China parliament passes five-year economic plan
2011-03-14 18:48:36
China's parliament on Monday rubber-stamped a five-year government plan calling for more sustainable and balanced annual economic growth of around seven per cent annually until 2015.
A resolution by the National People's Congress endorsed a wide range of social and economic targets laid out in the plan, which aims to transform China's fast-paced development model.
The resolution was passed just before parliament closed its annual 10-day session Monday morning.
The plan intends to wean China off its dependency on volatile export demand and investment-led growth and build a more sustainable economy driven by domestic consumption and a more equitable distribution of wealth.
The parliament, which has never voted down a resolution or law, tallied 2,709 votes in favour of the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," with 119 votes against and 45 abstentions.
China has usually set a target of eight per cent economic growth - considered the minimum required to keep creating enough jobs and economic opportunity to stave off social unrest.
The plan was officially approved by the ruling Communist Party late last year.