The Prime Minister responded to hot issues: on economic growth, employment, tax reduction and fee reduction, relief of small and medium-sized enterprises, improvement of people's livelihood...
After the closing of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress on the morning of March 11, Premier Li Keqiang attended a press conference in the Golden Hall on the third floor of the Great Hall of the people and answered questions from Chinese and foreign journalists. The following is a transcript of Premier Li Keqiang's press conference, with some deletions:
This morning, Premier Li Keqiang attended a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and answered questions from Chinese and foreign journalists
1On China's economy: the 5.5 per cent growth target is stable at a high level and is essentially progress.。
Associated Press Reporter:My question is about the multiple challenges facing the Chinese economy. China's economy is now gradually transforming from high-speed growth to sustainable, fair and green growth. We saw that the Chinese government took a series of measures last year to reduce debt levels and regulate high-tech companies.
This year the Chinese government has set what many economists consider to be an ambitious growth target of 5.5 percent, a target set in the face of the continued spread of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic and the conflict in Ukraine.
What I want to ask is,Does the Chinese government mean it will put more emphasis on growth this year? Putting growth ahead of structural reforms and reducing carbon emissions? How will the Chinese government balance these different development goals?
Li Keqiang:You mentioned China's economic growth rate. Last year, our total economic volume reached more than 110 trillion billion yuan. Continued growth can be said to be growth on a high base. From a global perspective, it is a big problem for such a large economy to maintain medium-to-high-speed growth.
Just now you mentioned that our economic growth target of about 5.5 per cent this year is an ambitious target. I still remember that it was at this press conference last year that a reporter asked me if your target of 6% or more was too low. We didn't feel that because of the low base of the previous year, it was entirely possible to achieve 8% or even higher growth last year, but we are still sure to grow by more than 6%,"Above" is an opening, happy to see its success.
But the benchmark for our macroeconomic policy is set at 6%, which means that fiscal, monetary, employment and other policies are all around this benchmark, which allows us to reduce the deficit rate and the macro leverage ratio is steadily declining, which also leaves room for policy space to address new challenges this year.
Looking back on 2020, under such a severe situation, we did not engage in "flooding" and over-issued currency. Last year and even in February this year, when inflation in many countries around the world remained high, our consumer prices, that is, CPI rose by less than 1%, which is related to the reasonable macro policies we have implemented.
Of course, as I said just now, we formulate macro policies based on China's national conditions and have no intention of evaluating other countries.
Last year, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and through the joint efforts of the people of the whole country, we not only completed the main goals and tasks of economic and social development for the whole year, but also laid a solid foundation for this year.
This year, the economy has indeed encountered new downward pressure and challenges, not to mention that various complex environments are changing and uncertainties are increasing, that is, we must achieve the 5.5 per cent target,Its increment, that is, 5.5% of China's GDP of more than 100 billion yuan, is equivalent to the total economic volume of a medium-sized country.
Ten years ago, our total economic output was still more than 50 trillion, with a growth rate of 10%. It is enough to have a 6 trillions or 7 trillions increase. This year, we need to have a 9 trillion increase in nominal GDP.
This is like climbing a mountain. If you want to climb 1000 meters and want to climb 10%, then 100 meters is fine. If you want to climb 3000 meters and want to climb 5%, then 150 meters. And the conditions have also changed. The higher the pressure, the lower the pressure and the less oxygen. It seems that the speed has slowed down, but in fact the weight is heavier.
It is not easy to achieve a growth rate of about 5.5 per cent, which is stable at a high level and, in essence, progress,There must be corresponding macro-policy support. For example, fiscal policy, this year we reduced the deficit rate to 2.8 percent, and the deficit is $more than 200 billion less than last year. But at the same time, we have increased our fiscal spending.
Then you will ask, where does the money come from?As I have already said in the government work report, we can use the unused and balance of the profits of specific central financial institutions and franchised institutions in the past two years, coupled with the budget stabilization fund, the scale of new expenditure is not less than 2 trillion, and the increase is mainly used to reduce taxes and fees, especially tax rebates, which is equivalent to oxygen delivery to people climbing the mountain. Of course, we also have supporting financial and employment measures.
If we say that the measures we have taken this year are not only short-term, but also based on the present and long-term, never advance the future, and are sustainable. Because as a reporter friend mentioned, China still has many problems such as climate change, income gap, debt, etc., which need us to deal with forcefully in the medium and long-term process, including this year.
we are arranging the deployment of relevant measures,China's modernization is still a long-term process, and we need to use development methods to solve the problems in development in this process.
IIRegarding tax cuts and fee reductions: local governments must be "iron roosters", and they cannot spend a penny of money that should not be spent, and the money that should be given to market entities cannot be less.
CNBC reporter:Research by the National Finance and Development Laboratory shows that fee reductions help small businesses the most, followed by tax cuts.Can you share with us specific data on the impact of tax and fee reductions?In addition, due to the slowdown in the real estate market, local government finances have been reduced, what are the considerations in this regard? Also, when it comes to consumption, will the government consider similar policy measures such as the issuance of consumer vouchers?
Li Keqiang:The conclusion should be supported by theory and practice. Judging from our practice over the past few years,Tax and fee reductions have the most direct effect.
I remember talking to more than a dozen entrepreneurs in the eastern region last year. They talked about the difficulties in the operation of enterprises and hoped that the state would introduce some macro support policies.
I said at the time that the central government's policy reserves are there, but they need to be used centrally. There are three choices, but you can only do multiple-choice questions, that is, one of three choices:The first is large-scale investment, maybe you can get orders; the second is to issue consumer vouchers, which may directly stimulate consumption; the third is to reduce taxes and fees for enterprises, stabilize employment, and promote investment and consumption. They were silent for a while and answered almost in unison, we chose the third item. Because this is the most direct, the most fair, the most efficient.
From the reports I received this year,Tax and fee reductions are generally regarded as the first expectation of the government's macro policy. It seems that fertilization has to be applied to the roots so that they can flourish.
I have also seen in the materials that some people are worried about whether the marginal effect of tax reduction and fee reduction has been reduced for several years, that is to say, the effect is not as great as before.
The massive tax and fee reduction we have implemented this time is a combination of tax rebates and tax cuts, with a size of $2.5 trillion. When the economy was hit hardest in 2020, we finally survived with such a large policy scale, and we adjusted the structure this time to top the tax rebate.
The so-called tax refund means that according to the design of the tax system, we adopt the method of tax refund in advance, which is to refund the tax retained to the enterprise at one time, with a scale of more than 1.5 trillion yuan. If the effect is good, we will increase our efforts.
Our tax rebate gives priority to small and micro enterprises, because small and micro enterprises have a large number of people and support a large number of employed people, and now is the time when their funds are most tight and difficult, so we should refund the tax credit for small and micro enterprises at one time before the end of June this year, and comprehensively solve the tax credit for some key industries such as manufacturing industry and R & D service industry within the year, The incremental tax credit for small and micro enterprises will be solved month.
When I participated in the discussion in the CPPCC, a member of the CPPCC was an entrepreneur. He told me that compared with other measures such as tax cuts and investment, tax rebates came the fastest and the best. Running a project may have a lot of twists and turns, tax rebates are tantamount to direct discovery of gold to enterprises, increase cash flow, is timely rain.
It seems that it is better to break a thousand words than to do a practical thing, and this key measure must be put in place.
Tax refund and fee reduction are subtraction, but in essence they are also addition, because if you refund today, you will increase tomorrow, and if you reduce today, you may increase tomorrow.Last year, the amount of money we paid by the main body of the new tax market exceeded the amount of money we reduced in that year, which can be checked.
Since 2013, we have implemented the value-added tax reform, guided by tax reduction, with a cumulative reduction of 8.7 trillion yuan. At that time, our fiscal revenue was about 11 trillion. Last year, it exceeded 20 trillion and nearly doubled.Because the enterprise has benefited in this process, the so-called benefit is that his benefit has increased. The so-called deep water fish return, water more fish, this is the conservation of tax sources, cultivate and strengthen the main body of the market.
刚才你说到地方财政收入遇到新的困难，我们注意到了。所以今年中央对地方的转移支付增幅是多年来少有的，增长18%，总规模达到9.8万亿。
退税主要是中央财政掏腰包，当然地方政府也得“凑份子”。我们退税的钱是直达企业，考虑到基层的困难，我们对基层的转移支付补助资金是直达市县以下基层。
我们的地方政府要当“铁公鸡”，不该花的钱一分钱也不能花，该给市场主体的钱一分都不能少，多一分那是添光彩。谢谢。
III关于就业：财政货币政策，要围绕实现就业目标来展开
中央广播电视总台记者：我想请问总理一个就业的问题。当前，我们也看到了一些企业预期不稳，部分行业岗位缩减，还有的企业出现了裁员。另外一方面新的需要就业人口又在不断增加。
请问总理，今年我们将会采取什么样的措施实现稳就业的目标？谢谢。
李克强：就业不仅是民生问题，也是发展问题。有就业才有收入，生活有奔头，也为社会创造财富。
我记得去年到企业调研时，有企业负责人跟我说，到了8月份，许多职工向他预支工资，为什么？9月份孩子要交学费。
春节前我到西北农村调研，农民就告诉我，他一个孩子上大学，一年得花费一万多块钱，还有一个上高中，一年得8000多块钱，靠种几亩地是不行的，必须有打工的收入。
我真是为我们的人民群众感动。他们在努力打拼，打工、就业不仅关系当前家庭生计，也在为下一代争取更好的未来。
今年我们加大宏观政策实施力度，财政货币政策要围绕实现就业目标来展开，所以我们强调就业优先也是宏观政策，其他政策要配套，为实现就业目标努力。
因为我们现在每年新增城镇就业必须有1100万人以上，最好有1300万人以上。我总觉得，只要实现了比较充分的就业，就能够实现有些人说的中国经济潜在增长率。
有一个实例，2020年疫情严重冲击的时候，我们没有定经济增长指标，但是我们定了一个明确的指标，就是新增城镇就业要900万人以上，结果实现了1100万人以上的新增城镇就业，经济不仅实现了正增长，而且增速达到2.2%，在主要经济体中是唯一实现正增长的。
今年需要就业的城镇新增劳动力达到约1600万人，多年来最高。高校毕业生1076万人，是历年最高。还有近3亿农民工要有打工的机会，还要保障退役军人就业。还有一些企业生生死死，有些人要再就业。
城镇新增劳动力是在增长的，要有新的就业平台。对于新增需就业人员，我们要给他们以培训等多方面支持举措，用市场化的方法来解决就业问题。
比如这些年我们在推动大众创业、万众创新，促进发展新技术新业态新模式，培育新动能。我们相信普通人有上上智，把他们的特长、聪明才智发挥出来，那就业的大舞台会绚丽多彩。
这里还不得不提到灵活就业，因为有2亿多人，形式多样、覆盖面广。作为一个发展中国家，这种就业形式会比较长期地存在。他们风里来、雨里去，确实很辛苦，很多地方在给他们提供暖心服务。
作为政府，针对他们的劳动权益、社会保障等问题，我们要逐步完善政策，也就是说要给这些“骑手们”系上“安全带”，让灵活就业等新就业形态既解燃眉之急，又激发市场活力和社会创造力。谢谢。
5关于营商环境：要通过改革，让市场主体层出不穷、生机勃勃
新华社记者：总理您好。这些年，我国的营商环境虽然有所改善，市场主体大幅增长，企业办事也方便了许多，但各种干扰仍然不少。
请问在当前情况下，政府在优化营商环境、激发市场活力和创造力方面还会做哪些努力？Thank you.
Li Keqiang:近十年，国务院每年都要召开一次全国性的推进“放管服”改革、优化营商环境的会议。我也注意到，今年开年，许多地方都围绕改善营商环境的主题来开会。可以说“放管服”改革是为市场主体改良生长的土壤，减税降费是为他们施肥浇水，大众创业、万众创新是要推动更多的市场主体能够生根发芽。 只要我们把人民的创造力发挥出来，把市场主体的活力激发出来，大家可以想象经济的生动局面。但政府必须进行刀刃向内的改革，不能让政府部门围绕着自己的权力在转，而要通过改革，让市场主体层出不穷、生机勃勃。触动利益是比触动灵魂要难的。但政贵有恒，这些年我们持续推进市场化改革、推进“放管服”改革，有1000多项行政许可被下放或取消，非行政许可退出历史舞台。
过去办企业拿执照要几十天的时间，多时上百天。现在在全国范围内平均4天，最少的地方1天。现在大约9成的政务服务是网上办、掌上办、异地办、不见面办。实际上这是在打破利益的藩篱，使惠企利民突破了传统的思维，惠企利民的措施我们会继续推进下去。
这些年通过营商环境不断改善，我国市场主体已经达到1.5亿户，比十年前净增了约1亿户，主要是民营市场主体，其中个体工商户达到1亿户。
可不要小看个体工商户，他们是一头连着众多人的生计，一头连着大众的消费。我在政协讨论时，那些企业家就说，如果没有小微企业和个体工商户打通微细血管，那大中企业甚至国企央企都动不起来。
大家到经济发展好的地方看一看，那里都是改革力度大、营商环境好、市场主体多，所以经济蓬蓬勃勃。当然，我多次强调，“放”“管”是并行的，“放”不是放责，“管”是政府必须履行的职责。“放”也不是放任，对那些假冒伪劣、坑蒙拐骗等行为要坚决打击，尤其是对一些涉及人民生命健康和群众利益的，像食品药品、安全生产、金融等领域，要加强监管，违规违法的必须惩处。
现在新业态新模式也在不断变化发展，我们要不断完善监管规定和方式，使市场主体真正在公平公正的环境中竞争和发展。谢谢。
VI关于帮助特殊困难行业：“秤砣虽小压千斤”，得给他们及时的扶持
China News Agency reporter:这两年受疫情冲击，我们发现以前有一些经常去的小吃店、小餐馆关门之后就没再开业了，包括餐饮在内，旅游、零售、客运等行业也受到很大影响。政府工作报告提出要稳市场主体保就业。请问总理，在帮助特殊困难行业方面今年我们将拿出哪些举措？Thank you.
Li Keqiang:疫情发生后，受冲击最大的是服务业，特别是接触型的服务业，其中量大面广的是中小微企业。他们底子本来就薄，而且可以说是精打细算、日清月结的经营，很多困难积累起来让他们难以支撑。帮助他们实际上也是支撑就业，因为仅1亿个体工商户就带动了近3亿人的就业，如果等苗枯旱透根了，再帮他们就来不及了。所以我们一定要看到“秤砣虽小压千斤”，得给他们及时的扶持。对这些特殊困难行业，我们已经出台了40多项扶持政策。仅退税这一项，粗算一下，像餐饮、旅游、客运、文化等几个行业就能够享受1800亿元。他们不仅需要财政的支持，对那些市场前景好的，金融业也要给予“无缝续贷”。而且对他们需要阶段性减或免房租、电费的，有能力的地方也应该给予支持，这实际上也是业主在拉住客户。当前，消费需求的确比较疲弱，主要是线下消费需求疲弱。大家可以想像，市井长巷店铺林立、热气腾腾，那就是熙熙攘攘的人间烟火。如果关门了，那可不是大吉，老百姓生活都会受到影响。所以我们扶持这些特殊困难行业，不仅是让他们挺过去，而且也是让人民群众的生活有温度，让我们的经济能够显示更多生机。谢谢。
7关于成绩与挑战：要以民之所望为施政所向。
新加坡联合早报记者：今年是本届中国政府的收官之年。回顾过去四年多的历程，您认为本届政府取得的成绩有哪些？遇到的最大挑战又是什么？在本届政府的最后一年里，中国经济面临着前所未有的压力，您将重点实施哪些政策？以更好地稳定社会信心、回应民众的关切。谢谢。
Li Keqiang:本届政府以来，国际形势复杂多变，国内矛盾和困难叠加。说到最大的挑战，那还是新冠疫情及其给经济带来的严重冲击。我们志不求易、事不避难、行不避险，尽了最大努力。记得我出任总理时在这里召开第一次记者会，也就是在这个大厅里边，就明确表明，要持续发展经济、不断改善民生、促进社会公正，这是我们政府的基本任务，行大道、民为本、利天下，就是要以民之所望为施政所向。
这些年，我们锲而不舍、一以贯之，创新施政方式，用保持经济运行在合理区间等方式来应对周期性的经济波动，尤其是把宏观政策的实施直面市场主体的需求；坚定推进改革，减除繁苛，维护公正，培育和壮大市场主体和新动能，激发市场活力和社会创造力；坚持就业优先，把握国情实际，注重保障基本民生，等等。
政府工作有人民群众认可的地方，也有与他们的期盼有差距和不足的地方，这些我们是清楚的。至于你说到今年是本届政府的最后一年，也是我担任总理的最后一年。我们所面临的形势依然复杂严峻，困难和挑战依然众多，我在政府工作报告和刚才回答问题中已经对应对困难挑战作了说明和阐述。我和我的同事们，会以锲而不舍的精神恪尽职守，用实干来践行承诺。
我相信，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，有社会各界的大力支持，特别是人民群众的共同奋斗，中国经济一定能够爬坡过坎，实现今年全年经济社会发展的主要目标任务，并为以后的发展奠定应有的坚实基础。谢谢。
八、关于改善民生：要坚持实事求是，让事实说话，要倾听人民群众的呼声和要求。
人民日报记者：总理您好。近年来，我国居民人均收入逐年提高，但还是有不少人仍然感觉到生活不易，特别是新冠疫情对基本民生带来了较大的影响。请问总理，今年政府在改善民生方面会有什么考虑和举措？Thank you.
Li Keqiang:这些年，我国居民的收入和GDP增长是基本同步的。但是中国依然是一个发展中国家，我们的城乡差距是明显的，公共服务要均等化是一个长期的过程。今年年初，有关方面给我递了反映民生十盼的材料，我看多数都是基本民生，而且多数来自农民群众。所以政府要始终把发展经济的目的放在保障和改善民生上，当然，是尽力而为、量力而行 我国现在财政总收入已经有20万亿元了，但并不宽裕。连续10年了，我们尽力保证财政性教育经费不低于GDP的4%，这是很不容易的，而且主要是面向义务教育、面向农村，因为我们农村的户籍人口现在还有7.6亿，还要进一步加大向农村和边远地区义务教育的投入力度。
另一方面，我们已经建立了面向14亿人的、可以说世界上最大的基本医保网，但水平还不高，所以我们今年还要增加人均30元财政补助的标准。我们建立了大病医保的制度，就是拿基本医保去购买商业的大病医保，这样使得一些病种在有些地方能报销到30万元到50万元，高的地方还有不封顶的。总体上城乡居民看病的报销比例能够达到70%，随着国力的增加还会逐步提高。特别是要巩固脱贫攻坚的成果，对因病返贫、因大病致贫的要予以特殊的支持帮助。基本民生和日常生活息息相连，现在我们跨省流动的人超过1个亿，他们异地就业、养老、就学，办有些事往往要来回跑，“跨省通办”确实已经成了新刚需。
我们今年要实施一项新政策，就是把人们常用的身份证电子化，也就是说你办有关事项，拿着手机一扫码就办成了。当然，我们也要为那些不用智能手机的人特别是老人提供便利，还要保障公民的信息安全和隐私。保障基本民生既要用力量力，更要用心，要坚持实事求是，让事实说话，要倾听人民群众的呼声和要求。其实民生问题联系着民情、民意甚至是民心，政府的职责就是要顺应民心，给人民排忧解难，让人民过好日子。
这里我还要强调一点，保障人民群众的合法权益。这是人民政府必须扛在肩上的
最近，有的地方发生了严重侵害妇女权益的事件，我们不仅为受害者痛心，也对此事十分气愤。对漠视群众权益的，要坚决追责问责，对那些拐卖妇女儿童的犯罪行为要严厉打击，严惩不贷。保民安和惠民生是不可分割的，各级政府一定要把尽力惠民生、尽力保平安作为自己的基本职责。谢谢。
九、关于对外开放：这是个机遇的大门，中国决不会也决不能把它关上！
日本共同社记者：总理您好。中国政府表明正朝着共同富裕的目标迈进，提出为了防止资本的无序扩张要设置“红绿灯”，特别是加强了对互联网企业的监管。但是外国资本则担心因为共同富裕的目标，中国政府会不会进一步加强对企业行为的限制？请问中方看法如何？有方法降低投资者的忧虑吗？谢谢
李克强：我们说共同富裕，那是要共同奋斗的。对外开放政策中国没有变也不会变，而且我们的外商投资法都有明确规定，要说变只会向有利于扩大开放、有利于投资贸易的方向发展。
外商来华发展了自己，也给我们带来了投资、销售渠道，带来了我们需要的商品，对大家都有利，我们为什么要限制呢。
刚才我讲到“放管服”改革，就是强调要简政放权、放管结合、优化服务，反对垄断和不正当竞争，防止资本无序扩张，目的还是要给依法经营的企业撑腰打气，确保各类所有制企业、内外资企业一律平等发展、公平竞争。当然，也希望企业在发展当中都是规范健康的。
中国太大，你要找个案都能找得到。但是从总体上看，中国经济已深度融入世界。中国货物进出口总额占GDP的比重已经超过三分之一，现在进口对工业的综合影响度超过70%，我们连续十年稳居全球第二大进口市场，而且连续五年成为全球货物贸易的第一大国。
当然，总体上我们还处于产业链由中低端向中高端迈进的过程中，但这也表明产业和消费都在升级，市场潜力大，各类投资都有很大空间。
相关国家和我们共同签署了区域全面经济伙伴关系协定，也就是RCEP，今年正式实施，这可以说是世界上最大的自贸区。我们会利用这一契机，继续推进自由贸易，对国企、民企、外企一视同仁，继续把中国打造成全球外商投资的热土。
我明确地告诉大家，无论国际风云如何变幻，中国都会坚定不移地扩大开放。长江、黄河不会倒流。中国这40多年，从来都是在改革中前进、开放中发展。只要是有利于扩大高水平开放的事情，我们都愿意积极去做，而且要坚定地维护多边贸易体制，这也是我们自身发展的需要。
中国对外开放40多年了，发展了自己，造福了人民，也有利于世界。这是个机遇的大门，我们决不会也决不能把它关上。谢谢大家！
Information source: China Government website
