Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday urged government officials
to listen more, talk less and be pragmatic when attending the
meetings of the legislature and political advisory body.
Wen made the remarks when joining a panel discussion of members
of the Tenth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's political advisory
body.
The Fifth Session of the Tenth CPPCC National Committee started
in Beijing on Saturday, and the annual full session of the Tenth
National People's Congress (NPC), or the top legislature, is
scheduled to begin on Monday.
"Government officials shall listen more, talk less and be
pragmatic when attending NPC and CPPCC meetings, which concerns not
only a sense of democracy, but also the government's willingness to
get supervised," Wen said.
"To listen more means you listen to criticism, proposals and
suggestions from all sides, especially those from the grass roots,"
he said.
"To talk less means you do not give instructions (at the
meetings) and do not indulge in empty talk. To talk less does not
mean you do not talk at all, but that you need seriously answer the
inquiries and handle the views of NPC deputies and CPPCC members,
and inform them of government work in a practical and realistic
manner," the premier said.
"To be pragmatic means you shall actively consider the motions
and proposals raised by NPC deputies and CPPCC members, and make
sure every motion and proposal be handled well, so as to improve
the work of the government," Wen said.
At the panel discussion, CPPCC National Committee members from
the economy and agriculture sectors discussed housing, energy
saving, pollutant reduction, food safety, rural credit, the
development of west China, agriculture technology, and the
going-global strategy of enterprises, among other issues.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2007)