Vice-premier pushes entrepreneurship and innovation at CDF 2015

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger enter the venue of China Development Forum 2015, Mar 22, 2015. [Feng Yongbin / chinadaily.com.cn]

Three major strategies to be prioritized

The "One Belt and One Road" initiatives, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze Economic Belt are to be prioritized, said Zhang Gaoli, China's Vice-Premier at the China Development Forum.

Urban and rural development is so unbalanced that the country will improve policies and measures for regional development, he said.

While per capita GDP of the eastern region is above $10,000, per capita GDP of western provinces is just over $4,000, according to Zhang.

He also said that with such efforts, the country will ensure a new pattern of regional development.

New opening-up for China's FTZs

China will introduce a new foreign investment administration featuring pre-establishment national treatment and negative lists for its four free trade zones (FTZs) in Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin and Fujian, said Zhang.

As the country accelerates building a new open economic system and pursues new opening-up under the New Normal, China will do a good job in building the FTZs, he said.

He said that opening-up is an important driving force behind China's long-term economic prosperity and in the New Normal, the country will build an open economy and promote reform and development.

China launched the Shanghai Free Trade Zone in September, 2013, and the country approved the other three FTZs in December last year.

China will also treat domestic and foreign businesses equally on anti-monopoly enforcement and other issues to build a fair, transparent, and predictable business environment, said Zhang.