People are full of expectations for this year's National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
According to information collected from diverse sources, issues of people's livelihoods are still the focus of concern. In addition, response to the impacts of the international financial crisis, governmental reforms, the combat of corruption for the building of a clean government, and rural issues as well as the work style of the NPC and CPPCC sessions have also aroused wide concern from people from all walks of life.
Many responses to livelihood issues
Livelihood issues are always a hot topic. They have become even more important under the circumstances of the international financial crisis.
According to results of an Internet survey on "the issues of most concern for the NPC and CPPCC sessions," of the top ten hottest issues that attract most concern, eight are directly related to people's livelihoods: healthcare reform, food and drug safety, income distribution, employment problems, environmental protection, housing problems, educational equality, and social insurance.
Quick breakaway from the financial crisis
The international financial crisis caused by the US subprime mortgage lending has swept across the globe, and China has been heavily affected as well. Surveys by the People's Daily show that over 60 percent of netizens expressed that their incomes have been impacted by the international financial crisis, and over half surveyed said their lives have been affected. In addition, nearly 30 percent of netizens surveyed believed that the international financial crisis had caused the severe employment situation.
As the international financial crisis has yet to bottom out, boosting domestic demand and guaranteeing growth will become the important topics on the agenda of the "two sessions" this year.
Governmental reforms need to accelerate
In recent years, especially since 2008, with measures centering on super-ministry reform, the implementation of county pilot programs directly under provincial administration and the downsizing and merging of governmental institutions at the township and town levels, as well as the "administrative accountability" triggered by several emergencies, the reform and capability construction of governments at all levels has drawn extensive attention.