The State Council formulated and implemented the Master State Plan for Rapid Response to Public Emergencies and plans for managing specific emergencies, thus improving our ability to respond to emergencies. Oversight was strengthened through auditing and supervision. We carried out thorough preparatory work for implementing the Civil Servant Law of the People's Republic of China. The new Regulations on Petitions in the Form of Letters and Visits were implemented, improving people's access to government departments that handle such petitions and ensuring order in submitting and handling them.

Steady progress was made in the reform of the judicial system. A campaign to correct irregularities and promote impartiality in law enforcement was launched to safeguard citizens' lawful rights and interests. We continued to improve all facets of public security and severely punished illegal and criminal activities in accordance with the law. The number of criminal cases dropped, and social stability was maintained.

Work related to ethnic groups, religions, overseas Chinese, and Taiwan was further improved. We continued to make progress in the modernization of national defense and the army. Significant progress was made in diplomacy.

We owe these successes to the correct overall leadership of the Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary and to the concerted efforts and hard work of government employees and the general public. On behalf of the State Council, I would now like to express our sincere thanks to the people of all ethnic groups, to the democratic parties, to all people's organizations, and to people from all walks of life. I would like to sincerely thank our compatriots from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese. I would also like to sincerely thank our friends around the world who care about and support China's modernization drive.

While acknowledging our successes, we must also clearly realize that there are still many difficulties and problems in China's economic and social activities. Many long-standing and deep-seated problems have yet to be fundamentally solved, and a number of new problems have arisen that require our attention.

First, it has become difficult to further increase grain production and rural incomes. There is downward pressure on grain prices and upward pressure on the prices of agricultural supplies, making it difficult for farmers to increase their earnings and discouraging them from growing grain. Moreover, the total area of useable farmland continues to decrease, and the overall agricultural production capacity is weak. This poses a threat to the nation's food security.

Second, fixed asset investment is still expanding too fast. Investment in some industries is increasing too quickly, and too many new projects have been launched. Investment is too concentrated in some areas, and there is significant pressure for a rebound in investment.

Third, the adverse consequences of overheated investment in some industries are becoming apparent. The problem of excess production capacity is getting worse, causing the prices of goods to drop and inventories to increase. Corporate profits are down and losses are increasing, creating greater potential financial risks.

Fourth, many problems affecting the vital interests of the people have yet to be satisfactorily solved. There is strong public concern over the difficulty and high cost of getting medical treatment and receiving an education. The people's interests are adversely affected by violations of regulations and policies in a number of areas, including land expropriation, housing demolition and resident relocation, relocation of people from reservoir areas, and corporate restructuring, as well as by environmental protection.

Fifth, there are serious problems in production safety. Major coalmine and traffic accidents occur frequently, causing serious loss of life and property.

We are also aware that there are still quite a few defects and shortcomings in the work of governments at all levels. The process of transforming government functions is behind schedule, some tasks have not been adequately carried out, and efficiency is low. The problem of formalism and going through the motions is still fairly serious. Some government employees engage in fraud, some are extravagant and wasteful, and some are even corrupt.

We must heighten our sense of mission and our sense of urgency, build on our achievements, improve our work, boost our morale, work conscientiously, strive to do all government work better, and do our best to live up to people's expectations and prove ourselves worthy of the great trust the country has placed in us.

II. Major Tasks for This Year

The tasks related to reform, development and stability for 2006, the first year in the Eleventh Five-Year Development Guidelines, are huge. To do the work of the government well and get the Eleventh Five-Year Development Guidelines off to a good start, we need to adopt the following basic line of thinking: Take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide, closely follow the guidelines set out at the Sixteenth CPC National Congress and the third through fifth plenary sessions of the Sixteenth Central Committee, fully implement a scientific outlook on development, continue to accelerate reform and opening up and stimulate independent innovation, continue to promote economic restructuring and change of the pattern of growth, always put problems affecting the vital interests of the people high on our agenda, intensify all aspects of the effort to build a socialist economy, promote development of the country politically and culturally, and create a harmonious society.

Taking all relevant factors into consideration, we have set the following major targets for economic and social development in 2006 as follows: GDP should grow by about 8 percent, and energy consumption per unit of GDP should fall by about 4 percent. The rise in consumer prices should be kept under 3 percent. Urban employment should increase by 9 million persons, and the urban registered unemployment rate should be kept under 4.6 percent. The equilibrium in the balance of payments should stay basically balanced.