Opinion | Enough talk - time for China to actually implement major reforms
Hu Shuli says the NPC and CPPCC meetings are a time to get the wheels turning, with a focus on economic restructuring and budget reform

Spring is in the air and how to rejuvenate the reform process will be the focus of next week's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meetings.
President Xi Jinping has talked about reforms on two occasions since the Lunar New Year holiday. During a media interview in Russia, he said that "future reforms would require 10 per cent preparation and 90 per cent implementation". And, on February 17 at a workshop that included top provincial and ministerial-level officials, Xi said: "It's only the first step to draft a good document in the 'Long March'. The key is to put the document into practice."
The rhetoric used on the two occasions was different, but the message conveyed was the same: the key to reform is implementation.
There was, of course, a reason for his comments. The framework for reforms was outlined at the third plenum in November. But with the frenzy having died down following the announcements, people are still waiting for the "big bang". Many government departments and regional officials have simply been waiting, if not procrastinating.
Moreover, there is still conflict in society about the urgency for reform. Some analysts have even suggested that reform will inhibit economic growth. Such views are extremely dangerous; the reality is that delays will only hinder growth.
This year's focus should be on stabilising growth and adjusting the structure of the economy. The NPC and CPPCC should also explore other reform ideas which can be tested via pilot schemes at the local level.