China should speed up changes in the way it expands the economy to ensure sustainable development and competitiveness on a global scale, Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday.

Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a regular study meeting arranged by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

"The international economy is experiencing industrial restructuring, heading to technology, knowledge and service-orientated ways," said Hu.

The only way left for China is to transform its economic growth pattern, taking the population, resources and environment into account when developing its economy to realize sustainable development, Hu said.

"To speed up this process would enable China to survive increasingly fierce global competition, and therefore to secure its own interests," he said.

He also underlined several key points including improving China's innovation ability, upgrading the industry's overall technological level, boosting development of advanced manufacturing and service industries, strictly following the energy saving and environmental friendly policies, and intensifying talent training.

(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2006)??