A standing committee meeting of the State Council discussed and approved on Thursday mid-and long-term development plans for China's oil refining and ethylene industries.

The meeting, chaired by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, said oil refining and ethylene industries are the country's basic raw material industries which are important to China's national economic development.

The plans aim to guide and promote the rational distribution of the two industries, optimize their product mix and enhance their competitiveness in order to achieve an orderly and healthy growth, it said.

Although the two sectors had achieved marked progress ever since the country's reform and opening-up in late 1970s and played a pivotal role in ensuring China's national economic and social development, they face such problems as insufficient supply capacity, low production level and weak competitiveness, it said.

The meeting urged the two industries to further adjust product mix, pay attention to environmental protection and production safety.

They are also urged to strengthen efforts on tackling key scientific and technological problems and developing new technologies which can reduce energy consumption.

Meanwhile, the meeting discussed and approved a draft on the management of firecrackers in upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, China's most important holiday, which falls on Jan. 29.

A draft on revising the regulations concerning rural households enjoying the five guarantees (childless and infirm old persons, who are guaranteed food, clothing, housing, medical care and burial expenses) were also approved by the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2006)