Highlights of Premier Wen´s remarks at March 13 press conference

Source: Xinhua | 03-13-2009 14:48

BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met the press Friday after the annual session of the National People's Congress concluded.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao answers questions during a press  conference after the closing meeting of the Second Session  of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great  Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 13,  2009. The annual NPC session closed on Friday. (Xinhua Photo)

Following are highlights of Wen's remarks:

On stimulus package

-- China's stimulus package plan was not fully understood by the world. "Rumors and misunderstanding set the world stock market on a roller coaster ride."

-- The 1.18 trillion yuan from the central government is totally new investment in China's two-year 4-trillion-yuan (585 billion U.S. dollars) stimulus package.

-- China has prepared plans to cope with even bigger difficulties amid the financial crisis and is ready to roll out new stimulus package at any time.

-- Apart from the 4-trillion-yuan package, China will cut tax by 600 billion yuan, raise the old-age pension for retirees, hike the salaries of 12 million teachers, increase farmers' income and provide more subsidies for them, and spend 850 billion yuan on reforming the health care sector within three years.

-- Confidence is still what China needs most to carry out its all-around economic stimulus package. "Confidence can produce courage and strength, only with which can we overcome difficulties."