当前的乌克兰局势确实令人担忧，应当尽最大努力支持俄乌双方克服困难进行谈判，谈出和平的结果，一切有利于和平解决危机的努力我们都支持和鼓励。当务之急要避免紧张局势升级甚至失控，国际社会和各方对此都是有共识的。

The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting. Utmost efforts should be made to support Russia and Ukraine in carrying forward negotiations despite the difficult situation to produce a peaceful outcome. We support and encourage all efforts that are conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis. The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control. There is consensus about this among the international community, including the parties concerned.

当前世界经济因受疫情冲击等影响已经很艰难了，有关制裁会对世界经济复苏造成冲击，对各方都不利。中方愿为维护世界和平稳定、促进发展繁荣作出自己建设性努力。

Reeling from COVID-induced shocks, the world economy is already struggling. Relevant sanctions will hurt the world economic recovery and are in no one’s interest. China is ready to make its own constructive efforts in maintaining peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity in the world.

李克强结论是要有理论和实践支撑的。从我们这几年的实践看，减税降费效果最直接。我记得去年到东部地区和十几位企业家交谈，他们谈到了企业运行中的困难，希望国家再出台一些宏观支持政策。我当时就说，中央政府的政策储备是有的，但需要集中使用。有三项选择，但只能做选择题，就是三选一。一是大规模投资，也许你们可以得到订单。二是发放消费券，可能会直接刺激消费。三是给企业减税降费，稳就业、促投资消费。他们沉默一会儿，几乎异口同声地回答，我们选择第三项。因为这是最直接、最公平、最有效率的。从今年我收到的有关报告看，普遍把减税降费作为对政府宏观政策的第一期待。看来，施肥还得要施到根上，根壮才能枝繁叶茂。

Premier Li Conclusions should be supported with theories and practices. Our practices in recent years show that tax and fee cuts have worked most directly. I recall that last year I had a conversation with a dozen business representatives in an eastern province. They talked about their corporate difficulties and their hope for more macro policy support from the government. I said that the central government had policies in reserve, yet we need to use them in an integrated way. I gave them three options to pick one they preferred the most. They are, massive investment, which will help them get orders; the second is handing out consumption vouchers to boost consumer spending; and the third is tax and fee reductions for enterprises to stabilize employment and boost investment and consumption. They were only quiet for a moment and almost unanimously chose the third policy option, because they believed it would work most directly in a most equitable and efficient way. Many reports I have received this year also take tax and fee cuts as the number one aspiration for the government’s macro policies. Indeed, fertilizer needs to go to the root. When the root is strong, the plant can grow well.

我们退税优先考虑小微企业，因为小微企业量大面广，支撑的就业人口多，而且现在是他们资金最紧张、最困难的时候，所以我们要在今年6月底以前，把小微企业的存量留抵税额一次性退到位，把制造业、研发服务业等一些重点行业的留抵税额在年内全面解决，对小微企业的增量留抵退税逐月解决。我在政协参加讨论的时候，一位政协委员是企业家，他就告诉我，相比其他减税降费和投资等措施，退税效果来得最快、来得最好。跑个项目可能有很多周折，退税等于是给企业直接发现金、增加现金流，是及时雨。看来，说破千言万语，不如干成实事一桩，一定要把这项关键性措施落到位。

Priority will be given to micro and small firms in the refunding of VAT credits, because these firms cover a wide range of sectors, large in number and provide many jobs. Currently, many of them are financially strapped and are in great difficulty. We will refund all the outstanding VAT credits to micro and small firms in a lump sum by the end of June. Refunding of VAT credits to manufacturing, R&D service providers and other key industries will be fully settled within this year. Newly increased VAT credits of micro and small firms will be refunded on a monthly basis. I recall that in my discussions with CPPCC members, a member who is also a businessman told me that compared with other tax and fee cuts and investment policies, tax refunds work the fastest and the best, whereas investment projects involve a lot of procedures. VAT refunds, however, are like direct funding support for the liquidity of businesses. They are what firms need most. Getting one concrete thing done is more important than making 1000 promises. We must see to it that this policy highlight will be fully delivered.

刚才你说到地方财政收入遇到新的困难，我们注意到了。所以今年中央对地方的转移支付增幅是多年来少有的，增长18%，总规模达到9.8万亿元。退税主要是中央财政掏腰包，当然地方政府也得“凑份子”。我们退税的钱是直达企业，考虑到基层的困难，我们对基层的转移支付补助资金是直达市县以下基层。地方政府要当“铁公鸡”，不该花的钱一分钱也不能花，该给市场主体的钱一分都不能少，多一分那是添光彩。

You mentioned new difficulties local governments face in their fiscal revenues. The central government is aware of that. This year the central government’s transfer payments to local governments will rise by 18% and reach 9.8 trillion yuan, an amount rarely seen over the years. Most tax refunds will be financed by the central government, and a certain amount will also be shared by local governments. I want to emphasize that tax refunds will go straight to businesses and given the difficulty of primary-level governments, transfer payment subsidies will be channeled to prefecture- and county-level governments and below. All local governments must count every cent and make every cent count to ensure that all funding support for businesses will be fully delivered, and it would be even better if more could be done.