Premier Li Keqiang hesitated before responding to a National People’s Congress (NPC) deputy’s suggestions concerning taxation issues on March 9 — a rare occurrence at the two sessions.

The Premier always urges staff to seriously consider the suggestions of deputies — and accept as many as possible.

During a discussion with NPC deputies from Heilongjiang province, Wang Bo, an NPC deputy and also the deputy chief designer of Harbin Electric Machinery Co Ltd., told the Premier she hopes the central government will assist the development of old industrial bases in terms of transfer payments and the layout of modern coal chemical industry.

Wang also asked for more preferential policies for coal resource-exhausted cities concerning financing and taxation, to help them develop alternative industries.

“What you have said concerns the Principle of Taxation Legitimacy, so I can’t give you a reply right now,” Premier Li said.

The Premier praised the deputies’ suggestions and reiterated the government’s support for cities and provinces to generate endogenous driving forces.