While economics will dominate the agenda for the CPPCC this year, other issues, such as smog, health care reform and an aging population will also be dealt with.

When it comes to the fight against air pollution, the spokesman, Wang Guoqing, says China needs to do more though it has done a lot.

He said the fight to curb smog will be a protracted war and the public need to show some patience.

"I think air pollution is a development problem in essence, so we say that pollution control needs an iron hand. It is a pressing task that also requires patience and rationality. Pollution is not formed in a day so treatment cannot be effective at once. To fight against smog is a dragging war. It's also a people's war."

Figures from the Ministry of Environmental Protection show Beijing recorded 186 days of air quality "up to par" last year, 14 days more than 2014, but the winter heating that began in November again dragged down the local air quality.

At the same time, the annual average density of the particulate matter PM 2.5 in the city fell 6.2 percent to just over 80 micrograms per cubic meter.

Wang Guoqing called for the government to adopt a green development pattern and the public to choose an eco-friendly lifestyle to help better cope with air pollution.

When it comes to the country's medical reform, Wang noted that there is still a long way to go and whether common people feel the benefit of the reform will be taken as a criteria to see if the reform is effective.

"The central leading group for deepening reform held a meeting recently, emphasizing that economic and social progress and people's sense of benefit will be a criteria to evaluate the effects of the reform. Based on the criteria, China's medical care reform has a long way to go."

Wang said the medical care reform is a long-term and complex project, which is a big challenge especially for China given its world's largest population.

He said the CPPCC will continue to help improve the reform plan, with grassroots investigations already set as the top priority for this year.

As part of the press conference, Wang also responded to the public concern over a potential problem between employment and population.

"The population will indeed increase properly after the two-child policy came into force, but the policy is approved by the government from a long-term perspective. At present some people are faced with the unemployment problem, I think this is temporary. The government will coordinate the relation between the two aspects to ensure the population grows orderly while the economic develop sustainably."

Wang also took time to express CPPCC's support for the CPC's high hand against corruption.

"The CPPCC firmly supports the CPC central committee's judgment, decision and deployment on current anti-corruption campaign."

This year's CPPCC meeting is to open this afternoon. Top advisor Yu Zhengsheng will deliver a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.

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