Chinese premier addresses slowed growth and pollution woes

BEIJING, March 5 (UPI) -- China's growth slowdown, continued increase in military spending and regulations against corruption and environmental pollution were main points of issue at the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing Thursday.

China's Premier Li Keqiang's annual speech addressed the highlights of a 38-page work report that is a comprehensive overview of the Chinese government progress in the past year.

The Straits Times reported that the presentation pointed at lowered expectations in economic growth. The target, Li said, would be adjusted to "seven percent...the lowest in more than a decade."

Meanwhile the premier said China will raise military spending by more than ten percent to $141.5 billion.

Environmental pollution and political corruption ranked high on the list of issues China needs to tackle, Li said during the session.

Li said the pollution posed "a blight on people's quality of life." He also vowed to end corruption and tighten supervision over public funds and state-owned assets.

Xinhua reported in a separate panel discussion President Xi Jinping said China must adapt to the "new normal" of slower growth, a term that Xi began to use in 2014 to describe the adjustment of expectations in a cooling economy.

China's economy grew at 7.4 percent in 2014, the slowest pace of growth since 1990, reported Xinhua.