The second session of the 13th National People's Congress opened at 9 a.m. on the 5th, listening to the report on government work by Premier Li Keqiang, reviewing the State Council's report on the implementation of the 2018 National Economic and Social Development Plan and the draft plan for 2019, and reviewing the State Council's report on the implementation of the 2018 central and local budgets and the draft budgets for 2019.

When delivering the government work report, Li Keqiang stated that the value-added tax reform will be deepened, with the current tax rate of 16% for manufacturing and other industries reduced to 13%, and the current tax rate of 10% for transportation, construction, and other industries reduced to 9%; the 6% tax rate will remain unchanged, but through measures such as increasing tax deductions for production and living service industries, it will ensure that the tax burden for all industries is reduced and not increased.