Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) holds an online chat with Internet users at two state news portals in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2011. The two portals, namely www.gov.cn of the central government and www.xinhuanet.com of the Xinhua News Agency, jointly interviewed Premier Wen on Sunday with questions raised by netizens. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao holds an online chat with Internet users around the country and overseas on Sunday, the third such talk ahead of the plenary session of China's top legislature.

Wen said during the online chat that the government is striving to ensure that the people live a comfortable life with security and confidence in the period of 2011-2015.

China's development blueprint for the coming five years will place high emphasis on the efforts to improve the people's livelihood, Wen said.

To enhance the people's living standards is "our work's starting point as well as the final aim," he said.

Greater efforts will be made to boost social development and progress, especially in those key sectors and aspects concerning national development and mass interests, the premier said.

Wen also told Internet users that he would not allow the consumer prices to surge unchecked in the country.

Maintaining the stability of prices has always been the priority of China's economic development as excessive increase in consumer prices would not only affect people's life but also hamper social stability, Wen said.

China's consumer price index (CPI), a major gauge of inflation, rose 4.9 percent in January from a year earlier as food prices increased 10.3 percent due to strengthening demand and a drought in key grain-growing regions. The CPI rose by 4.6 percent in December and 5.1 percent in November, a 28-month high.

The country has stepped up its fight against inflation as soaring prices of food and other commodities have stoked price pressures that pose growing risks to the economy. Government departments have already undertaken a slew of measures to keep prices in check, including programs aimed at boosting grain output, and offering subsidies to drought relief.

These measures have helped contain the rising trend of consumer prices, Wen said. "With these measures better implemented, we can be sure to succeed in easing inflation."

In response to complaints about soaring home prices, Wen Jiabao reiterated his determination to tame the country's runaway housing prices during his tenure.

The pledge came exactly a year after Wen vowed to tame "wild horse" housing prices during another on-line chat.

"We have to contain the excessive price growth and keep housing prices at a reasonable level," Wen said.

"I am still confident that we will achieve the goal of policies."

The government has announced a series of policies to discourage property speculation and curb excessive price rises, including higher down payments, higher lending rates, purchase limits and more housing supplies.

However, housing prices are still rising, with prices of new properties in the country's 70 major cities up again in January.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 10 of the 70 surveyed cities reported increases of more than 10 percent in new home prices.

Wen said the government would work to increase housing supplies, with 36 million affordable homes planned in the five years to 2015, including 10 million this year. Last year, 9.5 million affordable homes were built.

Wen also said the government would "resolutely" curb demand of home purchases for investment and speculation.

"We will use economic, legal and administrative methods if necessary to restrict speculation," Wen said, adding he was confident the measures would eventually reduce speculation.

The government would also crack down on illegal activities, including the hoarding of land and the delaying of sales to earn higher profits.