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Xinhua) 19:48, January 23, 2014
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Comments twitter facebook Sina Microblog reddit BEIJING, Jan. 23 -- Most of China's provincial regions have set lower targets for thegrowth of urban and rural incomes in 2014, in a sign of a more pragmatic outlook on theeconomic situation.
Eighteen provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities out of 26 that have releasedgovernment work reports for 2014 by Wednesday downgraded expectations regarding percapita disposable income of urbanites or net income of rural dwellers.
China's western area made the biggest reduction. Sichuan and Gansu cut their growthtargets by four percentage points, while Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Guangxi Zhuang didso by three percentage points.
Many provincial-level regions put their residents income growth target below theireconomic growth rate expectation.
Confronted with the downward pressure on the economy, lackluster domestic demand anddampened exports, local governments were prompted to be more modest when settingeconomic targets.
Of the 18 provincial regions that have downgraded expectations, 15 also targeted morehumble growth rates in gross domestic product (GDP). North China's Tianjin is aiming for a2014 growth of 11 percent, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 2013 target.
Zhang Yongjun, a researcher under the China Center for International EconomicExchanges, said local authorities have realized that the economic pace of the past can nolonger be achieved.
However, weaker expectation will not necessarily lead to stagnation or lesser efforts toimprove people's livelihood. With aims for a better-structured economy, provinces aretaking actions that will benefit residents in real terms.
The government of Shanxi Province has raised its targets regarding living standards andtechnological innovation, such as newly added urban jobs and helping rural workers settlein cities.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) also said on its website that China will attachgreater significance to the improvement of residents' income and reform of the incomedistribution system, promising people's income would keep abreast of the GDP increase.
In 2013, the per capita disposable income of urban dwellers gained 7 percent year on yearto 26,955 yuan (4,411 U.S. dollars). Growth basically matched the 7.1-percent expansion ofper capita GDP (inflation factor deducted).
China's economy grew 7.7 percent last year, the same as in 2012, exceeding thegovernment target of 7.5 percent, NBS data showed.
（Editor：LiangJun、Yao Chun）
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