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The Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Friday warned the nation still faces "a very complex situation" after it went through "the most difficult year" in 2009 for the country's economic development since the new millennium.
In his work report to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's parliament, Wen set this year's economic growth target at "about 8 percent."
China's economy expanded 8.7 percent in 2009, staging a faster-than-expected recovery after being hit by the worst global financial crisis in decades thanks to a raft of stimulus measures.
To achieve "sound development," the government needs to guide all sectors to focus on transforming economic growth pattern and restructuring economy, he said.
Wen acknowledged that 2010 is a "crucial year" for continuing to deal with the global financial crisis, maintaining "steady and rapid" economic development, and accelerating the transformation of growth pattern.
It is also an important year for achieving all the targets of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) and laying a solid development foundation for the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), he said.
"Although this year's development environment may be better than last year's, we still face a very complex situation," Wen told nearly 3,000 NPC deputies gathering at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.
Other key economic and social targets this year included creating more than 9 million jobs in cities, keeping urban registered unemployment rate under 4.6 percent and keeping the rise in consumer prices at about 3 percent.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the opening meeting of the Third Session of the 11th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
The Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
Deputies to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) sing the national anthem during the opening meeting of the session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Chen Shugen)
Deputies to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) sing the national anthem during the opening meeting of the session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Chen Shugen)
Deputies to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) sing the national anthem during the opening meeting of the session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)
The Third Session of the the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
The Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Chen Shugen)
The military band of Chinese People's Liberation Army plays the national anthem during the opening meeting of the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
A deputy (front) to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) takes pictures while walking to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. The Third Session of the 11th NPC opened on Friday. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
The Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Fluttering flags are seen on top of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. The Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) opened on Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)