China puts economy first as it holds annual sessions
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China's top parliamentary adviser said that 2010 will be critical for maintaining economic growth, creating jobs, and diversifying away from relying too much on exports.
China has emerged from the serious global crisis after economic growth rebounded to 10.7 percent in the final quarter of 2009.
But authorities say the global outlook is still uncertain, amid worries that a stimulus-driven torrent of lending is adding to inflation and fueling a dangerous bubble in equity prices.
"The year 2010 is a crucial year for China to respond to the impact of the global financial crisis and maintain steady and rapid economic development," Jia Qinglin said in a speech at the opening Wednesday of the annual gathering of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Jia said policies would focus on "accelerating the transformation of the pattern of economic development," citing the need to develop new and hi-tech industries, boost the service sector and develop low-polluting industries.
The country's emphasis on economic measures is expected to be even more pronounced at the annual session of the legislature, the National People's Congress, which opens on Friday with a major address by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. This week's consultative conference, of which Jia is chairman, advises the congress on legislation but has no decision making power. The overlapping meetings mark the highlight of the Chinese political calendar, laying out priorities for the rest of the year.
Along with economic policy, this year's session will give a full airing to hot-button issues such as soaring housing prices in many Chinese cities.
The government, which releases a budget and work plan for the year, is expected to boost spending on education, rural pensions and medical care, continuing a push begun over the past decade to strengthen a tattered social safety net.
While most decisions are handled by a standing committee that meets year-round, the annual full session this year is expected to pass legislation on safeguarding state secrets and amend a law on how deputies are selected, correcting a disparity that gave urban Chinese greater representation than their more numerous rural neighbors.
