Deputies to the National People's Congress come from all parts of China and from many walks of life. For some, this will be their first National Congress to serve for five years as a representative for the people of their area. For others, it will be business as usual, in a changing China. To find out how the people of China are best served by their chosen representatives, china.org.cn takes a close-up look at the Congress deputies and what concerns they have for the China of today.
Here we meet Xia Shilin, chairman of the Shenghua Group in Zhejiang Province, a large privately-owned enterprise involving biological pesticide production. The enterprise group now has total assets of over 2 billion yuan and net assets of 980 million yuan.
Q: What is the issue of most concern to people in your area of China?
A: Zhejiang Province has lots of private enterprises. Private entrepreneurs are now urging the government to put forward regulations or laws to officially guarantee their properties.
In addition, there should be more opportunities for private investment in some fields. Thus, China's abundant private capital can play a stronger role in promoting the national economy.
Q: What proposals have you made, or what did you hope to accomplish at this session?
A: I've submitted two bills to the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress. One is on the issue of enterprise honesty and credit: China should set up a system to record and monitor them. Second, I propose to revise taxation law. Currently, private enterprises hand in an enterprise income tax rate of 30 percent, which is the same as state-owned enterprises (SOEs), but private entrepreneurs also have to hand in 20 percent personal income tax when sharing profits.
Q: What is your opinion of this government's performance to date?
A: The strategic planning of government has ensured the rapid development of China's economy and social life in the past five years. The government put forward many measures to successfully stimulate its development. Especially, the convening of the 16th Party Congress has ensured the further development of private enterprises. With the support of government and the lead of state-owned enterprises, private enterprises will have a brighter future.
Q: What do you think of the institutional restructuring taking place in the last five years?
A: The institutional restructuring in the past five years has greatly improved the government's working efficiency. I believe that further reform will promote probity and improve the working efficiency of the government.
I care most about the establishment of the State Assets Management Commission. Recently, my enterprise bought a 51 percent share of a large state-owned enterprise (SOE)in Zhejiang Province. I think that greater reform should be carried out to develop SOEs, and private enterprises should actively participate in their restructuring.
Q: What is your hope for the future?
A: China has set a target to become an "affluent" society, in an all-round way. The gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be doubled by 2020. I hope that it can be achieved as earlier as possible under the leadership of the new administration.
As an entrepreneur, I'm closely watching the government's policy on private enterprises. It has greatly promoted the development of private enterprises in the past five years. However, I still think that it is necessary to add the status of private enterprise to the Work Report of the government. Private enterprises should be granted "national treatment", protected and supported by the government.
(China.org.cn by Staff Reporter Tang Fuchun, March 16, 2003)
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