Global Times: Government Work Report shows China's confidence in a year of 'stability and development' despite world to face more uncertainties in 2023

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Mar 10, 2023, 07:01 ET

BEIJING, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday has drawn attention worldwide after foreign media noticed the report mentioned "stability" dozens of times and focused on realizing feasible economic development targets amid increasing uncertainties and crises around the globe.

Chinese experts said on Monday that the Government Work Report shows that the Chinese government has confidence to have a "good beginning" this year for its new journey after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2022, and it is prepared to take the lead in the global economic recovery. As a major world economy with high political certainty as well as great economic resilience and potential, China will maintain a stable environment for people and capital around the globe who are seeking stability and certainty in a turbulent world.

Stability and development

The world in 2023 could still face many uncertainties. Apart from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict that could further worsen the security and economic situation of not only Europe but also the world, experts said the potential sovereign default of the US is also a huge risk for global recovery, encouraging China to be more pragmatic on setting targets.

But in Chinese culture, a crisis always consists of danger and opportunity, analysts said, adding the Government Work Report shows that China has confidence to seize opportunities in a turbulent world to realize its own goals and inject hope and momentum into the global recovery.

China set its annual GDP growth target at around 5 percent for 2023, as the country embarked on a rapid economic recovery after a decisive victory against COVID-19, with emphasis on ensuring economic stability and high-quality growth, sustainable development amid global economic volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.

Shen Yi, a professor of politics and international relations at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday that "the Government Work Report has presented a thorough response to the demands from the people for development, employment, education, public health, environmental protection and so on, as well as for national security and national reunification. It underlined a series of tasks and presented visions based on the current domestic and international situations."

Many other major world economies are on the brink of recession or already suffer from that, Shen said.

According to the Financial Times on February 16, the US government risks an unprecedented default as soon as July if the debt ceiling is not raised, the Congressional Budget Office warned amid a growing war of words between the White House and congressional Republicans over lifting the borrowing limit.

Seeking stability does not contradict embracing changes, Shen said, but China wants to make sure the world will change in a constructive way, so the international order and system can reform and be more reasonable and equal.

"If China can successfully pass the test of the current turbulence and realize recovery and high-quality development, then it would show how a responsible major power could take a lead in a changing world for a positive direction," Shen said.

Be prepared for uncertainties

Seeking stability and development does not mean China will tolerate offensives and aggressions that harm its sovereignty and national security, experts noted.

In the Government Work Report, Premier Li said that the central government has implemented the Party's overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question and resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference, pledging to continue efforts to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

Tian Feilong, a Hong Kong-Macao-Taiwan affairs expert at Beihang University in Beijing, told the Global Times on Monday that the report shows that China has got a "tool box" to handle the complicated Taiwan question with both "the soft hand" to promote integration and exchanges with peaceful measures, and "the iron fist" to fight separatism.

"In the future, China will firmly push the peaceful reunification process based on its overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question," so the cross-Straits situation will remain changeable, and the Chinese government will put efforts into making it change in the way that serves the common will and interests of all Chinese people, Tian said.

SOURCE Global Times