Fourth, efforts were accelerated to conserve energy, reduce emissions and protect the environment. We issued and implemented the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, the Strategy and Near-term Action Plan for Developing the Circular Economy, the Guidelines on Accelerating Development of Energy-Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Industries, and the Action Plan for Preventing and Controlling Air Pollution. We worked to conserve energy and reduce emissions in key areas and enterprises and made steady progress in comprehensively improving the water environment in key watersheds and areas. We pushed ahead with ecological projects to protect virgin forests, control the sources of dust storms affecting Beijing and Tianjin, prevent the spread of stony deserts, and return marginal farmland to forests and grazing land to grasslands, and afforested 6.09 million hectares of land. Targets of energy conservation and environmental protection were basically attained: energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP dropped 3.7% and 4.36%, respectively; emissions of sulfur dioxide, chemical oxygen demand, ammoniacal nitrogen, and nitrogen oxides dropped 3.48%, 2.93%, 3.14%, and 4.72%, respectively; water consumption per 10,000 yuan of value-added by industry decreased 5.7%; and the percentages of urban sewage treated and urban household waste safely handled reached 87.9% and 85.8%, respectively. We played an active and constructive part in international talks and communication and cooperation on responding to climate change.

3. Reform and opening up were intensified.

We comprehensively advanced economic structural reform and created sound systems and mechanisms for maintaining stable growth and carrying out structural adjustments.

First, we obtained significant results in reforming administrative systems. We smoothly advanced institutional reform of the State Council, thoroughly reformed the system of government review and approval, eliminated or delegated 416 items that required review and approval, and implemented strict measures to control the issuance of new administrative permits for items. We unveiled and implemented the guidelines on government purchase of social services. We accelerated reform of the registration system for registered capital. Initial steps were taken to establish a registration system for immovable property.

Second, we deepened reform of the fiscal, tax, and financial systems. A pilot project was carried out across the country to replace business tax with VAT in the transportation industry and some modern service industries. We reduced the tax burden of businesses by more than 140 billion yuan for the year. We raised VAT and business tax thresholds for small and micro businesses, benefiting more than six million businesses. We lifted controls on interest rates on all loans. The trial for implementing the National Equities and Exchange Quotations was extended to all parts of the country. Trials of securitizing credit assets were expanded. We introduced guidelines on reforming IPO and better protecting the rights and interests of small and medium-sized investors. We created new corporate bonds as well as new review and approval methods.

Third, we made positive progress in reforming the investment system. We revised the list of investment projects requiring government examination and approval and reduced the investment projects subject to central government examination and approval by 60%. We improved management of subsidies and discounts for investments from the central government budget, and delegated the authority to grant subsidies and discounts for 31 types of such investment projects that cover a wide range of areas, are large in number, or require less funding individually. We deepened reform of the investment and financing system for the railway industry. We arranged a third-party assessment of the implementation of the Guidelines on Encouraging and Guiding the Sound Development of Private Investment, and implemented and improved policies and measures to encourage the sound development of private investment.

Fourth, we constantly improved the pricing mechanism for resource products. We introduced a new pricing mechanism for refined oil products, promulgated pricing policies to support the upgrading of the quality of processed oil, and adjusted city gate prices for consumption of natural gas by nonresidents. We raised the surcharge on electricity generated from renewable energy sources and the prices for electricity generated by environmentally friendly facilities; improved the pricing mechanisms for on-grid electricity generated from nuclear, hydro and photovoltaic power; and successfully abolished the dual-pricing system for coal used to generate electricity.

Fifth, we actively advanced rural reforms. We basically completed the work of determining, registering and certifying rural collective land ownership nationwide, and extended the trials of determining and registering contracted rural land-use rights to 105 counties, county-level cities and districts. We carried out trial reforms of state-owned forestry farms in seven provinces.