Wen stresses promotion of domestic consumption

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-6-15  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of promoting domestic consumption and independent research and development during a three-day inspection tour of central Hunan Province, which ended yesterday.

Wen said the key to a sound economic future was in continuing to "unswervingly" implement the government's policies to deal with the global economic downturn.

Companies should increase investment in research and development and better utilize science and technology to "foster new economic growth points," he said.

Local governments, meanwhile, should develop energy-efficient and environmentally friendly industries, he said.

During his trip in Hunan, Wen visited companies, Hunan University, and farmlands.

He said the enhanced economic power of the central and western regions, whose economies profited from central government support policies, added vigor to the country's economic development and should continue to be supported.

The central region, a link between the east and the west, should speed up industrial restructuring while tapping emerging industries, such as IT and bioengineering, said Wen.

He also called for more attention to education and talent in China's future reform and opening-up, and the building of a social welfare system that values the improvement of living standards.

Visiting farms, Wen was confident that wheat output this summer would grow over last year.