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Political advisors show concern about stimulus package

By (Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-02 18:36

BEIJING  -- China's political advisors have shown great concern to the country's 4-trillion-yuan (585.5 billion US dollars) stimulus package, saying efforts should be made to prevent "overlapping construction," according to a spokesman of the top advisory body's annual session.

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"Political advisors believe the use of the 4 trillion yuan should be accurate and reasonable, and for the benefit and livelihood of the people," Zhao Qizheng, spokesman of the Second Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), told a press conference Monday.

Zhao said proposals put forward by CPPCC National Committee members covered wide-ranging topics this year when he responded to a Russian journalist's question about the focus of political advisors' proposals.

The advisors believed the fund would be injected in different stages, and thus benefits and effect would not be seen promptly right after the injection, according to Zhao.

Mu Hong, vice minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, said on Sunday that the commission would release detailed expenditures of the package on its website (www.ndrc.gov.cn) and accept public enquiry.

How the huge amount of money would be spent has been under the spotlight for months since the stimulus package was announced last November.

On expansion of domestic demand, Zhao said it was "not an easy job" though there was great potential in it as the government must ensure people had money in hand so as to boost purchase.

Chinese people were also traditionally not inclined to spending, which added to the difficulty of expanding domestic demand, according to Zhao.

He said the country's border trade, employment and rural-urban gap were also within the focus of political advisors.

The CPPCC National Committee is to start its annual session on Tuesday.

An editorial of the People's Daily has called on China's top political advisory body to made due contributions to help the country weather through difficulties.
 
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