China to improve business environment with new policies: official

China will make sustained efforts to improve business environment by further enhancing the legal system, standardizing law enforcement and supervision related to enterprises, and supporting enterprises to overcome difficulties, said Zheng Bei, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

Zheng said China will further improve the legal system related to enterprises by speeding up the formulation of law on promoting the private business, expediting the revision of the bidding law, and combating local protectionism.

He also talked about the necessity to advance the amendment of regulations guaranteeing payments by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), encouraging timely payments from government offices, public institutions, and large enterprises to them.

The central government will also accelerate the cleanup of laws, regulations, and policies entailing unequal treatment of these enterprises, said Zheng.

He also emphasized the need to further standardize law enforcement and supervision related to enterprises, highlighting that administrative law enforcement should embrace more inclusive and prudent oversight, coupled with flexible enforcement approaches, to prevent or reduce disruptions to enterprises' regular business operations.

It is also necessary to regulate cross-regional administrative enforcement activities and firmly rectify and hold accountable cases involving arbitrary charges, fines, and quotas, he said.

"To further help enterprises address their difficulties, we will leverage the inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism for private sector development, establish and efficiently operate comprehensive service platforms for private sector growth, enhance regular communication and exchanges at multiple levels between national, provincial, municipal, and county authorities, honestly heed the opinions and suggestions of enterprises, and drive the resolution of pressing difficulties and problems that concern enterprises the most," Zheng said.

China to improve business environment with new policies: official

The two houses of the Ethiopian parliament on Monday appointed Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selassie as the new president of the country.

The appointment followed the end of the term of current President Sahle-Work Zewde after six years of service as the country's head of state.

The newly-appointed president was sworn in on Monday before members of Ethiopia's House of Peoples' Representatives and House of Federation as the new leader of Africa's second most populous nation.

Ethiopia, which operates under a parliamentary political system, grants its president largely ceremonial powers. The president's term of office is six years and can be re-elected once.

In the annual national plan presented to the parliament after the inauguration ceremony, Atske Selassie said Ethiopia had achieved an economic growth rate of 8.1 percent in the just-concluded fiscal year despite internal and external challenges.

Atske Selassie also highlighted Ethiopia's relationship with China, calling it an exemplary partnership that should continue to be strengthened.

"In terms of bilateral relations, Ethiopia's relationship with China has been elevated to an unwavering all-weather strategic partnership while safeguarding our national interests," he said.

Atske Selassie also stressed that Ethiopia's accession to the BRICS membership is a major diplomatic achievement and a key step in ensuring political, economic and social interests and balancing the country's international relations.

"Ethiopia's official entry into the BRICS mechanism opens the door for Ethiopia to gain significant political, economic and social advantages, while further strengthening our balanced engagement with global partners," he said.

Ethiopian parliament appoints FM as new president