On March 16, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held a news conference at the end of the national legislature's annual session.
In the conference there were 17 questions asked by reportersat home and abroad, Speaking to reporters at his annual press conference, he touched on growth targets, unemployment risks, corporate debt and other topics.
Among the said questions one was from China Radio International cultural preservation：
China Radio International / CRI Online: In the agenda of the State Council's executive meetings ahead of the two sessions, there was a highlighted item about preservation of cultural relics. So my question is, with a country so big, facing so many problems and the government being so busy, is this issue of protecting cultural relics such an important issue?
Li Keqiang: Thank you for your keen interest in the State Council's executive meetings. The preservation of cultural relics is to boost cultural development in our country, enhance our moral strength and pass over our traditional culture. It will also help us to achieve balanced economic and social development. For the many problems that have occurred in our economic domain, such as cheating, swindling of the market place, selling fake goods, or loss of the good faith. One may also try to find causes behind those problems at the cultural level and make cultural prescriptions. The market economy is an economy on the basis of the rule of law with moral principles. So to develop culture will help us enhance moral strength in the course of pursuing modernization. We should not only work hard to create rich material wealth, but also meet our people's growing cultural needs and win the respect of other countries with the strength of culture and civilization. Thank you.
The central government must provide more policy support in promoting cultural and educational development, as these are also crucial elements for China to realize its comprehensive sustainable development, Premier Li Keqiang commended at a symposium held to solicit opinions on the drafts of the Government Work Report and the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) in this January.
