Page 32 - REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT

On behalf of the State Council, I would like to express sincere gratitude to all
our people, and to all other political parties, people’s organizations, and public

figures from all sectors of society. I express heartfelt appreciation to our fellow
countrymen and women in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative
regions, in Taiwan, and overseas. I would also like to express heartfelt thanks to
the governments of other countries, international organizations, and friends across

the world who have shown understanding and support for us in China as we
pursue modernization.
While recognizing our achievements, we are keenly aware that China is still a
large, developing country. It remains in the primary stage of socialism with

prominent imbalances and inadequacies in its development. Today, many
difficulties and challenges still confront us.
Uncertainties in the external environment are on the rise. Global inflation
remains high, global economic and trade growth is losing steam, and external
attempts to suppress and contain China are escalating.

At home, the foundation for stable growth needs to be consolidated,
insufficient demand remains a pronounced problem, and the expectations of
private investors and businesses are unstable. Many MSMEs and self-employed
individuals face great difficulties. The task of maintaining employment stability is

challenging, and the budgetary imbalances of some local governments are
substantial. There are many risks and hidden dangers in the real estate market. The
operating risks of some small and medium financial institutions have been
exposed.

There are still many institutional barriers hindering development. Our
capacity for scientific and technological innovation needs to be further improved.
We still have a long way to go in protecting the environment. There are still major
weak links in urban and rural infrastructure for disaster prevention and mitigation

and other purposes. Weak links also persist in areas important to the people’s
lives.
Pointless formalities and bureaucratism remain acute issues. Some local
governments have used one-size-fits-all approaches or taken excessive measures
when implementing policies. Some officials fail to fulfill their duties, act arbitrarily,

or work in an oversimplified way. Some are detached from reality, go against the
public will, or disregard the legitimate rights and interests of the people.
Corruption remains a common problem in some fields, sectors, and localities.

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