infrastructure. We have good conditions for sustaining economic development, and many innovative tools and policy options for conducting macroeconomic regulation. We should follow the leadership of the Party, uphold the Party's fundamental political guidelines, and keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; we should rely on the inexhaustible creativity of the people, unite as one, and forge ahead. It is our firm belief that by doing this, we will make great new achievements in China's development.
Based on the above considerations, we have set the following key projected targets for development this year:
- GDP growth of around 6.5 percent, or higher if possible in practice
- CPI increase kept at around 3 percent
- Over 11 million new urban jobs, and a registered urban unemployment rate within 4.5 percent
- A steady rise in import and export volumes, and a basic balance in international payments
- Increases in personal income basically in step with economic growth
- A reduction of at least 3.4 percent in energy consumption per unit of GDP, and continued reductions in the release of major pollutants
The projected target for this year's growth is realistic and in keeping with economic principles; it will help steer and steady expectations and make structural adjustments; and it will help achieve the goal of finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people's lives. As employment pressure grows this year, we will continue to give top priority to creating jobs and implement a more proactive employment policy. This year's target for urban job creation is one million more than last year, underlining the greater importance we are attaching to employment. Considering our sound economic fundamentals and the capacity they bring for job creation, with hard work, this target is attainable.
This year, we will continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy. On the basis of conducting range-based regulation, we will focus more on targeted and well-timed regulation and improve the predictability, precision, and effectiveness of our regulation. We will strengthen coordination of consumption, investment, regional, industrial, and environmental protection
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