We will introduce and implement the plan for developing elderly services and building the elderly care system during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. We will improve the system for elderly services， and implement the plan to train elderly-care workers. We will introduce and carry out the national population development plan， and work to ensure the implementation of the policy of allowing couples to have two children. We will， more effectively， safeguard the rights and interests of women， minors， people with disabilities， and other social groups.

We will ensure more equitable access to basic public cultural services and help localities to implement the national standards for guiding the provision of basic public cultural services. We will encourage innovation in the ways of delivering public cultural services as well as private-sector participation in developing the system of public cultural services. We will ensure that philosophy and the social sciences flourish.

We will promote public fitness programs， and boost the popularity of community sports. We will move ahead with the plan for the long- and medium-term development of soccer in China as well as the plan for the construction of soccer fields and facilities.

We will deepen cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao in the areas of investment， the economy， and trade， and work to upgrade the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between the mainland and the two regions. We will support Hong Kong and Macao in participating in and contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative as well as regional economic cooperation. We will carry out work involving Hong Kong and Macao as part of the 13th Five-Year Plan. We will press ahead with the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge so as to more quickly achieve a greater level of interconnectivity in infrastructure between Guangdong Province， Hong Kong， and Macao. Development of the Qianhai， Nansha， and Hengqin platforms for cooperation between Guangdong， Hong Kong， and Macao will be accelerated， and regional cooperation in the pan-Pearl River Delta will be pushed to a higher level and made more substantive. We will support Hong Kong in its efforts to pursue innovation and develop science and technology， to consolidate and elevate its position as an international financial， shipping， and trade center， and to cultivate new strengths. We will provide further support for Macao in becoming a world tourism and leisure center and in building a platform to facilitate business and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. We will also support Macao in developing industries such as convention and exhibition， specialized financial services， cultural & creative industries as well as cross-border e-commerce， so as to promote an appropriate level of diversity in its economy. We will ensure platforms for cooperation with Taiwan are successfully established， including the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Area， Fuzhou New Area， and the China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone， so as to deepen cross-Straits economic exchange and cooperation.

Esteemed Deputies，

Accomplishing the work for economic and social development in 2017 is both a demanding and important task. We will unite even closer around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core， hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics， take Deng Xiaoping Theory， the Theory of Three Represents， and the Scientific Outlook on Development as our guide， and fully implement the guidelines from General Secretary Xi Jinping's major political addresses as well as his new concepts， thoughts， and strategies on the governance of China. We will willingly accept the oversight of the NPC， and seek comments and suggestions from the CPPCC National Committee with an open mind. Let us pool our will and strength to promote reform and innovation， work hard to deliver a sound performance to overcome the difficulties ahead， and foster steady and sound economic and social development， so as to welcome the convocation of the 19th CPC National Congress with outstanding achievements.

Performance of the Main Targets in the 2016 Plan for National Economic and Social Development

Notes:

1. The 2016 Plan for National Economic and Social Development deliberated and passed at the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National People's Congress lists a total of 62 targets， of which 43 are anticipatory and 19 are obligatory. The 15 targets marked with a star mark are obligatory targets set forth in the Thirteenth Five-year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China.

2. Anticipatory targets are development objectives that the government hopes to achieve and figures it expects to reach; however they are not compulsory targets， nor are they predicted figures. The actual figures may be higher or lower than projected. Obligatory targets are mandatory and binding; they represent the government's macro regulatory intentions， and must be achieved.

3. The performance of obligatory targets is assessed on the basis of whether or not they have been accomplished. A deviation of 10% from the projected figure is the standard used to assess the performance of anticipatory targets: if the actual figure exceeds the anticipatory figure by 10% or more， it is assessed as better than projected; if the actual figure falls short of the anticipatory figure by 10% or more， it is assessed as lower than projected; if the actual figure is higher or lower than the anticipatory figure by less than 10%， it is deemed to be as projected. However， these assessment standards are not applicable to targets that have a minimum or maximum limit. For example， the actual registered urban unemployment rate in 2016 was 4.02%， which falls short of the anticipatory target by more than 10%， but the assessment is still deemed to be as projected.

4. The figures marked with # are estimated figures for 2016; the actual figures will be confirmed following the final review and adjustments by relevant departments. Influenced by the adjustment of the base figures for 2015， the actual performance of some targets in 2016 may change somewhat. Enditem

(Source:  Xinhua English)