Key issues to be discussed at "two sessions"

Source: Xinhuanet | 03-01-2007 08:29

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- As the most important annual political events before the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) slated for this fall, the upcoming annual meetings of China's top legislature and political advisory body have drawn worldwid e attention.

The following are key issues that are expected to be discussed and addressed at the "two sessions" of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

TAX AND PROPERTY LAWS

The NPC Standing Committee members have adopted resolutions to submit the drafts of corporate income tax law and property law to the fifth full session of the national legislature for deliberation.

The draft of corporate income tax law sets a unified income tax rate for domestic and foreign companies at 25 percent after years of criticism that the tax policies are unfair to domestic companies.

The draft property law, after its seventh reading, was described as "on the correct political direction" and represented China's basic economic system. It was designed to protect both public and private ownership and has undergone more reviews than any other bill by the NPC Standing Committee.

FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

A number of motions aimed at fighting against corruption and building a clean government are expected to be tabled at the upcoming two sessions.

Despite a number of high profile arrests on corruption charges, many experts agree that an effective system of checks and controls that prevent graft is urgently needed.

Last year, China's anti-graft campaign brought down Shanghai's former Party chief Chen Liangyu, the highest ranking Communist official busted in a corruption probe in a decade, and former director of the National Bureau of Statistics Qiu Xiaohua.

EDUCATION

Rising educational fees have been under fire and remained a hot topic at the two sessions in recent years. Meanwhile, encouraging changes have taken place.

China will exempt all students in rural areas from various fees in nine-year compulsory education this year, Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili said early this month.

China has exempted students in rural areas of western China from compulsory education fees last year and the exemption policy will be expanded to the central and eastern regions.

MACROECONOMIC CONTROL

China's gross domestic product (GDP) surged by 10.7 percent year-on-year to reach 20.94 trillion yuan in 2006.

It was the fourth straight annual double-digit growth rate for China, driven by hefty investment and rocketing trade.

Ma Kai, minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, attributed the excessive investment growth to a blind pursuit of growth and an over-dependence on investment to achieve economic growth

Official with the Commission said the growth rate would fall below ten percent in 2007, and "addressing the excessive liquidity of the banks should be a key task in macro-control measures of this year."