Highlights of Premier Li's news conference

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, vice premiers Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan, Hu Chunhua and Liu He attend a press conference after the conclusion of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 20, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Millions more to get health coverage in 2018

China will make more efforts to relieve financial burdens on patients — especially those with serious diseases — with more than 20 million people expected to be covered by medical insurance for serious diseases by the end of the year, Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday.

The Chinese government has been making great efforts in the past five years to ensure basic health care services for the people, and has established the world's biggest basic medical insurance network, he told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.

Despite the universal coverage of basic medical insurance programs, some people with financial difficulties still find it hard to afford medical bills in case of serious disease, while others still find it difficult to have access to quality health care services, he said.

"China still has more than 30 million people living in poverty, and many of them live in poverty or fell back to poverty because of serious diseases," Premier Li said. "We will put this high on the agenda, making treatment of serious diseases more affordable for the people, while continuing to improve basic medical insurance."

As a solution, authorities in China in recent years have been trying to integrate the government's basic medical insurance programs with various commercial insurance programs to improve effects of the fund on health care relief, and more than 17 million people had been covered by medical insurance programs for serious diseases by the end of last year.

This year the government will intensify efforts in this regard and half of the increased capital for the national basic medical insurance fund will be integrated with commercial insurance, he said, with more serious diseases added to the list covered by insurance.

Meanwhile, more measures will be taken to encourage a flow of quality medical resources to grassroots hospitals and clinics, such as integrating healthcare with internet technology, so patients with serious diseases at the grassroots can also get good treatment, he said.

"We must use serious disease insurance program and other policy steps to protect families from being overwhelmed by such severe difficulties," Li said.

Premier considers visiting Japan this year

Premier Li Keqiang said he is considering attending the China-Japan-Republic of Korea leaders' meeting and paying his first official visit to Japan.

Li made the remarks at a press conference held at the end of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress in Beijing on Tuesday.

Signs of improvement have been witnessed in China-Japan relations lately, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent invitations on several occasions for a visit to Japan, Li said.

Li said he would be ready to actively consider, in the context of the sustained upward momentum in China-Japan relations, attending the China-Japan-ROK leaders’ meeting and paying an official visit to Japan within the first half of this year.

Improvement in China-Japan relations requires not just the right atmosphere but commitment and vision, and exchanging visits at the leadership level will help get the relationship back on its track of steady development, Li said.

More importantly, Li added, we must consolidate the foundation of China-Japan relations rather than just making a one-time deal, and there needs to be sustained, steady development of this relationship.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

The premier said it is important for both countries to honor the spirit and the agreements reached in the four key China-Japan political documents.
The relationship is warming, but we also need to keep watch for any possible return of chilly relations, Li said.

We need to work together for the sustained, steady development of this relationship, he added, and that is what China hopes to see from Japan.

Internet Plus plays important role in growth

The "Internet Plus" model has created new growth drivers in China's development to avoid an economic "hard landing" for the country, Premier Li Keqiang said.

In recent years, the model has motivated China to transform its functions, energize the market, promote consumption as the main force of development and alter the economic structure to deepen reform.

Now, China's economy is stable and improving, and these new growth drivers play important roles.

In addition, "Internet Plus" is also the biggest sharing economy platform, which provides vast opportunities for mass entrepreneurship and innovation. It is changing people's lives, and gives more avenues to tech elite and entrepreneurs to present their abilities, as well as grassroots people to show their values.

As a new model, the "Internet Plus" also has some problems. We should seek advantages and avoiding disadvantages to the model, adopting a tolerant and prudent attitude to supervise "Internet Plus", Li said.

We cannot negate the "Internet Plus" model when some problems appear, and not allow people to use the model to cheat and ruin its reputation, the premier added.

Providing old-age pensions in full, on time

China has the capacity to ensure old-age pensions are paid in full and on time, even though some provinces faced a shortfall of pension funds last year, Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday.

"Pension payout was something high on my mind when I visited the old industrial bases, or in my discussions with delegates during the two sessions this year," Li said.

He said there are indeed problems in certain Chinese provinces, mainly due to the decline in fiscal revenue at times of economic downturn.

But they have taken multiple measures to address the issue, including better use of existing funds, dealing with state-owned assets, or making relevant fiscal arrangements, he said, adding the central government has also provided funding support.

The balance of China's pension funds now stands at 4.1 trillion yuan, and there is also 1.8 trillion yuan of social security funds as a strategic reserve, enabling the pension benefits to be paid on time and in full, according to Li.
Meanwhile, the country will continue reform to ensure pension payments, Li said. "This year we plan to establish a central system for pension insurance funds to be used inter-provincially."

Each province will contribute 3 percent from their funds to be used across provinces, so as to fill shortfalls some provinces may suffer, he added.
In addition, the government will use some stated-owned asset proceeds to replenish the social security fund to make it run safely and more profitably, which will deliver adequate retirement support to senior people in China, Li said.

"It will be really disappointing if decades of hard work cannot earn one a decent retirement," the Premier said. "We should never see senior people as a liability. Retirement can also offer tremendous business opportunities and turn out to be an important industry. But we will never shirk the government's responsibility for adequate old age support."

Editor: John Li