SINGAPORE: This year, the Chinese government aims to meet its economic growth target of around 5 percent, the same as the previous year. Analysts say the target reflects the Chinese government’s confidence in its ability to keep pace with its expansion despite being hampered by increasing external and internal factors.
Apart from discussing the numbers and promises, Prime Minister (PM) Li Qiang also spoke about the importance of effective communication in meeting his country’s growth targets. This caught the attention of observers when he delivered a report on the Chinese government’s performance at the opening of the National People’s Congress (NPC) held earlier this month.
“The Prime Minister very clearly emphasized the importance of delivering economic targets and policies on target,” said Dr Lim Tai Wei, senior researcher at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS).
Apart from that, changes in the PM’s duties and responsibilities as the second highest official in China have also become the public spotlight. This change occurred because the Chinese government has ended the tradition of press conferences which are usually held at the end of the ‘Two Sessions’ parliamentary session. This tradition, which has been going on for decades, will no longer continue until the end of his term of office, which is five years until 2027.
“Under the current regime, the state council and the prime minister are the implementers, carrying out the (Chinese Communist) Party’s policies,” Alfred Wu, Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), told CNA.
“I concluded that (Li Qiang) really obeyed Xi Jinping. More or less, he acted like Xi’s secretary.”
LOTS OF PLANS, LESS DETAILS
PM Li delivered the first report on the Chinese government’s performance at the Great Hall of the People, in the political heart of Beijing. This activity was attended by thousands of delegates.
Last year, he took over as prime minister in the “Two Sessions” parliamentary session after being appointed number two in the top Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China in October 2022.
This report is highly anticipated in this trial. This report describes the direction of development of the country with the second largest economy in the world. This report also touches on China’s long-term ambitions.
Ahead of the trial, many observers and investors were waiting for the report to be submitted. They are trying to dig up information about how China will deal with various problems such as tensions between China and the US, a prolonged property crisis, weakening spending, rising unemployment among young people, and declining population.