At a March 9 press conference, several members of the Chinese
People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) discussed the
groundbreaking constitutional amendment that declares that “the
state shall encourage, support and guide private business.”
Beijing Vice Mayor Sun Anmin, who oversees the city’s work
related to commerce, auditing, labor, social security and ethnic
minorities’ affairs, talked about the importance of the private
sector in the nation’s capital.
“Private businesses have made huge contributions to the local
economy,” said Sun. “In Beijing, the private sector has become a
major component of the local economy, and private owners are
mainstream contributors. The figures show that the private sector
has been driving the capital’s economic growth. The city’s GDP grew
80.9 percent from 1996 to 2002. During this period, state-owned
enterprises only grew 47.6 percent and collective enterprises
shrank 40.6 percent. But the private sector tripled. It contributed
76.3 percent to GDP growth, compared with the 23.7 percent of the
state-owned sector.”
Sun pointed out that about 90 percent of retail and service
businesses in Beijing are privately owned. They employ 71 percent
of the city’s workers, and account for 58 percent of the market. In
2002, private businesses paid 65.6 percent of the city’s tax
revenue.
The contribution of the private sector extends beyond economic
growth, job creation and tax revenues, said Sun. It also plays an
important role in emancipating the mind, transforming thinking and
promoting the development of the market economy while assisting in
the government’s functional evolution.
Resume of Sun Anmin:
Sun Anmin, male, native of Beijing, born November 1948
Independent, no party affiliation
Bachelor’s degree in metallurgical machinery, Beijing Iron and
Steel College.
Current posts: Member, 10th CPPCC Bills Committee; vice
chairman, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce; chairman,
Beijing Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce; vice mayor,
Beijing Municipality
Previous posts: Deputy factory head, Beijing Heavy Machinery
Factory; director, Planning and Economic Commission, Shijingshan
District; deputy director-general, Beijing Foreign Economic and
Trade Commission; chairman, Beijing Municipal Federation of
Industry and Commerce.
(China.org.cn March 10, 2004)