Chinese premier stresses development of social undertakings

• Source: Xinhua
• [08:10 February 05 2010]
• Comments

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) speaks as Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping(R) and Vice Premier Li Keqiang (L) listen in a seminar on the implementation of the Scientific Outlook on Development and the transformation of the mode of economic development in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2010. The seminar, attended by the country's provincial and ministerial chiefs, opened on Wednesday at the Party School of the Communist Party of China(CPC) Central Committee in Beijing. (Photo:Xinhua)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday urged to boost development of social undertakings and improvement of people's livelihoods while pushing forward the transformation of economic growth mode.

Speaking to a seminar for provincial and ministerial level officials presided over by Vice Premier Li Keqiang and attended by Vice President Xi Jinping, Wen said development of science, education and culture was key to the transformation of China's economic growth mode and its sustainable development.

He urged that plans should be made to forge a number of emerging strategic industries as the mainstay of China's economy as soon as possible, and that traditional industries should be upgraded with the latest technologies to enhance their efficiency and competitiveness.

He also called for stepped-up efforts in technological self-innovation, the creation and protection of intellectual properties.

Reforms in China's education system must also be carried forward so as to promote quality education and to give the schools more say in their operation, the Premier said.

Authorities must ensure free access to the nine-year compulsory education for all children, and to bridge the gap of imbalanced educational resources between urban and rural areas and between different regions and schools, Wen said.

Vocational education should also be improved, he added.

Noting that culture was an important factor in boosting the country's development and the revitalization of the nation, Wen said policies to support the development of cultural industries and innovations should be perfected.

In addition, he stressed that boosting employment should be given top priority in China's social and economic development.

Authorities should increase employment by maintaining stable and relatively fast economic growth, fueling the development of the service industry, labor and knowledge-intensive industries, and supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and the non-public sectors, he said.

They should also provide more training for people having difficulties in finding jobs, Wen said.