Focus on jobs at China congress

BEIJING, China — When the National People’s Congress met in Beijing last year, the mood was cheerful and the recurrent theme was the Summer Olympics and rapid economic growth

Inside the cavernous Great Hall of the People, Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a two-hour “government work report.”Much like a state-of the-nation speech that the Chinese premier delivers to the parliament every year, Wen focused on domestic issues, outlining China’s plans to get its economy back on track in the face of the global economic crisis.
The more than 3,000 delegates listened intently, following Premier Wen reading through the 52-page text. A few delegates took notes keenly. Others listened expressionless