President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders on Friday joined deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, in deliberating the government work report, calling for efforts to facilitate the transformation of the pattern of economic development.
The NPC kicked off its annual session Friday morning as about 3,000 deputies from across the country heard and deliberated the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao.
BALANCED, COORDINATED AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
When joining NPC deputies from the eastern province of Jiangsu in a panel discussion on Premier Wen's report, President Hu called for efforts toward balanced, coordinated and sustainable development in the transformation of its economic growth pattern.
Hu said efforts should be made to cultivate new pillar industries and industries with features and advantages, and achieve the coordinated development of the first, second and third industries.
The country needs to develop more core and key technologies to support its transformation of the economic growth pattern and the economic restructuring, Hu told the lawmakers.
He called for the establishment of a market-oriented technological innovation system, in which enterprises play the leading role and which combines the efforts of enterprises, learning and research institutes.
He said higher education and research institutes should play a more important role in scientific and technological innovation.
The President also stressed the coordination of industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, so that the agricultural sector could be boosted by the industrial sector, while the rural areas could benefit from the urban areas.
He said authorities should facilitate balanced allocation of public resources and the free flow of production factors between urban and rural areas.
Hu pointed out that China is currently facing both opportunities and challenges at the same time, but the opportunities outweigh challenges.
He urged officials in Jiangsu Province to push forward independent innovation, promote urban-rural integration of economic and social development, and deepen the reform and opening-up drive.
HEAVY TASK
In his discussion with lawmakers from Anhui Province, top legislator Wu Bangguo said the year 2010 was "crucial" for overcoming the impact of the global financial crisis, improving quality and efficiency of economic development, and accelerating the transformation of the pattern of economic development.
Noting China's economy is the first in the world to have made a turnaround, Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said "the task of promoting reform, development and stability is arduous and heavy this year."
Wu urged local authorities to rally closely around the central authorities to make "substantial progress" in transforming the mode of economic growth by balancing development speed and efficiency, short-term and long-term growth, and local and national development.
URBAN-RURAL DEVELOPMENT INTEGRATION
Top political advisor Jia Qinglin joined NPC deputies from Beijing. He also underscored the transformation of economic growth.
Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, said balancing the development in urban and rural areas is the fundamental requirement to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and an important powerhouse to further release the vigor of economic and social development.
Jia, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told the lawmakers Beijing should take the lead in seeking a new pattern of urban-rural integration and narrow the urban-rural gap as soon as possible given the capital's good economic basis.
CULTURAL INDUSTRY'S CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSFORMATION
Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, underlined cultural industry's contribution during a discussion with deputies from western Sichuan province.
China should push forward the development and reforms of the cultural industry, Li said.
He said the development of cultural industry would not only make great contribution to the upgrading of the modern service industry and the country's economic restructuring, but also bolster domestic demand and increase employment as well.
Li said the industry is endowed with particular advantages including a promising future, high technology, low energy consumption and limited pollution.
"It can be an important drive in China's economic restructuring and the transformation of development pattern," he said.
A booming cultural industry would also boost the economic growth of the underdeveloped regions, and help with energy saving and emission reduction to ensure a sustainable growth, Li noted.
SHANGHAI URGED TO PLAY LEADING ROLE
While deliberating the government's work report with Shanghai lawmakers in a group discussion, Vice President Xi Jinping said the city should play a leading role in the country's efforts to transform the pattern of economic development.
The transformation is an "urgent need "for implementing the scientific outlook on development and building a harmonious society, Xi said.
He called for the city to hold a successful, clean and thrifty World Expo with the strength of all its residents and with the wisdom of people from all over the country and world.