NPC and CPPCC sessions widely anticipated
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More than 3000 Chinese and overseas reporters will cover the upcoming Third Sessions of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, and the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top advisory body.
The two sessions are the biggest annual political events in China and will open on March 5 and March 3, respectively.
Zhao Qizheng, spokesman for the Third Session of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, said at Monday afternoon's press conference: "in China, major policies are implemented and leadership appointments made after being discussed at CPPCC."
The CPPCC consists of leaders of China's political parties, social groups, ethnic minorities and people from different walks of life, who reflect the opinions of ordinary people in society.
This year, China's economic plan for the next five years, the amendment of election law and the "livelihood issues" are the major topics.
Zhang Min, a reporter from China's top financial publication Caijing Magazine, told China.org.cn that the economic policy is her main concern.
She said: "the change will have significant influences on the nation's long-term economic growth. The global crisis has just passed and the tender bud of economic growth has appeared. But at this time, government's policy should be more circumspect and cautious."
According to an on-line survey by People Daily and Xinhua, "livelihood issues" including pensions, housing and health care, are the hottest topics among Internet users.
Pension reform received 25,508 votes, followed by corruption, housing prices, the income gap, employment and health care, among others.
The pension given to ordinary citizens is determined by one's monthly payment to their social security account before they retire, and is fixed to the average social income.
Retirees of non-public entities receive much less than their salary before retirement. But government employees receive a pension, which is almost the same as they earn before retirement, sometimes two or three times higher than a factory worker, according to a Xinhua report.
The government raised the pension for ordinary citizens by 10 percent, 120 yuan monthly per person, starting from Jan 1, 2010. Xinhua reported that this was the sixth time the pension had been raised since 2005. But the amount still does not compare with that received by civil servants.
Kang Juan, a journalist from Global Times, told China.org.cn that residents in big cities care most about housing prices.
She said, "many people think that an apartment of one's own is a must-have for marriage. Although the government tries to encourage young people to rent rooms, most couples still dream about their own sweet home."
She said people often complain about soaring housing prices. According to the Beijing Municipal Statistics Bureau, the city's average annual income in 2008 was 44,715 yuan, while urban apartments were selling for an average 15,581 yuan per square meter. (1 yuan is equal to US$0.15)
"NPC deputies and CPPCC members are expected to urge the government to adopt some measures to curb the rising prices," Kang said.
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