2017年CRI Li Keqiang emphasizes red tape cut and innovation as he tours Henan（在线收听）

The Chinese Premier has once again stressed the importance of reducing red tape and boosting innovation for the country's economy.

Li Keqiang made the comments as he toured one of the China's newly-established free trade zones on May 8th.

Henan province in central China has one of the 7 new free trade zones announced by central authorities last year.

According to the plan, the zone will focus on transportation and logistics services as Henan's geographic location serves as a link between the country's north, south, east and west.

Operation of the free trade zone was officially launched early last month.

Premier Li Keqiang tours a free trade zone in Henan, May 8, 2017. [Photo:english.gov.cn]

One official in charge of a sub-area of the zone said to visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that over the past 40 days, more than 40 licenses have been issued to businesses in the area.

Local authorities say they have condensed more than 20 administrative approval programs into one single approval.

"It is always a key issue to try to reduce costs of administrative approval. Approval procedures should get simpler and simpler, while at the same time, the capability in regulation and supervision should be further strengthened. That's the right direction, something good for everyone. Then it is matter of creating a level-playing field and improving the services provided by government," Li Keqiang said.

The red tape reduction effort in Henan is not an isolated case.

The central government has cut more than half of its administrative approval projects since Li Keqiang took office in 2013.

Li also visited a landmark site in the free trade zone - a manufacturing base owned by Chinese machinery giant Zoomlion.

Speaking with factory workers, Li raised "Made in China 2025," a signature plan of his government which aims to boost China's domestic manufacturing, and suggested innovation will be key to development in Henan.

Zoomlion has been viewed as one of China's pioneering manufacturing business following its acquisition of Italian construction equipment maker CIFA in 2008 in a high-profile deal worth nearly 300 million US dollars.

The company is also the owner of Powermole, a British construction equipment manufacturer.

China set up its first free trade zone in Shanghai, the country's financial hub, in 2013 in a bid to facilitate reforms in the financial sector.

10 more free trade zones, focusing on economic reforms in different sectors, have been approved since then.