Chinese premier stresses primary-level education, medical services

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, makes exchanges with representatives from the education, science and technology, culture, health, and sports sectors at a symposium to hear their opinions on a draft government work report on Jan. 21, 2022. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called for more support for primary-level teachers and medical services, asking local governments to better help self-employed individuals and hard-hit service industries.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made exchanges with representatives from the education, science and technology, culture, health, and sports sectors at a symposium to hear their opinions on a draft government work report.

The work report will be deliberated at the top legislature's annual session in March.

Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium.

When exchanging with representatives from a primary school and Peking University, Li vowed to guarantee salaries for teachers in compulsory education and improve teaching conditions for schools in rural, mountainous and remote areas, as well as to better support the appliance of scientific and technological achievements, with micro, small, and medium tech enterprises being included in preferential policies.

Li also stressed training rural doctors and promoting better diagnosis and treatment skills among primary-level hospitals to make quality medical services more accessible.

Li called for attracting more talent to work in museums, improving cultural services for the public, building more fitness facilities and promoting sports knowledge.

Learning about difficulties brought by COVID-19 to self-employed catering businesses, Li said governments at various levels should lower taxes for them and provide preferential policies for service industries including tourism, catering, and retail to help them tide over the difficulties.