Highlights from Premier Li's news conference

On RCEP

Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday he hopes and believes that the commitment made by leaders of 15 countries at leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation last year on signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership by the end of this year will happen as scheduled.

China, Japan and the Republic of Korea also are working closely together to advance their free trade agreement talk. The three countries are close neighbors, and China would like to work with the other two countries to develop their own business cycles within a bigger picture, Li said. (Read more)

On employment

The central government will continue to stabilize the job market by providing support and employment services to job seekers this year, Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

He said that the government aims to create 9 million new urban jobs this year, a number somewhat below last year's target, and meeting the target needs a certain level of economic growth to drive it.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate is set at 6 percent for this year. (Read more)

On helping market entities

China will make efforts to add about 20,000 newly-registered businesses on a daily basis this year by promoting the development of new forms of business, Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

The government also will do the utmost to help the existing 120 million market entities survive via bailout measures, and energize them via reforms aimed at building a world-class business environment that encourages fair competition, Li said. (Read more)