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.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (C) talks with deputies to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) from east China's Jiangsu Province, in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2010. Hu Jintao joined in the panel discussion of Jiangsu delegation in deliberating the government work report by Premier Wen Jiabao on the opening day of the Third Session of the 11th NPC. [Li Xueren/Xinhua]

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.