Parliament stamps on premier’s cabinet nominations

BEIJING—The new line-up of China’s State Council, nominated by Premier Wen Jiabao, won approval of lawmakers at the seventh plenary meeting of the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress on Monday afternoon.
Li Keqiang, Hui Liangyu, Zhang Dejiang and Wang Qishan were approved as vice-premiers, with Liu Yandong, Liang Guanglie, Ma Kai, Meng Jianzhu and Dai Bingguo as state councilors and Ma Kai as secretary-general (concurrently) of the cabinet. The others in the line-up were 25 ministers, the governor of the People’s Bank of China and the auditor-general of the National Audit Office.
The meeting also approved the makeup of the special committees of the 11th National People’s Congress, other than the Financial and Economic Committee, which had been approved at the beginning of the parliament’s annual session.
A total of 2,946 NPC deputies attended the seventh plenary meeting. “I have noticed that some members of the new Cabinet once took posts both in local governments and departments under the State Council and they are quite capable of handling economic issues,” said Dalielihan Mamihan, NPC deputy from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
They are familiar with the deep-rooted problems of the nation, and thus can help better solve the thorny issues in economic and social sectors, he said. NPC deputy Wang Shengxi from east Jiangsu Province said the new State Council should further improve its policies in macro-economic regulation, affordable housing supply and social securities. He also hoped the Cabinet continues to increase investment in education and health.
Tang Xiuting, NPC deputy from northeast Heilongjiang Province, said the Cabinet should keep sober-minded, as looming uncertainties in China’s economic development requires proper handling.
NPC deputy Jin Changrong from Shanghai said in the socialist market economy, the government should provide more public services and strengthen restraint and supervision on power. Li Keqiang, Hui Liangyu, Zhang Dejiang and Wang Qishan were approved as vice-premiers of China’s State Council Monday afternoon at the seventh plenary meeting of the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress, the parliament.
Liu Yandong, Liang Guanglie, Ma Kai, Meng Jianzhu and Dai Bingguo were approved as the state councilors of China Monday afternoon at the seventh plenary meeting of the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress. Ma Kai was approved to serve concurrently as the secretary-general of the State Council.
The following is a biographical sketch of Wen Jiabao, who was re-appointed Chinese premier at the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Sunday: Wen Jiabao
Male, ethnic Han, born in September 1942, native of Tianjin. Joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in April 1965 and began working in September 1967. Graduated from the Beijing Institute of Geology, majoring in geological structure. With a postgraduate education. Engineer. Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, premier of the State Council and secretary of its Leading Party Members’ Group.
1960-1965 Student majoring in geological surveying and prospecting of No. 1 Department of Geology and Minerals at Beijing Institute of Geology 1965-1968 Postgraduate majoring in geological structure at Beijing Institute of Geology 1968-1978 Technician and political instructor of the Geomechanics Team under Gansu Provincial Geological Bureau and head of its political section
1978-1979 Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee of the Geomechanics Team under Gansu Provincial Geological Bureau and deputy head of the team 1979-1981 Deputy section chief and engineer of Gansu Provincial Geological Bureau.

—Xinhua