Li calls on China State Council to “be more responsive” to economic concerns

BEIJING - Addressing an executive meeting with China’s State Council, the Premier, Li Keqiang, has  called on key members to “be more responsive to the public and to international concerns” related to the nation’s economic prospects.

The China Daily reported Premier Li urging members to maintain close relations with the media and to inform their domestic and international audiences that China is confident it has sufficient policy weapons to help the economy cope with increased challenges.

He added the caveat that “we don’t want to use our weapons when we’re not fully prepared.”

Despite volatility in international equity markets during the Spring Festival holiday triggering alarm among economists and other China watchers, Li assured te State Council that measures and policies taken to cover market volatility were the “right call”,  defusing certain “bombs” over a period of time and warding off systemic financial risk.

Li also brought attention to several optimistic trends within China’s economy, including the 4.99% urban unemployment rate and the creativity of the country’s 1.3 billion people.  www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).