The Financial Times writes: "Chinese premier Li Keqiang sought at the weekend to balance conflicting goals of stimulating China's economy and reforming it, as he presented economic targets at the country's parliamentary meeting.The annual session of the National People's Congress comes as Beijing faces questions over its stewardship of the economy, amid slowing growth and rising debt burdens, and after a series of stock market crashes roiled global markets. Mr Li announced a growth target range for this year of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent, above what many international economists believe is realistic. At the same time he projected the fiscal deficit to rise to 3 per cent — a sharp increase but below expectations — as the government struggles to shift from an inefficient, capital-intensive growth model while cushioning an economic slowdown.

The New York Times reports that China's President Xi Jinping has pledged to contain any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence in his first public remarks on the issue since the self-governing island democracy elected a president and legislature from the independence-leaning party in January. Speaking to delegates to the annual meeting of China's ceremonial parliament, Xi said China won't budge in its insistence that Taiwan recognize it is part of China, regardless of political changes on the island of 23 million. "We will resolutely contain Taiwan independence secessionist activities in any form," Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency at their meeting Saturday. "We will safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and never allow the historical tragedy of national secession to happen again." The landslide election of Tsai Ing-wen as president, along with a legislative majority for her Democratic Progressive Party, has thrown a question mark over the future of relations between the sides.

The Washington Post reports that China's ruling Communist Party said Sunday that it punished nearly 300,000 officials for corruption last year. About 200,000 of those were given light punishments and 82,000 handed severe penalties, including demotions within the bureaucracy. The body known as the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection provided no other details in the brief statement posted on its website. President Xi Jinping has pressed a massive nationwide probe of corruption among officials of all ranks, including those in the party, government, military and state-run industries. Hundreds of thousands of officials have been interviewed in the campaign, but only a small number have been identified.