The city of Harbin will speed up industrial transformation and upgrading and improve mechanisms and systems for different fields to ensure a good start for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Song Xibin, mayor of Harbin, made the remarks at an interview during the Fourth Session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing.

The government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang has defined the direction for the city’s reforms on various fields, such as stable growth, economic restructuring, and people’s livelihood, Song said.

He said the city had been working on transformation of government functions and simplification of administrative examination and approval to stimulate market vigor and improve the business environment.

Harbin will respond to the initiative of “entrepreneurship and innovation” in the government work report and support manufacturing upgrade through carrying out the national strategies of “Internet Plus” and "Made in China 2025", which will enhance quality and efficiency of industrial development, according to the mayor.

Commenting on the improvement of people’s livelihood, Song said more efforts would be made on affordable housing, basic medical insurance of urban residents, reform on old-age care service industry, eudcation, and public transportation.