China sets 2020 goals as legislature convenes

Outlining 2016-2020 plan

A draft outline of the 13th five-year national development was also submitted for lawmakers' reading. Apart from GDP growth, it listed a set of targets from industrial upgrading, agriculture, environment and people's livelihood, as well as a considerable number of important scientific, technological and infrastructure investment projects.

Noting that China's priority for next five years will be development, Premier Li said that it must take particular care to avoid falling into the "middle-income trap."

"Pursuing development is like sailing against the current: you either forge ahead or drift downstream," he said, also stressing two key issues, restructuring and shift of growth engines.

He highlighted the country's workforce of over 900 million, of whom over 100 million have received higher education or are professionally trained. "This is our greatest resource and strength," he said.

Ou Chengzhong, an NPC deputy from north China's Tianjin Municipality, said he is looking forward to a good beginning of this five-year plan.

"There are still a lot of policy tools the government has not resorted to. I believe there are ample wiggle room to deal with current problems," he said.