CRI听力:Lianghui Draws Attention from Overseas

Reporter:
Official stats show China's economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015 from the previous year.

Chinese authorities say the growth, the slowest pace in a quarter of a century, was hard-won amid a sluggish global recovery.

Canadian Ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, says he will be closely following anything related to China's economy when Premier Li Keqiang delivers the annual government work report to the National People's Congress.

"And of course, I will be following very closely everything that will be set with regard to the economic reforms and how the Chinese government intends to improve the economic situation. And I hope that we will hear very interesting proposals to address the main economic challenges that China faces right now."

While overall GDP growth may be slowing down, foreign observers are also looking toward other factors when it comes to China's broad-based economic health.

Francisco Cafiero, with the Argentinian-based Latin American Center for Political and Economic Studies on China, says they're going to be paying close attention to what the long-term plans are for China's economy.

"Although China slows its GDP growth target to 6.5 percent now, it's still a fast growth compared with other countries. China also aims to improve added value of products and make its total GDP and GDP per capita double by 2020. It means more and more Chinese people can live a well-off life."

At the same time, Cafiero says he hopes to hear a lot about green development.

"The ecological environment matters a lot to the mankind, every country and society. China needs to work with other countries to deal with global climate change as environmental protection is not an issue only to China. As the world's most populous country, China has to ensure its people to live a dignified life."

It's widely expected the term 'supply-side reform' is going to be used by Chinese advisors and lawmakers during 'lianghui.'

Broadly speaking, the concept of 'supply-side reform' means reducing the country's long-held dependence on investment and export as a driver of growth.

Halil Sivgin, president of the Turkish and Chinese Social, Cultural, Political and Economic Cooperation Development and Friendship Association, says the idea of reforms will be one of the things he'll be listening for.

"The two sessions will discuss the most important thing [about supply-side reform], which is improving product quality. If product quality improves, China will establish a more effective and successful export channel. If the [supply-side] reform succeeds, the Chinese economy will integrate with the global economy more and the global market will embrace Chinese products more."

While an annual event, the 'lianghui,' or 'two sessions,' is expected to grab international headlines over the coming days.

For CRI, this is Luo Bin.