杂志汇中国与非洲

In the Government Work Report, Premier Li vowed to improve the overall caliber of the population and raise the level of civility in China’s society. A moderately prosperous society in all respects should not just be measured by GDP or per-capita income. It must also include the aspects Premier Li vowed to improve. The overall caliber of the population and the level of civility in society should be a new measuring stick and a necessary part of a moderately prosperous society.

History has proved that a man with a fortune in his pocket is not necessarily a man with a fortune in his head. The whole society should work together to ensure that the Chinese are rich both in material things and in mind. An improvement in the overall character of the population is also a reflection of a country’s soft power and its image.

As the Chinese economy becomes more developed and open, the country’s image is displayed through two lenses. The first is via products made in China, through which the international community can understand China better. The second is through Chinese people’s behavior. Each year more than 100 million Chinese travel abroad for various purposes. Their conduct and the values they pursue while overseas have become part of China’s national identity.

Therefore, the government should make more detailed plans for improving the overall stature of the population and raising the level of decorum in society. It should mobilize as many people as possible across the country to participate in the campaign for maximum effect.

Although sanitation workers play a very important role in society, their interests are usually neglected. I have been working among sanitation workers for over 14 years, so I know the hardship in their lives and want to help to have their voice heard.

Currently, most sanitation workers are unskilled or old people, such as laid-off workers, migrant workers, and farmers who have lost their land. They work in tough conditions with a heavy workload, but the salary is generally low, especially when compared to the increasing prices.

There are two kinds of sanitation workers, regular and temporary employees. Temporary employees make only 1,800 yuan ($277) every month, which makes them financially vulnerable in case of ac-cidents or serious illnesses. I suggest increasing the income of the entire group and narrowing the wage gap between regular workers and temporary employees, which currently is over 1,000 yuan ($154).

It’s also necessary to provide additional insurance for sanitation workers because their working environment is actually dangerous.  

The targeted poverty reduction programs clearly define how to alleviate poverty, who to support and who will conduct such measures, so that the assistance can reach each poverty-stricken family. This will ensure that steps are taken to reduce poverty caused by different reasons.

In Aksu, two counties receive government poverty relief. They plan to change that status by 2017 and 2018, respectively. We are confident of lifting 206,000 people in the counties out of poverty as scheduled. This is a mission that must be achieved.

There is a fast-growing textile and clothing industry base in Aksu, which can provide a number of job opportunities. Moreover, since the natural conditions in those two counties are better than in some other places, the farmers are more capable of raising their income by improving their agricultural practices.

Another important measure is to tackle poverty through education, which is crucial to creating a richer society and economy.

In recent years, the Central Government and some regions in the country have increased their efforts in assisting education in Xinjiang, from primary school to college, ensuring that every local family has well-educated members. In regions with harsh natural conditions, people are relocated to areas with better resources for living and production.

Regarding impoverished people who have no capacity to work or are suffering from chronic diseases, poverty alleviation through the rural minimum subsistence allowance system is being conducted so that social security covers all of Aksu’s poverty-stricken population.

We are witnessing the entire sports industry growing very fast in China. We should also pay attention to sports among Chinese teenagers.

In 2014, the State Council issued a document emphasizing the importance of sports for students. But so far as I know, very few Chinese primary and middle schools have met the goal of ensuring at least one hour of exercises every day for students.

In many towns and villages in China’s rural areas, especially in west China, faculty deficiency is a serious problem. I hope the education authorities can work with their colleagues in the sports department to train the physical education (PE) teachers in schools in those places. We’ve seen many volunteer teachers go to teach in schools in rural areas, but most of them are for literacy classes. In the future, I hope more PE teachers in cities will join them because PE is an important part of the education system. Sports not only improve students’ physical condition but also help to foster their willpower.

The Government Work Report mentioned a shortage of general practitioners and pediatricians in China, but I think the demand for first-aid personnel is much more urgent. In hospitals, we have too many patients but too few hands on the first-aid team. Emergency workers have to work three shifts in 24 hours and even that barely meets the demand. Everyone is under enormous pressure. Therefore, training first-aid personnel should be high on the agendas of Chinese hospitals.

It’s also important to popularize first-aid knowledge among the public. Due to the increasing population movement in China, railways, highways and airports are always crowded. When an emergency occurs, it’s very important that the travelers around know how to deal with the situation.

Premier Li pledged that efforts will be made to guide farmers in adjusting what and how much they grow and breed in response to the market demand, and in making appropriate reductions in the amount of land devoted to growing corn. He stressed following the principle of letting the market determine prices. He also said the corn purchasing and storage system will be reformed in a prudent way to ensure reasonable returns for farmers. This means that prices will be determined by the market. It is only through the market’s determination of prices that China’s produce can be competitive in the international market.

Since the number of farmers is substantial in China, each rural family runs only a small parcel of land, which weakens their competitiveness in the market. For this reason, it is necessary for the government to subsidize farmers to ensure reasonable returns for them. This policy is now under discussion. I hope the reform of the corn purchasing and storage system will be launched as soon as possible.

Farmers should adjust the variety of grain crops they grow in accordance with the market demand and supply so that domestic corn prices will be closer to international market prices. There should be no new stockpiles.