China’s New Premier Promises Cleaner Government in First Press Conference · Global Voices
Combining pragmatism and modeled political language, <PERSON>, the newly installed Chinese premier, promised a cleaner government and less bureaucracy in his first press conference at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on March 17, 2013.
When asked about pollution that has grappled much of China recently, he said: “Like everyone of you, I also feel pain in my heart”. Since January we have reported on Beijing's record-breaking air pollution, extreme water pollution, China's cancer villages linked to pollution and 12,000 dead pigs being found in Shanghai River.
Followed by the closing of China’s annual parliamentary session that has seen the completion of the once-a-decade leadership makeover, the routine press conference [zh] by the premier, broadcast live on Chinese state TV, was watched by many who hope to get a glimpse into core leadership's policy inclination, which otherwise would been wrapped up in much secrecy given China's opaque politics.
A netizen from Beijing called “<PERSON>” wrote [zh] on the popular Chinese microblog Weibo:
李克强总理今举行中外记者会，谈到个人经历。讲述：＂为人要正，办事要工，以民为天。＂更谈到了很多关于中国未来建设的规划。希望在新一届政府的统治下， 城镇化建设能够实现，农民能够过上更好的日子，中国现在存在的许多问题，能够完善的解决，希望在不久的将来我们中国会变的更好。
In the press conference by premier <PERSON> attended by journalists from home and abroad, ( <PERSON>) talked about his experience. He said: “ we need integrity, justice and fairness, [we need to] be people-oriented”. He also talked about China's future plans. 49
He hopes the new government can realize the goal of urbanization, and farmers could live a better life, China now has a lot of existing problems, (he hopes) they would be solved (soon), (he hopes) China will be better in the future.
<PERSON>, also from Beijing, showed [zh] some skepticism:
听了李总理的答记者问，还是没搞清什么是城镇化。是让农民都进城里来，还是把农村都建成城市的模样？大概估计是大城市都被前任们建完了，他们这一任要去中小城市大建一番。只是不要把PM2.5又带到了农村。
After hearing premier <PERSON>’s answer to the journalist, I still couldn’t figure out what urbanization is. Do we let all farmers in, or build the countryside into city-like places? Perhaps big cities have already been built by the predecessors, the new government will build big time in middle and small cities, I hope they won’t bring PM2.5 into the countryside.
Of all the 11 questions [zh] raised at the press conference, four came from foreign news outlets, covering issues of China’s alleged cyber attack towards US, plans to streamline the government, China-Russia relations, pollution and food safety. Chinese reporters focused on re-education through the labor system, urbanization, government goals, Hong Kong and government reforms. Questions by reporters were largely prearranged. 49