Be more responsive to public concerns, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang tells ministers

Premier Li Keqiang has urged his ministers to be more proactive in responding to issues that concern the public, amid increasing slackness in the government that observers blame on the nation's anti-graft drive.

At a State Council meeting last week, Li encouraged the officials to give prompt explanations for major concerns to avoid misinterpretation, the Beijing News reported.

"Modern society is highly transparent. Every minister seated here should volunteer to respond to concerns of the media," he said. "If an issue confuses society or the media and you don't explain it, there may be more groundless speculation."

Li gave the example of a recent real estate regulation that was widely misinterpreted before the relevant ministry clarified it.

Earlier this month, Minister of Land and Resources Jiang Daming had to explain that the unified real estate registration system, introduced on March 1, limited the time people could use the land their homes were built on, but not how long they could own the home itself.

Jiang's comments clarified the public's misunderstanding that people could soon lose their homes under the new system.

In a visit to the state commerce regulator on Friday, Li also urged government departments to cut red tape and help entrepreneurs and start-ups by improving the business environment