国内英语资讯:Premier Li urges development of new urbanization

BEIJING, July 22 -- Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called for more efforts to strengthen the development of a new urbanization model, improve weak links, and expand domestic demand to improve people's livelihoods.

Li made the remarks while presiding over an executive meeting of the State Council.

The meeting worked out supportive measures for flexible employment through multiple channels in a bid to boost employment and increase the income of residents.

Promoting a new kind of urbanization that puts people first is where the greatest potential of domestic demand lies, and it will help keep the fundamentals of the economy stable, the meeting said.

The meeting urged more efforts to improve public facilities and services in county seats to meet the growing work and settlement needs of rural residents.

The meeting said efforts should be made to enhance the public health system and strengthen related infrastructure in a bid to improve the comprehensive capacity of cities to prevent and respond to major epidemics.

Efforts should also be made to push forward the renovation of old urban residential communities, intellectualized reconstruction, and the building of environmental protection facilities and public parking lots to improve people's living standards.

Authorities will do more to improve transportation, garbage and sewage treatment facilities in county seats and build housing to meet the rigid demand of rural residents who want to work and settle there.

It is imperative to introduce diversified investment to support the construction of the new urbanization model, and develop labor-intensive industries so that rural residents can seek employment in places close to their homes, said the meeting.

The meeting also urged more support for flexible employment as an important approach to stabilize employment amid the difficult job market this year.

Individually-owned businesses should be encouraged, with more support to key groups, including college graduates, migrant workers and the unemployed regarding loans, taxes, and so on, the meeting noted, while calling for social security subsidies for those holding part-time jobs.

Efforts should be made to spur internet platforms to create more flexible jobs, and implement prudent and tolerant oversight for emerging forms of employment, including online retail, ride services, as well as online education and medical care, it said.

Public services will be improved to suit companies' needs for flexible posts and protect the wages, safety, and other interests of flexible workers, while the public will be updated with information on new jobs, and trained to be more skillful at flexible employment, said the meeting.