Content about Premier

China’s new President Xi Jinping’s bonding with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in their seven-hour meeting at the Kremlin has initiated a glorious new era in Sino-Russian friendship and relations.

The new government has sounded the anti-corruption warning bell within two weeks of taking power, vowing to build a "clean" government.

"Power, money and the behavior of officials should all be restricted by regulations. A system that does not allow opportunities for, and frightens people away from, corruption should be formulated," said Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday.

Disclosure is the key to clean government and fighting corruption, Premier Li Keqiang said at the State Council’s first meeting on clean governance held in Beijing on Tuesday.

The new government will continue to focus on developing the economy, improving living standards and promoting social justice, Li said.

“It is imperative to build an innovative and clean government under the rule of law,” Li said.

“Clean governance is the cornerstone for the credibility of a government, and it is expected by the people,” Li said.

Greater prudence in spending and a better budget balance are the goals set by newly appointed cabinet officials at a major economic conference on Sunday.

Despite rapid revenue growth, the budget deficit will, as planned, reach 1.2 trillion yuan ($193.2 billion) in 2013. This marks a 50 percent increase from the previous year.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli, addressing the China Development Forum, said the key was to spend wisely and not just let the government expand its share of the national coffers.

Premier Li Keqiang announced that the transformation of government functions is the first task for the newly elected State Council, China's cabinet, but warned that this will be "arduous".

Li was speaking at the first plenary meeting of the new cabinet on Wednesday.

He asked all departments to act conscientiously to achieve their goals concerning transforming government functions within the time limit.

He warned them that their reform efforts had to be sincere.

China needs to put more effort into improving fairness in education, despite the remarkable achievements that have been made over the past few years, said Minister of Education Yuan Guiren.

The stock markets in both Shanghai and Shenzhen tumbled on Monday, right after Xiao Gang, former chairman of Bank of China, was appointed to succeed Guo Shuqing as chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Tuesday's trading was normal but didn't show much of a gain.

Is the market unhappy with Xiao's appointment? Or does it expect so much from the CSRC as to fear that its new chairman may not be able to deliver so much and so quickly?

The answer cannot be the former.

President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang's meetings on Monday with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, just a couple of days after they assumed the nation's top jobs, once again demonstrated the central government's care and support for the HKSAR. This latest gesture of central government support couldn't have come at a better time.

Premier Li Keqiang outlined the top three tasks of the new government over the next five years, and vowed to push forward reforms and the rule of law, at his media debut in his new position on Sunday.

Maintaining economic growth, improving people's livelihood and safeguarding social justice are the government's three main tasks, Li said.

The news conference followed the leadership transition at the annual legislative session that closed on Sunday.

China's commitment to sustainable development will benefit China and the world, according to Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond.

"China has made a commitment to move toward sustainable development - something economies all across the world are working toward," Salmond told China Daily.

"Included within that are targets for energy efficiency and consumption that will see China increasingly find its energy from non-fossil fuel sources. That plan is very much in line with what we are trying to do in Scotland."

On a sunny afternoon, Zhang Qiang took a walk along the dirt road leading to the home of a villager who lives in a cave-house scooped out of the yellow hills of Liangjiahe village in Shaanxi province. "Xi Jinping probably walked along this same road when he was Party chief here," said Zhang, referring to the newly elected president, who took the reins of power on Thursday.

Barry O’Farrell looks out his office window in Sydney’s parliament house and reflects on the question whether Australia has been clumsy in its engagement with Asia.

The premier of Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), turns and says: “The late Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi once said Australia had to decide whether it was part of Asia or not.

“Yes, I think we have been flat-footed in our approach to Asia but that has changed, especially with the emergence of China.