Asahi Shimbun: COVID-19 has taken a big hit on the global economy. But China has been successful in bringing the spread of the virus under control. What does China plan to do to advance economic cooperation with Japan and other neighboring countries? What is China’s plan for advancing the FTA among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and other free trade arrangements? Does China have a plan to join the TPP?

李克強(qiáng)：在去年?yáng)|亞合作領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人系列會(huì)議上，十五國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人共同作出承諾，今年要如期簽署區(qū)域全面經(jīng)濟(jì)伙伴關(guān)系協(xié)定，我希望并相信這個(gè)承諾不會(huì)落空。我們也在積極推進(jìn)中日韓自貿(mào)區(qū)建設(shè)。中日韓都是近鄰，我們?cè)敢庠诮?jīng)濟(jì)大循環(huán)中建立中日韓經(jīng)濟(jì)小循環(huán)。比如說(shuō)最近中國(guó)和韓國(guó)就開(kāi)辟了快捷通道，讓商務(wù)、技術(shù)等人員能夠順利往來(lái)，這有利于復(fù)工復(fù)產(chǎn)，可以說(shuō)是近水樓臺(tái)先得月。

Premier Li: I recall that last year at the leaders’ meeting of East Asian cooperation, leaders of 15 countries made the commitment of signing the RCEP by the end of this year. I hope and believe that this commitment will not come to nothing. China, Japan and the ROK are also working closely together to advance their FTA development. The three countries are close neighbors, and we would like to work with the other two countries to develop a mini economic cycle within the bigger economic cycle. For example, recently China and the ROK have opened a fast-track service for personnel inter-flows in areas such as commerce and technology. We believe this will benefit the resumption of economic activities, and our geographical proximity has put us in a good position to benefit from this earlier.

至于剛才你提到TPP，我理解，可能指的是全面與進(jìn)步跨太平洋伙伴關(guān)系協(xié)定（CPTPP）。對(duì)于參加CPTPP，中方持積極開(kāi)放態(tài)度。

As for your question about TPP, I suppose what you mean is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). China has a positive and open attitude toward joining the CPTPP.

人民日?qǐng)?bào)社記者：今年是脫貧攻堅(jiān)的決勝之年，但是受疫情影響很多家庭收入都有所下降，甚至一些人還面臨著返貧。在這種情況下今年脫貧攻堅(jiān)任務(wù)還能順利完成嗎？政府將如何保障基本的民生？

People’s Daily: This year, China plans to win its battle against poverty. But because of COVID-19, many families have seen a decline in their household income. And some are even at the risk of falling back into poverty. So are we able to fulfill the task of winning the battle against poverty this year? And what will the government do to meet people’s essential needs?

李克強(qiáng)：中國(guó)是一個(gè)人口眾多的發(fā)展中國(guó)家，我們?nèi)司昕芍涫杖胧?萬(wàn)元人民幣，但是有6億中低收入及以下人群，他們平均每個(gè)月的收入也就1000元左右，1000元在一個(gè)中等城市可能租房都困難，現(xiàn)在又碰到疫情。疫情過(guò)后，民生為要。怎么樣保障困難群眾和受疫情影響的新的困難群眾的基本民生，我們應(yīng)該把這項(xiàng)工作放在極為重要的位置。我們采取的紓困政策，有相當(dāng)一部分就是用于保障基本民生的。

Premier Li: Our country is a developing country with a big population. The per capita annual disposable income in China is 30,000 RMB yuan. But there are still some 600 million people earning a medium or low income, or even less. Their monthly income is barely 1,000 RMB yuan. It’s not even enough to rent a room in a medium Chinese city. And because of COVID-19, many families have encountered difficulties. So it is a very high priority on the government’s work agenda to meet the essential needs of vulnerable groups and those families who have encountered new difficulties because of COVID-19. This is a very important part of the government’s work agenda. And a fairly big part of our support policies are designed for this very purpose.

今年要如期完成脫貧攻堅(jiān)任務(wù)，這是以習(xí)近平同志為核心的黨中央向全社會(huì)作出的莊嚴(yán)承諾。按原本的賬還有500多萬(wàn)貧困人口，受這次疫情沖擊，可能會(huì)有一些人返貧，脫貧的任務(wù)更重了。我們會(huì)多策并舉，特別是要采取措施把脫貧的底線(xiàn)兜住，我們有把握完成今年決勝脫貧攻堅(jiān)的任務(wù)。

This year, we are determined to end poverty as scheduled. This is a serious commitment made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to the whole of Chinese society. Before COVID-19 struck, there were some 5 million people living below the poverty line. But because of the disease, some may have fallen back into poverty. Hence, we now face a greater task in meeting our goal. But with our multi-pronged policies and measures to ensure the essential needs of our people, we have the confidence to win the battle against poverty this year.

各級(jí)政府都要以人民利益為上，以萬(wàn)家疾苦為重。每出一策，都要考慮是否有利于千家萬(wàn)戶(hù)、有利于民生。今年我們?cè)趹?yīng)對(duì)疫情沖擊過(guò)程中，要特別認(rèn)真細(xì)致地考慮把各方面困難人群保障起來(lái)，擴(kuò)大低保和失業(yè)保障的范圍。現(xiàn)在低保、失業(yè)保障、特困救助等人員大概一年6000萬(wàn)人左右，我們預(yù)計(jì)今年人數(shù)會(huì)增加較多。保障和救助資金是足夠的，把他們保障住是有能力的。我們要求一定要把賬算細(xì)，把錢(qián)用到刀刃上，使民生得到切實(shí)保障。全國(guó)還有近3億領(lǐng)養(yǎng)老金的人員，今年我們提高了養(yǎng)老金的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，說(shuō)到就要做到。

Governments at all levels must always put people’s interests first and bear in mind the hardships of the Chinese people. In introducing each and every policy, we must make sure that it contributes to the well-being of all families and to the better lives of our people. In responding to COVID-19 this year, we must make thoughtful and meticulous plans to ensure the basic needs of all vulnerable groups. In this respect, we have decided to expand the coverage of subsistence allowance and unemployment benefits. Some 60 million people in China still live on subsistence allowance or receive unemployment benefits, penury assistance, or other relief or support. This year, we are expected to see a big increase in the number of recipients. We have sufficient funds to support these vulnerable groups. We must use the money wisely to ensure that every cent will be well spent. Some 300 million senior Chinese citizens live on old-age pension. We decided to raise the pensions for these retirees this year. We must fully deliver all our commitments.

實(shí)干為要，行勝于言。我們現(xiàn)在的社?；鸾Y(jié)存和儲(chǔ)備足以保證養(yǎng)老金按時(shí)足額發(fā)放，但工作不能出任何紕漏。在這個(gè)事上出紕漏，就會(huì)讓人們對(duì)未來(lái)沒(méi)有信心。中華民族有尊老傳統(tǒng)，我們要讓社會(huì)各方面都感到希望。要統(tǒng)籌把各項(xiàng)保障落實(shí)到位，這也會(huì)有力支撐民心安定，推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展。民為邦本，本固邦寧。這方面的工作不是一件事，而是多件事，我們都要做好、做到位。相信中國(guó)人民的生活會(huì)更好。

Actions count, and actions always speak louder than words. We have sufficient balance in our social security fund to ensure that pension benefits will be paid on time and in full, and there should be no loopholes in the operation of the fund. This way, we will be able to give our people more hope about their future. More importantly, the Chinese have a tradition of respecting and taking good care of the elderly. We must ensure that all the benefits and support will be duly provided. This will reassure our people and also help us promote China’s economic development. As the saying goes, the people is the foundation of a state. When the foundation is strong, the state will be secure. So we must fully deliver on all those policies and measures. And that will make our people more hopeful about their future.

新加坡聯(lián)合早報(bào)記者：您在政府工作報(bào)告中提到，因?yàn)槿蛞咔楹徒?jīng)貿(mào)形勢(shì)不確定性很大，中國(guó)發(fā)展面臨一些難以預(yù)料的影響因素。您對(duì)目前中國(guó)面對(duì)的外部形勢(shì)有怎樣的判斷？中國(guó)將如何應(yīng)對(duì)外部環(huán)境的變化？對(duì)于全球應(yīng)對(duì)公共衛(wèi)生挑戰(zhàn)和經(jīng)濟(jì)嚴(yán)重衰退挑戰(zhàn)，中國(guó)將發(fā)揮什么作用？

Lianhe Zaobao: In the Government Work Report, you said that China will face some factors that are difficult to predict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and world economic and trade environment. So what is your reading of the external situation China faces? What will China do to cope with the changes in the international environment? And what role will China play in the global responses to the public health challenge and the challenge of serious global recession?

李克強(qiáng)：我們先看一下現(xiàn)在世界的變化。這次新冠肺炎疫情全球大流行，給世界造成了嚴(yán)重沖擊，帶來(lái)了巨大影響?，F(xiàn)在因?yàn)榉揽匾咔椋鲊?guó)之間的交流合作明顯減少，如果再持續(xù)下去，世界經(jīng)濟(jì)會(huì)更加嚴(yán)重衰退，這是危險(xiǎn)的。如果世界經(jīng)濟(jì)不能夠恢復(fù)增長(zhǎng)，可能將來(lái)連疫情都很難防控。在抗擊疫情過(guò)程中特別需要公共產(chǎn)品，需要保持產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈、供應(yīng)鏈穩(wěn)定，更需要開(kāi)放，推進(jìn)貿(mào)易投資自由化與便利化。這樣我們才能共同戰(zhàn)勝疫情給世界帶來(lái)的沖擊，把損失減少到最小。

Premier Li: Let’s look at what’s happening around us. COVID-19 has impacted our world profoundly. There has been a significant deceleration and decline of exchanges and cooperation between countries because of the containment requirements. Should such a trend continue, the global economy will be pushed into deeper recession and that is something dangerous. And if the world economy cannot resume growth, it may be even challenging to sustain the COVID-19 response. In responding to COVID-19, we need public goods more than ever before; we need to keep the international industrial and supply chains stable. This requires even greater openness and the pursuit of trade liberalization and investment facilitation. With such joint efforts we will be able to prevail over and minimize the effects of COVID-19 on the world.

關(guān)起門(mén)來(lái)搞發(fā)展行不通，那就等于回到了農(nóng)耕時(shí)代。中國(guó)堅(jiān)定不移地推進(jìn)對(duì)外開(kāi)放，這不會(huì)、也不可能改變。我們會(huì)繼續(xù)擴(kuò)大與世界的合作，自主出臺(tái)更多擴(kuò)大開(kāi)放措施。開(kāi)放對(duì)各國(guó)如同空氣對(duì)人一樣，須臾不可離，否則就窒息了。我們?cè)陂_(kāi)放當(dāng)中還要維護(hù)國(guó)際產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈、供應(yīng)鏈穩(wěn)定。當(dāng)然也有人會(huì)說(shuō)，要對(duì)產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈、供應(yīng)鏈進(jìn)行調(diào)整。至于企業(yè)的調(diào)整布局，是按市場(chǎng)規(guī)律辦事，市場(chǎng)規(guī)律本來(lái)就是企業(yè)進(jìn)進(jìn)出出、生生死死。我們不能違背市場(chǎng)規(guī)律，憑空設(shè)計(jì)，而是要讓市場(chǎng)更加相互開(kāi)放。

It is impossible for any country to achieve development with its door closed or retreat back to the agrarian times. China will keep to its opening-up policy. China will not waver in this commitment, nor is it possible for us to shut our door to the outside world. Instead, we will further expand our cooperation with the rest of the world and introduce more opening-up measures on our own initiative.

Openness is as indispensable to a country’s development as air is to human beings. One will suffocate in an enclosed space. We, in this process, will work with others to keep global industrial and supply chains stable. Some have made plain their intention to readjust the global industrial and supply chains. We believe the shifts in global production of businesses should be done in accordance with market principles. In the marketplace, it is only natural for companies to come and go, succeed or fail. People should not make arbitrary plans against market rules. Instead, we should open up our markets wider to each other.

堅(jiān)持雙向開(kāi)放，那就要友好相處。第一，我們希望同世界各國(guó)相互尊重、平等相待。國(guó)家不管大小、貧富、強(qiáng)弱，都應(yīng)該遵循這個(gè)規(guī)則。相處規(guī)則如果有不完善之處需要調(diào)整改革，大家一起商量著辦。第二，互利互惠。既然是合作，就要共贏，獨(dú)贏是不會(huì)長(zhǎng)久的，吃獨(dú)食也是行不通的。只有在共贏中大家才能夠共同成長(zhǎng)。再有，就是相互幫助、相互學(xué)習(xí)。各國(guó)都有各自的長(zhǎng)處，都要擔(dān)負(fù)起應(yīng)盡的國(guó)際責(zé)任，攜手應(yīng)對(duì)各種困難和挑戰(zhàn)。中國(guó)作為一個(gè)發(fā)展中大國(guó)，會(huì)擔(dān)負(fù)起我們應(yīng)當(dāng)擔(dān)負(fù)的國(guó)際責(zé)任。

In an environment of mutual openness, we believe it’s important for countries to live side by side in amity. We hope that all countries will observe the principles of mutual respect and equality. We believe that all countries should be equals, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak. And if there are some rules in today’s world that need to be improved, we can all sit down and work things out through discussions. We need to pursue mutual benefit in our cooperation. We don’t think for any one particular party to take all the benefits will work. Instead, we should pursue win-win. And in this environment, we may achieve shared success. Countries should also support, help and learn from each other, as we can make the most of our comparative advantages. We believe all countries should fulfill their due international obligations and work together to tackle common challenges and difficulties. And China, as a large developing country, will surely live up to its share of international responsibilities.

中國(guó)是一個(gè)龐大的市場(chǎng)，我們推進(jìn)的紓困和激發(fā)市場(chǎng)活力的規(guī)模性政策，會(huì)進(jìn)一步擴(kuò)大消費(fèi)市場(chǎng)。希望中國(guó)還是大家看好的投資沃土。我們?cè)敢膺M(jìn)口更多國(guó)外商品，成為面向世界的大市場(chǎng)。

China is a huge market. All these policies of a sizable scale that we have introduced to provide relief to businesses will further spur consumption and energize our market. And we hope that people will stay optimistic about coming to invest in this big market of China. China is also prepared to boost imports from other parts of the world, and we will be a big market for the whole world.

至于說(shuō)到怎么應(yīng)對(duì)疫情這場(chǎng)公共衛(wèi)生挑戰(zhàn)，讓世界經(jīng)濟(jì)走出困境，我前面多次說(shuō)了，要同舟共濟(jì)、攜手同行。我希望并相信，各國(guó)人民共同努力，疫情之后會(huì)更開(kāi)放，衰退之后會(huì)有新繁榮。

As for how to respond to the public health crisis and global economic recession, as I have said in my previous remarks, we believe all members of the global community should pull together in a sense of partnership to prevail over the current difficulty. We hope and believe that with joint efforts of people around the world, the post-COVID-19 world will be a more open one. And this post-recession world will embrace new prosperity.