The first session of the 15th Beijing Municipal People's Congress opened on Jan. 24. Chen Jining, acting mayor of Beijing, gave the report on the work of the municipal government, and Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, attended the meeting.
Chen said the past five years was an extraordinary period in the history of Beijing's development. General Secretary Xi Jinping twice inspected the work of the municipal government and delivered important speeches, which made clear Beijing's strategic position as the national center of politics, culture, international exchanges, as well as scientific and technological innovation.
Over the past five years, Beijing has taken Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guide, further implemented the strategic positioning of the capital, Chen said. He summarized the city's achievements made in the past five years regarding its economic transformation, progress in the innovation capability, effective measures against urban maladies, improvement in people's wellbeing as well the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Chen said the following five years is going to be a historical period in achieving the Two Centenary Goals. Beijing's main targets of economic and social development in 2018 are as follows: The GDP is expected to increase 6.5 percent; the general public budget revenue will increase about 6.5 percent; the rise in the consumer price index will be held within 3 percent; the surveyed urban unemployment rate will remain within 5 percent; and the per capita disposable income will keep pace with economic growth. Beijing will also reduce the energy consumption, carbon emission and water consumption per 10,000 yuan (US$1,565) turnover by 2.5, 3 and 3 percent respectively.
Beijing will focus on eight aspects of work in 2018, Chen said. The city will thoroughly implement its overall urban plan, advance the work of reducing non-capital functions and renovating the city, deepen the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, build itself into the national sci-tech innovation center, vigorously deal with urban maladies, enhance cultural confidence, improve people's wellbeing as well as promote reform and opening-up.
The meeting also reviewed the reports on the implementations of the city's economic and social development plans in 2017, the draft plans for economic and social development in 2018, the reports of the implementation of the city's budget in 2017, as well as the draft budget for 2018.