from legislators during the voting session on March 15. Experts said it showed that the efforts by both bodies for judicial transparency and reforms to enhance judicial credibility have gained public approval.

A record 2,529 NPC deputies voted for the 2014 work report of the SPP, the highest approval rate since Procurator General Cao Jianming assumed his post in 2008, and also the highest since 1990. The SPC got 2,619 votes.

The SPP and SPC received 284 and 213 dissenting votes, respectively, 27.2 percent and 43.7 percent lower than last year. It showed lawmakers' cognizance of the legal reforms carried out by the judicial authorities.

"It is not surprising to see such wide approval from legislators," said Wang Jingbo, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law. "The SPP and SPC have adopted many measures to boost judicial transparency. For example, judicial and prosecution information is now available online, which allows the public to better understand judicial procedures."

Wang added that the determination and efforts to correct wrongful convictions have also won public favor, with people's confidence in judicial credibility rising after a series of reforms. The inspiring results at the session could encourage the SPP and SPC to take their work to new heights.

In his report, SPC President Zhou Qiang expressed self-reproach for the wrongful convictions during his tenure. "We are ashamed of letting wrongful convictions happen. Courts of all levels should learn a serious lesson from these cases," he said.

The judge also said the SPC will improve the mechanism to prevent and correct wrongful convictions. In 2014, courts nationwide reheard 1,317 cases and corrected a number of wrongful convictions, according to Zhou's report.

Procurator General Cao's report also stressed that preventing wrongful convictions is one of the foremost duties of prosecutors. The SPP will improve the protocol for prosecutors to supervise police investigation and detention of suspects and expand the channels for suspects in custody and prisoners to appeal, Cao said while tabling the report before national legislators on March 12.

The SPP is also researching a system where appeals by suspects in custody and prisoners can be handled by prosecutors from a different jurisdiction.

Procuratorates will keep detention centers and prisons under tighter watch and work harder to stop police from holding suspects for too long. Law enforcement officers whose actions lead to wrongful conviction or the death of suspects will face prosecution, Cao warned.

Prosecutors should strictly follow protocol while collecting, examining and using evidence. They should pay special attention to murder and other cases that rest mainly on confessions and witness statements. They should also stop cases "tainted" by lack of evidence or unlawful procedure from going to court, Cao said.

Cao urged prosecutors to protect lawyers' legal rights and listen to their opinions. He warned that prosecutors who abuse their powers will be punished and blacklisted by the SPP, which will correct their wrongdoings.

Economic and Social Development Targets for 2015

» Increasing the GDP by approximately 7 percent» Keeping the increase in the consumer price index at around 3 percent» Creating over 10 million jobs in urban areas» Ensuring that the registered urban unemployment rate does not rise above 4.5 percent» Increasing imports and exports by around 6 percent» Achieving a basic balance of payments» Ensuring that personal incomes increase in step with economic development» Cutting energy intensity by 3.1 percent, and continuing to reduce the emissions of major pollutants

Areas for Further Reform and Opening Up

» Streamlining administration and delegating more powers to lower-level governments and to society in general while improving regulation» Taking multiple measures to reform the investment and financing systems» Taking timely action to accelerate price reform» Making progress in the reform of the fiscal and tax systems» Moving ahead with financial reform to better serve the real economy» Deepening the reform of state-owned enterprises and state capital» Transforming and upgrading foreign trade» Taking a more active, more effective approach to using foreign capital» Speeding up the implementation of the "going global" strategy» Fostering a new environment in all-round opening up» Promoting multilateral, bilateral and regional opening up and cooperation