New Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday identified the main task during his tenure as developing the rural economy and continuing the restructuring of state enterprises.
Wen said in his first address since being appointed prime minister on Sunday that China faces "a historic period for development."
"The first of the major problems we are faced with is the development of agriculture and the slow increase of farmers' income," he said.
"This has seriously constrained China's domestic demand."
Wen said the restructuring of state enterprises was a long-term task and that the government must also tackle the spiralling number of unemployed.
"The number of laid-off and unemployed workers keeps going up, causing tremendous pressure on China's social security system," he said at a press conference.
China has forecast an increase in unemployment of 0.5 percent to 4.5 percent, equal to more than seven million people, although some officials estimate that the figure is much higher.
The 60-year-old also pointed to uneven development between the urban and rural areas and eastern and western regions of the country as issues that must be dealt with.
"There are still many impoverished regions in this country," he said.
China has committed to a sixth consecutive year of large-scale infrastructure spending to help lift growth, financing the effort via 140 billion yuan (US$17 billion) of special long-term bonds.
Although observers have argued the government can go on spending its way to higher growth for some time yet, the policies have taken a toll on state coffers.
Wen acknowledged the price was high.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
RSS