China's GDP reached 18.23 trillion yuan in 2005, an increase of 9.9 percent over the previous year; Fiscal revenue exceeded 3 trillion yuan, 523.2 billion yuan more than the previous year; Consumer price index rose 1.8 percent; Import and export volume totaled 1.42 trillion U.S. dollars, an increase of 23.2 percent; Actually-used direct foreign investment reached 60.3 billion U.S. dollars; Foreign exchange reserves totaled 818.9 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2005; A total of 9.7 million urban residents entered the workforce for the first time
-- Urban per capita disposable income rose to 10,493 yuan, an increase of 9.6 percent after adjusting for inflation. Rural per capita net income grew to 3,255 yuan, an increase of 6.2 percent after adjusting for inflation
-- Agricultural tax was rescinded in 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, and the livestock tax was rescinded nationwide; Last year, 297.5 billion yuan from the central government budget was spent on agriculture, rural areas and farmers, an increase of 34.9 billion yuan over 2004; With considerable increase in 2004, grain output rose by 14. 55 billion kg to reach 484 billion kg. A total of 21.9 billion yuan was allocated by the central government to subsidize the policy-based closure and bankruptcy of 116 state-owned enterprises.
-- The central government spent 116.8 billion yuan in 2005 on science and technology, education, health and culture, an increase of 18.3 percent over the previous year. In addition, 9.54 billion yuan from the sale of treasury bonds was spent on these items. Over 7 billion yuan was allocated by the central and local governments to pay tuition and miscellaneous fees, provide free textbooks, and subsidize room and board for 17 million students from poor families in 592 designated poverty-stricken counties. Free textbooks were also provided to more than 17 million students from poor families in the central and western regions.
-- Over the past three years, the central and local governments spent 10.5 billion yuan to basically complete the establishment of a disease prevention and control system that operates at the provincial, city and county levels. A total of 16.4 billion yuan was spent on setting up a medical treatment system for public health emergencies, and work is proceeding smoothly. Total expenditures from the central government budget for fighting natural disasters and providing disaster relief came to 8. 9 billion yuan last year, and more than 90 million people were helped.
-- The central and local governments allocated 16.2 billion yuan for poverty alleviation, and the number of rural residents living in poverty decreased by 2.45 million. Elections for village committees were held in 21 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.