Chinese President Xi Jinping urged government officials to carry out reforms faster. (Photo : Twitter)
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged government officials to put on more effort to push forward planned reforms for the country's development.
Xi made the call during a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform that he presided, Bloomberg reported. According to the president, the country needs to focus more on delivering economic reforms, as well as improving the fundamental supporting mechanisms for these.
He also stressed that the reforms should be accelerated to meet the timetable prepared by the government. In 2013, Chinese economic leaders drafted a plan to allow market forces to shape the country's economy.
Significant progress has reportedly been made in several aspects of the plan, including the abolition of the one-child policy and interest rate liberalization. However, policymakers admitted that there are still a lot more to be done.
In a statement released by the body, policymakers said that the government's role in allocating resources for economic programs, instead letting market forces dictate the direction of allocations. The statement also noted that progress has been slow in lessening the hold of "bloated" state-owned companies on the economy.
Both local and national officials were also ordered to fulfill their duties to alleviate poverty, as well as hasten land reforms in rural areas.
Meanwhile, the group also said that greater emphasis will be given to science and technology's role in national development. The statement urged S&T institutes to create and adopt a salary system for their workers. A pay increase process should also be in place to serve as an acknowledgment of the value of scientists' work and a motivator for them, the China Daily reported.
The group added that protection of intellectual property rights should also be improved.
On the topic of health reforms, the statement called on the health industry to improve the operation of state-run hospitals, as well as develop better personnel management systems. The group suggested that the industry and medical institutions look up to more successful models for the needed reforms.
All the measures submitted by the group were developed in 27 meetings held since December.
