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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government's proposals for strengthening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) show that China remains fully confident about the prospects of China-ASEAN cooperation.     During a meeting in Beijing with envoys of the 10 ASEAN countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi briefed them about the Chinese government's proposals for enhancing China-ASEAN cooperation in an all-round way. Yang has just returned home from Thailand late Saturday where scheduled ASEAN meetings were postponed due to domestic unrest in that country. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (C) meets with envoys of 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in Beijing, capital of China, on April 12, 2009.China's proposals for strengthening its cooperation with ASEAN include the signing of an investment agreement. The agreement, which was scheduled to be signed during the scheduled meetings, would be conducive to the establishment of the China-ASEAN free trade area.     This demonstrates that that the series of relevant measures China has already decided to adopt will remain unchanged and that China has full confidence in the future of China-ASEAN friendly cooperation, despite the postponement of ASEAN meetings.     Strengthening and deepening cooperation is the common wish of the two sides, and is also an important avenue for fighting protectionism and enhancing their ability to resist risks in the current economic circumstances.     As close neighbors, China and ASEAN countries have enjoyed increased cooperation in various areas. In the face of the global financial crisis, it has become the consensus of both sides that they should work together to ride out the present difficulties.     Expanded cooperation between China and ASEAN will help augment their ability to tackle the crisis.     Making joint efforts to push for the signing of an investment agreement displays the determination of both sides to promote trade and investment liberalization, fight protectionism and achieve a win-win result.     Furthermore, the China-ASEAN free trade area, to be completed in 2010, will play an important and profound role in further strengthening China-ASEAN relations and boosting cooperation in the whole of East Asia.     China and ASEAN countries are close and friendly neighbors. The key to continued development of bilateral relations lies in mutual trust, confidence and unremitting efforts.     Only with that can the two sides enjoy solid cooperation and join hands in achieving sustainable development.

BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Thursday that government stimulus moves had begun to produce results and the economy was now in "better-than-expected" shape.     Wen's remarks at a cabinet executive meeting came after the government said there had been positive economic changes, even though the economy grew just 6.1 percent in the first quarter, the slowest pace in a decade.     The premier cited pick-ups in investment, consumption and industrial output, abundant liquidity in the banking system, and improved market expectations as signs of those "positive changes."     The National Bureau of Statistics said Thursday that first-quarter industrial output grew 5.1 percent year on year, with a rise of 8.3 percent in March.     It also said fixed asset investment rose 28.8 percent to 2.81 trillion yuan (413.2 billion U.S. dollars), with real growth exceeding 30 percent, while retail sales grew 15 percent to 2.94 trillion yuan.     Such positive changes indicated that the government's macroeconomic policies, taken since the second half of last year, have been "timely, powerful, and effective," said Wen, who presided over the meeting.     China announced a 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package last November to boost domestic demand, slashed interest rates five times since last September, unveiled support plans for 10 key industries, and projected a record fiscal deficit of 950 billion yuan this year.     These measures were prompted by a collapse in exports as the global downturn took its toll on the world's fastest-growing economy.     China's economic growth cooled to a seven-year low of 9 percent last year, ending five years of double-digit expansion.     "However, we must also be clear-headed and understand that grounds for the country's economic recovery are not solid enough yet, as circumstances both at home and abroad remain grim," Wen warned.     He said that global financial turmoil was still spreading, and was exerting a deepening influence on the national economy.     The premier cited continued falling in external demands, oversupply in some sectors that would suppress industrial output growth and worsen corporate earnings, reluctance in private investment, increased difficulty in raising farmers' income, the dwindling fiscal revenue, and the acute pressure to create enough jobs.     He warned against blind optimism and called for unslackened efforts to achieve the country's goals of social and economic development.     China is aiming to achieve an 8-percent growth this year, which has long been held as essential for the populous developing nation.     "We should anticipate more risks and difficulties ahead, expect a longer time frame within which we would be able to overcome the crisis, and get prepared with more satisfying measures."     The government would focus on following moves, according to the premier.     -- To bring into play measures aimed at expanding investment.     The country would soon cash in the third batch of pledged central government investment. The central government has so far cashed in 230 billion yuan (33.8 billion U.S. dollars), which is part of the 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package.     The government would also revise government approval of investment projects -- or loosen government grip on investment project approval, to encourage private investment, and would continue the work on stabilizing and expanding foreign investment.     -- To expand consumption, and consumer spending in particular.     The country would continue to improve its policy for subsidies to farmers who buy designated brands of home appliances, and stimulate spending on culture, tourism and information in the service sector.     It would also try to keep spending on such items as housing and auto stable.     -- "Using every possible means" to maintain stable trade growth.     The government would scrap policies that could restrict exports, and extend support to exports of hi-tech and labor-intensive products.     It would also increase imports of important energy resources, heavily-demanded raw materials and key technologies and equipment, and encourage domestic firms to invest overseas.     -- To keep the stable development of agriculture.     The country would continue to carry out policies favorable to farmers and agriculture. It would initiate the plan to increase the country's grain output by 50 million tonnes over the next 12 years.     -- To promote the restructuring of key industries.     The government will unveil details of the stimulus packages for10 key industries as soon as possible, and cash in the fund from central government that will be exclusively used for the restructuring and technological renovation.     The Chinese government would improve policies in favor of innovation and hi-tech industries, and may cultivate new growth in sectors of new energy, energy conservation, environmental protection, bio-pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and modern services.     -- To advance with efforts to improve people's livelihood.     The government would make public the execution plan and documents for the huge health care reforms as soon as possible. The reforms are aimed to provide universal health care to the country's large population.     It would continue to provide support to migrant workers and college graduates who are hunting for jobs.     -- To make sure the financial system is providing necessary support for the economic growth.     The government would adjust the market demand for capital and ensure capital is used to fuel the economic growth.     It would give more support to small- and medium- sized enterprises to meet their capital demand.     -- To increase fiscal revenue by making more efforts to collect taxes that are due according to laws and regulations, and at the same time cutting back on unnecessary expenditures.

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BEIJING, Feb 7 (Xinhua) -- After some parts of the drought-stricken north China embraced the long-awaited rain on Saturday, more rainfall was expected to come on Sunday, said National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday.     Rain or snow is forecast for Sunday and next Monday in parts of the northwest and southwest China. They will also spread to the country's north and central regions, according to the NMC. Photo taken on Feb. 7, 2008, shows raindrops on wheat seedlings in Zhongmou County, Henan Province, central China.    The provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Anhui, the country's major wheat-growing areas which are hard-hit by the rare drought will brace rain or snow from Saturday night to Sunday. The rainfall will be less than 10 millimeters, but will help relieve the grim drought moderately.

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping urged efforts from the country's Party leaders to improve their political integrity and competence.     Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, made the remarks Sunday at the opening ceremony of the spring session of the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC.     Xi, also president of the school, said the Party and the people were the keys to coping with the impact of the global financial crisis, maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth and safeguarding social stability and harmony.     He asked Party leaders to abide by disciplines and identify themselves with the CPC Central Committee both spiritually, politically and in action.     He also urged officials to improve their ability in driving forward the country's scientific development.     He called on leaders to be more innovative, enhance their ability to find talent and pool them together in the causes of the Party and the country.     Officials were also asked to scientifically forecast and take preparatory measures in the face of possible risks.     The officials should improve their ability in safeguarding social stability, and be able to settle disputes and conflicts in a timely and appropriate manner, he said.     The officials should also be able to get along with the media, and to effectively channel public opinions, said Xi.

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China's advertisement sector generated 189.96 billion yuan (27.78 billion U.S. dollars) of revenue in 2008, up 9.11 percent over the previous year, China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said Sunday.     The revenue from TV commercials reached 50.15 billion yuan, an increase of 13.22 percent over the previous year. It accounted for26.4 percent of the total, the largest share of the market.     Income from newspaper advertisements rose 6.36 percent from a year ago to 34.27 billion yuan in 2008.     The number of foreign-funded advertisement companies in China soared 27.73 percent from the previous year to 737 by the end of 2008, which accounted for 0.4 percent of the total advertisement firms across the country, according to the SAIC.

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin on Thursday called for innovation and more breakthroughs in key technologies in the country's machinery industry so as to make it globally competitive.     Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks when attending an award ceremony for role models of the machinery industry.     Jia, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged efforts to strengthen the sector's innovative capacity and to make progress in key technologies to accelerate and optimize its structural upgrading. Jia Qinglin (R, front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with the delegates and representatives of the model workers and the advanced collectives of the national machinery industry, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Feb. 19, 2009    He also called for more investment and support for the sector.

BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- North China's severe drought is still threatening 104 million mu (6.9 million hectares) of farmland in north China, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Sunday.     The drought-affected farmland dropped only 6.41 million mu, compared to a day earlier, although the country is going all out to fight the worst drought in decades, including artificial rain.     Among the total affected farmland, 30.33 million mu was seriously threatened by the drought, though 940,000 mu less than a day earlier, and 4.21 million mu had dried out, according to the office.     In the meantime, 4.68 million people and 2.5 million heads of livestock are still facing water shortage.     About 88.42 million mu of winter wheat crops are suffering from the drought, 5.88 million mu less than a day earlier, in provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Gansu.     The respite was limited as there was no effective rainfall in the drought-hit winter wheat growing provinces Saturday, although 5.11 million mu of wheat farmland was watered by irrigation facilities.

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BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday voiced its strong dissatisfaction over the new report by the U.S. Defense Department on China's military strength.     Hu Changming, spokesman of China's Defense Ministry, said the report severely distorted facts, censured China's legitimate and normal national defence development, and disseminated the mainland's "so-called military threat" to Taiwan.     "China is strongly dissatisfied with it and resolutely opposes it," said Hu. "China unswervingly sticks to a path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy which is purely defensive in nature."     Hu noted that China is not in an arms race of any form and constitutes no threat to other countries.     Hu said the report, which continued the dissemination of the "Chinese military threat" theory and severely distorted facts, was absolutely groundless.     Hu said Sino-U.S. military ties have not yet completely moved out the difficult period as many obstructions still await to be got over.     "The report, issued under such circumstance, could only bring negative influence to the resumption and development of bilateral military ties."     "We urge the United States to stop issuing such a report on China's military strength and immediately take effective measures to dispel the baneful influence caused by the report so that bilateral military ties will incur no further damages," Hu added.     The Pentagon on Wednesday released its annual report about the Chinese military repeating its complaint about "limited transparency." It questioned the "purposes and objectives" of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009 and adopted on March 13, 2009:          REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT     Delivered at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009          Wen Jiabao     Premier of the State Council     Fellow Deputies,     On behalf of the State Council, I now present to you my report on the work of the government for your deliberation and approval. I also solicit comments and suggestions on the report from the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).          I. Review of the Work in 2008     The year 2008 was truly eventful. Our country's economic and social development withstood severe challenges and tests that were rarely seen before. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the people of all our ethnic groups faced difficulties squarely, worked with courage and determination, surmounted all difficulties and obstacles, and made new achievements in reform, opening up and socialist modernization.     - The national economy continued to maintain steady and rapid growth. GDP topped 30 trillion yuan, an increase of 9% over the previous year. Overall price rises were held in check. Government revenue was 6.13 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.5%. Grain output rose for the fifth consecutive year and totaled 528.5 million tons, a record high.     - Reform and opening up were further deepened. New breakthroughs were made in reforms in key areas and crucial links, such as the fiscal, taxation, financial and pricing systems and administration. Imports and exports totaled US$ 2.56 trillion, an increase of 17.8%. Paid-in foreign direct investment reached .4billion.     - Development of social programs was accelerated, and the living standards of the people continued to rise. A total of 11.13million more urban residents entered the workforce. Urban per capita annual disposable income reached 15,781 yuan, an increase of 8.4% in real terms, and rural per capita net income reached 4,761 yuan, up by 8% in real terms.     - Great victories were won in the fight against massive natural disasters. The Beijing Olympics and Paralympics were held successfully, and the Shenzhou VII manned space mission was a complete success.     These achievements signify that we have taken new and solid steps along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They have greatly fortified the courage and strength of the people of all our ethnic groups to surmount difficulties and will definitely encourage us to bravely forge ahead on the new historical course.     Last year, we accomplished the following important work:     1. Making timely and resolute adjustments to macroeconomic policies and doing everything possible to maintain steady and rapid economic development     We maintained the right direction, focus, intensity and pace of macro control, and adopted a series of policies and measures to promote steady and rapid economic development. In a complex and volatile situation, we actively responded to the severe impact of the global financial crisis and worked hard to make our macro control more proactive, targeted and effective. In the middle of the year, when energy and grain prices on the international market were high, world economic growth slowed, and exports from and economic growth in China's coastal regions began to decline, we promptly shifted the priority of macro control to maintaining steady and rapid economic development and controlling price hikes, and adopted relevant fiscal, taxation and financial measures. In September, the international economic situation started to deteriorate sharply and its negative impact became increasingly felt in China. We again resolutely shifted the focus of macro control to preventing economic growth from slowing down too quickly. We implemented a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy. We raised export rebate rates three times, lowered the benchmark interest rates on savings and loans for financial institutions on five occasions, reduced required reserve ratios four times, suspended the individual income tax on interest earnings from savings, reduced securities transaction stamp tax rates, cut taxes and fees on housing transactions, and increased credit support to small and medium-sized enterprises. In accordance with the requirement that we act fast, be forceful, take targeted measures and stress implementation, we promptly introduced ten measures to further boost domestic demand and promote economic growth, and implemented them without delay. We adopted a succession of policies and measures to encourage financial institutions to support economic development, promote sound development of the textile and other light industries and the real estate market, expand consumption by improving distribution, maintain steady growth in foreign trade, and keep the employment situation stable. At the same time, we stepped up efforts to formulate plans for restructuring and revitalizing key industries. Together, these measures have played a crucial role in alleviating serious problems affecting economic performance, enhancing confidence, stabilizing expectations and maintaining steady and rapid economic development.     We continued to strengthen our work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers without any letup. Central government budgetary spending on agriculture, rural areas and farmers was 595.5 billion yuan for the whole year, a year-on-year increase of 163.7 billion yuan or 37.9%. This included 103 billion yuan, twice the figure for the previous year, in direct subsidies to grain producers, general subsidies for agricultural production supplies, and subsidies for superior crop varieties and the purchase of agricultural machinery and tools. We significantly raised minimum grain purchase prices three times, with the total increase exceeding 20%. We implemented a temporary policy for purchasing and stockpiling major agricultural products. We intensified the protection of arable land and the construction of agricultural water conservancy projects, and increased overall agricultural production capacity. We supported the production of hogs, oilseeds and dairy products. These policies and measures played an important role in maintaining and stimulating the enthusiasm of farmers, ensuring the supply of major farm products and increasing rural incomes, and provided strong support for maintaining overall stability in economic and social development.     We unswervingly promoted independent innovation and economic restructuring. We launched 16 major national science and technology projects, and established a number of new national engineering centers, key laboratories and enterprise technology centers in such fields as information technology, biotechnology and environmental protection. We successfully developed a number of key technologies and major equipment in the areas of regional aircraft, automobiles powered by new energy sources and high-speed railways. The central government invested 116.3 billion yuan in science and technology, an increase of 16.4%. Significant steps were taken in reorganization of the telecommunications and civil aviation industries. We continued to eliminate backward production facilities. Last year, we shut down small thermal power plants with a total capacity of 16.69 million kilowatts and closed 1,054 small coalmines. Investment in infrastructure and basic industries was increased, and a number of major projects in energy, transportation and water conservancy were completed or launched. Steady progress was made in implementing the master strategy for regional development, and economic development in different regions became better coordinated.     We steadfastly promoted energy conservation, emissions reduction and ecological and environmental protection. The central government allocated 42.3 billion yuan to support development of ten key energy conservation projects and environmental protection facilities. The daily sewage treatment capacity rose by an additional 11.49 million tons in urban areas, and desulfurization equipment was installed in coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 97.12 million kilowatts. Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 4.59% from the previous year; chemical oxygen demand fell by 4.42%; and sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 5.95%. For the past three years combined, total energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 10.08%; chemical oxygen demand dropped by 6.61%; and sulfur dioxide emissions dropped by 8.95%. We built on the achievements in returning farmland to forests and restoring livestock pastures to grasslands, and carried out ecological conservation projects such as protecting virgin forests and developing the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province. We implemented the plan to prevent and control water pollution in major river valleys and regions and issued the white paper China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change.     2. Balancing economic and social development and strengthening all aspects of social development with the focus on improving people's lives     Efforts were intensified to increase employment and improve the social safety net. We improved our policy to stimulate and expand employment by encouraging business startups, and enforced the minimum wage system. The coverage of all social security schemes continued to expand, with 17.53 million more urban workers subscribing to basic old-age insurance, 20.28 million more subscribing to basic medical insurance, and the unemployment, workers' compensation and maternity insurance steadily expanding to cover more workers. Pensions of enterprise retirees rose by 110 yuan per month per person. We launched trials to reform the basic old-age insurance system for employees of government-affiliated institutions. We actively explored ways to establish a new system of old-age insurance for rural residents and made steady progress in making social security available to rural migrant workers in urban areas and farmers whose land has been expropriated. We comprehensively improved the system of cost of living allowances for both urban and rural residents, and provided allowances to 66.19 million residents. We raised living allowances for low-income groups and university students in a timely fashion. Preferential treatment enjoyed by key entitled groups was increased substantially. We intensified efforts to develop low-income housing and renovate shantytowns, thus alleviating some of the housing difficulties of the low-income population. An additional of more than 48 million rural people gained access to safe drinking water.     Further progress was made in promoting fair education for all. Free compulsory education became available to all students, urban or rural, throughout the country, and all rural students receiving compulsory education obtained free textbooks. The standards for repairing and renovating school buildings in the central and western regions were raised, and the government allocated 3.25 billion yuan to provide heating to rural primary and secondary schools in the north. Development of vocational education was accelerated. The national financial aid system for students was further improved. The central government spent 22.3 billion yuan and local governments increased funding as well to assist more than 20 million students. Grants of 1,500 yuan per student per annum were given to secondary vocational school students from rural areas or needy urban families, benefiting 90% of the current student population in these vocational schools.     Steady progress was made in reform and development of the pharmaceutical and health care system. A total of 814 million people, accounting for 91.5% of the rural population, now benefit from the new type of rural cooperative medical care system. The number of selected cities participating in trials of the basic medical insurance system for urban residents increased from 88 to 317, and the number of participating individuals increased by 73.59 million to 117 million. Significant progress was made in developing a system of community-based health services in urban areas. We continued to expand the coverage of the reward and assistance system for rural families complying with family planning regulations, and implemented the "lower birthrate equals faster prosperity" program in more places in the countryside.     We accelerated the development of culture and sports. Public cultural infrastructure facilities were improved, the cultural industries developed rapidly, and reform of the cultural management system was constantly deepened. We mobilized all resources and hosted a distinctive and high-level Beijing Olympicsand Paralympics, thus fulfilling the century-old dream of the Chinese nation, and Chinese athletes competed hard and brave and scored excellent achievements in the Games. This greatly aroused the patriotism of all our people and strengthened the cohesiveness of our nation.     We continued to strengthen democracy and the legal system. The system of local-level democracy was further improved. Significant progress was made in enhancing law-based government. Last year, the State Council submitted eight bills, including a draft of the Social Insurance Law and draft amendments to the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. It also formulated or revised 30 administrative laws and regulations. The Regulations on Making Government Information Public was fully implemented. The public security system for crime prevention and control was strengthened. We battled against secessionist and terrorist activities, protected China's national security and maintained social stability. Our work related to ethnic minority, religious and overseas Chinese affairs further improved.     3. Vigorously advancing reform and opening up and injecting fresh vitality and impetus into economic and social development     Institutional restructuring of the State Council was basically completed and that of local governments is progressing steadily. Comprehensive rural reforms continued to deepen, and reform of collective forest rights was instituted throughout the country. SOE reform was deepened. The transformation of the Agricultural Bank of China and China Development Bank into joint stock companies proceeded smoothly. The new Law on Corporate Income Tax went into effect, and real estate taxes were unified for domestic and overseas-funded enterprises and Chinese and foreign individuals. After years of deliberation, reform in pricing, taxes and fees for refined petroleum products was smoothly introduced. Aplan for reform of the pharmaceutical and health care system was devised and referred to the general public for comments. These innovations in systems and mechanisms have laid a solid foundation for our long-term development.     The country opened wider to the outside world. We vigorously implemented the strategy of competing on quality and diversifying export markets. We increased efforts to establish innovation bases to invigorate trade through science and technology and bases for providing services outsourced from other countries. We supported the export of products with Chinese trademarks and intellectual property rights. We improved the policy system for the processing trade. We steadily opened service industries wider to the outside world and provided more guidance to orient foreign investment in China. We integrated existing funds and set up new ones designed to promote external economic and technological cooperation. We promulgated regulations on managing overseas contracted projects and rectified the system of administration of cooperative overseas labor services. We actively promoted energy and resources cooperation overseas, further expanded our assistances to other countries, and the pace of enterprises going global was accelerated. Further progress was made in the development of free trade zones, and in our economic dialogues with major trading partners and mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries.          Fellow Deputies,     A massive earthquake that shocked the world struck Wenchuan on May 12. Under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, people of all ethnic groups in China, especially in the quake zone, worked as one and fought in unison against the earthquake disaster. The people's army rushed to the frontlines without thinking of their own safety. We launched an earthquake rescue and relief operation that accomplished its work faster, mobilized more personnel and committed more resources than ever before in China's history. We steadfastly gave top priority to saving people's lives. We pulled 84,000 survivors out of the rubble. We promptly repaired damaged infrastructure, and resolutely unblocked the Mount Tangjia quake lake to avert potential secondary disasters. We did our utmost to prevent an epidemic from occurring and ensured that there was no major outbreak of diseases after the deadly earthquake. The central government allocated 38.4 billion yuan for quake relief and 74 billion yuan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. We promptly introduced a host of policies and measures to support the quake zone. We energetically organized one-to-one assistance to designated areas affected by the earthquake. People from all sectors of society in China made generous donations, both in cash and in kind; our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese contributed generously to the disaster relief campaign; and the international community provided us with earthquake rescue and relief assistance. All this combined to forma boundless source of strength for the Chinese people to overcome the disaster. This hard struggle against the earthquake produced uncountable touching and brave exploits and fully demonstrated the great indomitable and unyielding spirit of the Chinese people, thus writing a heroic chapter in the history of the nation.     None of the achievements we made last year came easily. They were the result of overall planning and correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, as well as the concerted and strenuous efforts of the whole Party, the entire army and the people of all our ethnic groups. On behalf of the State Council, I hereby express our sincere gratitude to the people of all our ethnic groups and to the democratic parties, mass organizations and people from all sectors of society. I also express our sincere thanks to compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan and to overseas Chinese, as well as to foreign governments, international organizations and friends in other countries that take an interest in and support China's modernization drive.     While acknowledging our achievements, we must be clearly aware that we face unprecedented difficulties and challenges.     First, the global financial crisis continues to spread and get worse. Demand continues to shrink on international markets; the trend toward global deflation is obvious; and trade protectionism is resurging. The external economic environment has become more serious, and uncertainties have increased significantly.     Second, continuous drop in economic growth rate due to the impact of the global financial crisis has become a major problem affecting the overall situation. This has resulted in excess production capacity in some industries, caused some enterprises to experience operating difficulties and exerted severe pressure on employment. Factors leading to decline in government revenues and increase in government expenditures have increased. It has become more difficult to maintain steady agricultural development and keep rural incomes growing.     Third, institutional and structural problems that have long hindered healthy economic development still remain, and some of them are still prominent. Consumption demand is insufficient, and development of tertiary industries is sluggish. Our capacity for independent innovation is weak. Consumption of energy and other resources is high. Environmental pollution is serious. Disparities in development between urban and rural areas and between regions are widening.     Fourth, some problems affecting the vital interests of the people have not been fundamentally alleviated. There are still many problems demanding urgent solution in the areas of social security, education, health care, income distribution and public security.     Fifth, order in the market is not well standardized; market oversight and law enforcement are not fully in place, and the social credit rating system is still in need of improvement. A number of serious and major incidents concerning food and workplace safety have occurred, which have inflicted serious loss of life and property on the people and taught us a sobering lesson.     We need to thoroughly appreciate how serious and complex the international and domestic economic situations are, be more mindful of potential perils and crises, fully exploit favorable conditions and actively respond to all challenges so that we can successfully accomplish all our tasks and prove worthy of the great expectations and trust conferred on us by the people.