BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday emphasized the need to enhance the ability to work and address problems in accordance with the law and make solid progress in building a law-based government.
Li made the remarks at a study session held by the State Council.
He called on government officials to raise their awareness of the rule of law and perform their duties in accordance with the law to ensure law-based government work. He stressed the improvement of legislation to ensure that administrative actions are based on legal grounds, and laws and regulations that do not meet the requirements of reform and development are promptly revised or abolished.
He called for a problem-oriented and responsive approach to legislation in order to help enterprises and the public solve practical issues, as well as an impartial but flexible approach to the enforcement of the law.
Efforts should be made to standardize administrative discretion so that punishment standards for offenses are consistent, procedures are fair, and outcomes are reasonable, he said, also stressing the need to refine the supervision system on administrative powers. At the session, Ma Huaide, president of the China University of Political Science and Law, gave a lecture, and Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng, as well as State Councilor Wu Zhenglong, participated in the discussion.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday departed for a five-day visit to China from June 4 to 8, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Dr Musaddik Malik and Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar are accompanying the prime minister.
This is the first official visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz to China since assuming office, which is significant vis-a-vis the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and strengthening the Pakistan-China Strategic Economic Partnership. On the first leg of his visit, the prime minister will land in Shenzhen city, where he will attend a business forum to promote partnership between the businessmen and investors of the two countries. –Agencies
