III. Government Self-improvement
三、加强政府自身建设
The government bears heavy and demanding responsibilities in the effort to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Governments and leading cadres at all levels need to adapt to new situations and tasks and continually raise their administrative and management ability. In conformity with the principle of government for the people and in order to build a law- based government, we placed special emphasis over the past year on the three basic principles of scientific and democratic policy- making, law-based administration and better administrative oversight. These principles were implemented conscientiously. This year, we will focus on the following aspects of our work.
在全面建设小康社会的进程中，政府担负着繁重而艰巨的任务。各级政府和领导干部必须适应新形势新任务，不断提高行政能力和管理水平。一年来，我们按照执政为民的要求和建设法治政府的目标，突出强调实行科学民主决策、坚持依法行政和加强行政监督三项基本准则，并认真贯彻执行。新的一年，我们要着力抓好以下几个方面：
 
First, we will further transform government functions. Governments at all levels must fulfill all of their responsibilities. While working to better regulate the economy and oversee the market, the government must pay more attention to social administration and public service work. In particular, we need to speed up the establishment of emergency response mechanisms and improve the government's ability to deal with public crises. We must accelerate the separation of government functions from enterprise operations, turn over responsibility for more activities the government should not be engaged in to enterprises, nongovernmental organizations and intermediary agencies, and give greater scope to the basic role of the market in resource allocation. At the same time, we need to strengthen regulation and oversight of intermediary agencies. The government must perform all its functions well, and adapt methods and style of management to changing circumstances to improve the results of its administration and work.
第一，推进政府职能转变。各级政府要全面履行职能，在继续搞好经济调节、加强市场监管的同时，更加注重履行社会管理和公共服务职能。特别要加快建立健全各种突发事件应急机制，提高政府应对公共危机的能力。要加快政企分开，进一步把不该由政府管的事交给企业、社会组织和中介机构，更大程度地发挥市场在资源配置中的基础性作用。同时，加强对中介机构的规范和监管。政府该管的事一定要管好，并适应新形势改进管理方式和方法，提高行政效能和工作效率。
 
Second, we will adhere to scientific and democratic policy- making. We need to improve the policy-making process by integrating public participation, expert evaluation and government decision-making to ensure that our policies are scientific and correct. We need to speed up the formation and improvement of systems for making collective decisions on major issues, for soliciting opinions from experts, for keeping the public informed and holding public hearings, and for accountability in policy- making. All major policies must be decided collectively on the basis of in-depth research, widely solicited opinions, and full evaluation by experts. These procedures must be closely followed as one of the long-term basic systems for government work.
第二，坚持科学民主决策。要进一步完善公众参与、专家论证和政府决策相结合的决策机制，保证决策的科学性和正确性。加快建立和完善重大问题集体决策制度、专家咨询制度、社会公示和社会听证制度、决策责任制度。所有重大决策，都要在深入调查研究、广泛听取意见、进行充分论证的基础上，由集体讨论决定。这要作为政府的一项基本工作制度，长期坚持下去。
 
Third, we will perform all our duties in accordance with the law. Governments at all levels must exercise their power and perform their duties within the scope of their authority defined by law and in accordance with legal procedures. All government employees must learn to deal with economic and social issues by legal means. The system of administrative law enforcement needs to be reformed so that the administrative right to grant licenses and impose penalties will be relatively concentrated. Experiments should be conducted on integrated law enforcement to solve problems of duplicate law enforcement and arbitrary imposition of fines. We need to increase oversight of administrative law enforcement to make it stricter, fairer and more courteous. We should institute an accountability system for law enforcement and a mechanism for investigating and prosecuting law enforcement improprieties, and improve and strictly implement a system of administrative compensation that holds those who exercise power accountable, places them under supervision and compensates those whose rights have been compromised. The Administrative Permission Law of the People's Republic of China will come into force officially on July 1, 2004. This is an important law for regulating government acts, and governments at all levels must strictly abide by it.
第三，全面推行依法行政。各级政府都要按照法定权限和程序行使权力、履行职责。所有政府工作人员都要学会并善于依法处理经济社会事务。要改革行政执法体制，相对集中行政许可权和行政处罚权，推进综合执法试点，解决多头执法和乱罚款等问题。要加强行政执法监督，促进严格执法、公正执法和文明执法。实行执法责任制和执法过错追究制，完善并严格执行行政赔偿制度，做到有权必有责、用权受监督、侵权要赔偿。《中华人民共和国行政许可法》今年7月1日将正式施行，这是规范政府行为的一部重要法律，各级政府必须认真执行。
 
Fourth, we will consciously accept the oversight of the general public. All power of the government is bestowed by the people, so the government must be accountable to the people, act in their interests and accept their oversight. Only the people's oversight can prevent the government from being lax in its duties. Governments at all levels should consciously accept the oversight of the people's congresses and their standing committees at the corresponding levels and the democratic oversight of the committees of the People's Political Consultative Conference, and conscientiously listen to the opinions of the democratic parties, federations of industry and commerce, persons without party affiliations and mass organizations. At the same time, they should accept the oversight of the mass media and the general public. They must take seriously the people's oversight of government organs and employees through reconsideration of administrative decisions, administrative lawsuits and other legal channels. We should strengthen internal supervision by supporting supervision departments and audit offices in the conduct of their independent oversight in accordance with the law. To keep the people informed so they can oversee government work, we will introduce a system of public information concerning government work and increase the transparency of government work.
第四，自觉接受人民监督。政府的一切权力都是人民赋予的，必须对人民负责，为人民谋利益，接受人民监督。只有人民监督政府，政府才不会懈怠。各级政府要自觉接受同级人民代表大会及其常委会的监督，接受人民政协的民主监督，认真听取民主党派、工商联、无党派人士和各人民团体的意见。同时，要接受新闻舆论和社会公众监督；重视人民群众通过行政复议、行政诉讼等法定渠道，对政府机关及其工作人员的监督；加强政府系统内部监督，支持监察、审计部门依法独立履行监督职责。为便于人民群众知情和监督，要建立政务信息公开制度，增强政府工作的透明度。
 
Fifth, we will improve the government's style of work and improve the overall quality of public servants. An important aspect of efforts to improve the government's style of work is for government employees to adopt a realistic and pragmatic approach, a scientific outlook on development and a correct attitude toward their own performance. Governments at all levels need to bear in mind China's current national conditions when acting and making decisions. We must always be realistic and act in accordance with objective laws. We need to work in an enterprising manner while working within our capabilities and stop the practice of blindly competing to outdo each other. We must persist in doing down-to- earth work, seek practical results, conserve manpower and refrain from building "vanity projects" that waste both money and manpower. We must determine the true state of affairs and tell the truth; we should not falsify reports or exaggerate achievements. We must make overall plans that balance the interest s of different sectors and stay rooted in the present while having a long-term perspective, instead of blindly seeking quick success and instant benefits. We must continue to improve our work style, reduce the number of meetings and documents, and put more time and energy into going down to the primary level to do investigations and research. Everything we do must stand the tests of actual practice, people's acceptance and history.
第五，加强政风建设和公务员队伍建设。弘扬求真务实精神，树立科学发展观和正确的政绩观，是加强政风建设的一项重要内容。各级政府办事情、作决策，都要符合中国现阶段国情。必须坚持一切从实际出发，按客观规律办事，既要积极进取，又要量力而行，不盲目攀比；必须坚持办实事，求实效，珍惜民力，不搞劳民伤财的“形象工程”；必须坚持察实情，讲真话，不虚报浮夸；必须坚持统筹兼顾，立足当前，着眼长远，不急功近利；必须坚持改进工作作风，精简会议，减少文件，把更多时间和精力用于深入基层，调查研究。各项工作都要经得起实践、群众和历史的检验。
 
The quality of public servants determines how well the government is managed and how efficient it is. It is imperative to build a contingent of public servants who are politically reliable, professionally competent and clean and honest and have a good work style. They should emancipate their minds, seek truth from facts and keep pace with the times. They should bear in mind that public servants work for the interests of the people, maintain close ties with the people, and serve them wholeheartedly. They should abide by the Constitution and the law and have the ability to administer the government in accordance with the law. They should be dedicated, hard working and eager to learn. They should observe disciplinary regulations and professional ethics. They should be honest, clean, upright, impartial and devoted. Governments at all levels should be strict in enforcing disciplinary regulations and be fair in meting out rewards and punishments. Training public servants and evaluating their work is very important, and we must intensify our work in this area.
公务员的素质决定着政府的管理水平和效率。要建设一支政治坚定、业务精通、清正廉洁、作风优良的公务员队伍。这支队伍要坚持解放思想，实事求是，与时俱进；牢固树立执政为民的思想，保持同人民群众的密切联系，全心全意为人民服务；遵守宪法和法律，具有依法行政能力；忠于职守，努力学习，勤奋工作；遵守纪律和职业道德，诚信廉明，公道正派，甘于奉献。各级政府都要从严治政，赏罚分明。要重视和加强公务员的培训和考核工作。
 
We will work harder to build a clean government and fight more vigorously against corruption. We will develop a mechanism that combines education, institutional measures and oversight to prevent and punish corruption. We will resolutely deal with all breaches of the law or disciplinary regulations and punish those guilty of corruption. We are determined to rectify unhealthy conduct that affects the interests of the people. All government employees, particularly leading officials at all levels, must remain modest and prudent, guard against an arrogant and rash work style, and continue to live plainly and work hard.
加强廉政建设和反腐败斗争。要建立教育、制度、监督并重的预防和惩治腐败体系。坚决查处违纪违法案件，坚决惩处腐败分子，坚决纠正损害人民群众利益的不正之风。全体政府工作人员特别是各级领导干部，都要继续保持谦虚谨慎、不骄不躁的作风，继续保持艰苦奋斗的作风。
 
Fellow Deputies,
各位代表！
 
It is our unshakable goal to maintain the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and Macao. We will continue to uphold the principle of "one country, two systems," according to which " Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong" and "Macao people administer Macao" with a high degree of autonomy, and we will act in strict accordance with the basic laws of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. We will give our full support to the chief executives and governments of the two regions in their administration in accordance with the law. We will unite as broadly as possible people from all walks of life in Hong Kong and Macao and effectively implement the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement between the mainland and Hong Kong and the mainland and Macao. We have full confidence in the future of Hong Kong and Macao.
维护香港、澳门长期稳定和繁荣发展，是我们坚定不移的目标。我们坚持“一国两制”、“港人治港”、“澳人治澳”、高度自治的方针，严格按照香港基本法和澳门基本法办事，全力支持香港、澳门两个特别行政区行政长官和政府依法施政。广泛团结港澳地区各界人士。切实做好内地与香港、澳门建立更紧密经贸关系安排的工作。我们对香港、澳门的前景充满信心。
 
We will adhere to the basic principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems" and, during this current stage, to the eight-point proposal for developing relations across the Taiwan Straits and promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland. We will vigorously expand visits of individuals across the Straits and economic and cultural exchanges and energetically promote establishment of the "three direct links" between the two sides. We will protect the legitimate rights and interests of our Taiwan compatriots on the mainland in accordance with the law and continue to pursue the resumption of dialogue and negotiations between the two sides on the basis of the one-China principle. With the utmost sincerity, we will do everything possible to bring about the peaceful reunification of the motherland. We stand firmly opposed to any form of separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence" and will never allow anyone to split Taiwan from China by any means. We are convinced that with the unremitting efforts of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, including our Taiwan compatriots, we will realize our common aspiration, the complete reunification of the motherland, as soon as possible.
我们坚持“和平统一、一国两制”的基本方针和现阶段发展两岸关系、推进祖国和平统一进程的八项主张。我们将积极推进两岸人员往来和经济、文化交流，促进直接“三通”，依法保护台湾同胞在大陆的正当权益，继续推动在一个中国原则基础上恢复两岸对话和谈判。我们将以最大的诚意、尽最大的努力，实现祖国的和平统一。坚决反对任何形式的“台独”分裂活动，绝不允许任何人以任何方式把台湾从中国分割出去。我们坚信，在包括台湾同胞在内的全体中华儿女的不懈努力下，祖国完全统一的共同愿望，一定能够早日实现！
 
Fellow Deputies,
各位代表！
 
The international situation is continuing to undergo complex and profound changes. Peace and development remain the themes of our times. World multipolarization and economic globalization are making tortuous progress. Seeking peace and development and promoting cooperation and progress have become an irreversible historical trend. However, the tendency toward unilateralism is reemerging, local conflicts continue, international terrorist activity is rampant, the North-South gap is widening, and traditional and non-traditional security issues are intertwined. All these problems pose serious challenges to the people of all nations.
当前，国际形势继续发生复杂、深刻的变化。和平与发展仍然是当今时代的主题。世界多极化、经济全球化在曲折中发展，谋求和平与发展、促进合作与进步已成为不可阻挡的历史潮流。但是，单边主义倾向有新的发展，局部冲突不断，国际恐怖主义活动频繁，南北差距拉大，传统和非传统安全问题交织，给各国人民带来严峻挑战。
 
During this past year we followed an independent foreign policy of peace. We seized opportunities, responded to challenges, took the initiative, and made noticeable achievements in foreign affairs. We have won more understanding, trust, respect and support from the international community, and we enjoy higher status and greater influence in the international arena than ever before.
过去的一年，我们坚持独立自主的和平外交政策，把握机遇，应对挑战，主动进取，对外工作成绩显著。我国在国际上赢得了更多的理解、信任、尊重和支持，国际地位和影响力进一步提高。
 
This year we will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, unswervingly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, increase friendly exchanges and cooperation with other countries, and strive to further improve international and neighboring environments.
在新的一年，我们要继续高举和平、发展、合作的旗帜，坚定不移地奉行独立自主的和平外交政策，坚持和平共处五项原则，推进与各国的友好交往与合作，努力争取更好的国际环境和周边环境。
 
We will continue to promote world multipolarization, advocate democracy in international relations and diversity in development models, and encourage the progress of economic globalization in a direction that benefits the common prosperity of all nations. We will adhere to a new concept of security based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, and we will oppose hegemonism, power politics, and terrorism in all its manifestations. We will continue to work for a new international political and economic order that is fair and equitable.
我们要坚持促进世界多极化，倡导国际关系民主化和发展模式多样化，促进经济全球化朝着有利于各国共同繁荣的方向发展。要坚持互信、互利、平等、协作的新安全观，反对霸权主义和强权政治，反对一切形式的恐怖主义，继续推动建立公正合理的国际政治经济新秩序。
 
We will deepen our friendly cooperation with developing countries, explore new avenues and forms of cooperation, and support the efforts of developing countries to become stronger through unity.
我们要深化同发展中国家的友好合作，探索合作的新渠道、新形式，支持广大发展中国家联合自强。
 
We will continue our policy of friendship and partnership with our neighboring countries, deepen good-neighborly and friendly cooperation with all our neighbors and safeguard regional peace and stability.
我们要坚持与邻为善、以邻为伴的方针，与周边各国深化睦邻友好合作，维护地区和平与稳定。
 
We will constantly strengthen our relations with developed countries, strive to seek out and expand areas of common interest, gradually settle existing differences through dialogue and consultation on an equal footing, and facilitate the steady development of our relations with developed countries.
我们要不断加强同发达国家的关系，努力寻求和扩大共同利益的汇合点，通过平等对话与磋商，逐步解决存在的分歧，促进相互关系的稳定发展。
 
We will actively engage in multilateral diplomacy and play a constructive role in the United Nations and other international and regional organizations.
我们要积极拓展多边外交，在联合国和其他国际及区域组织中发挥建设性作用。
 
The Chinese government and people will, as always, support the cause of justice for the whole human race and work tirelessly with the people of all other nations to safeguard world peace and promote common development.
中国政府和中国人民将始终站在人类正义事业的一边，同各国人民一道，为维护世界和平、促进共同发展不懈奋斗。
 
Fellow Deputies,
各位代表！
 
The government is faced with arduous tasks this year, and we are keenly aware of the heavy yet lofty responsibilities we bear. The trust and support that the whole nation gives to the government is for us an inexhaustible source of strength and confidence. We firmly believe that, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, by holding high the great banners of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, and by relying closely on the people of all our ethnic groups, we will surely overcome all difficulties and obstacles and make continuous progress in reform and opening up and in the socialist modernization drive!
新的一年，政府工作任务相当繁重，我们深感肩负的责任重大而光荣。全国人民对政府的信任和支持，给了我们无穷的力量和必胜的信心。我们坚信，在以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央领导下，高举邓小平理论和“三个代表”重要思想伟大旗帜，紧紧依靠全国各族人民，一定能够克服各种艰难险阻，不断把改革开放和社会主义现代化事业推向前进！