Wen Jiabao calls for more economic reforms

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has called for more reforms to tackle problems concerning China's economic structure, unfair income distribution and corruption.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L, front) shakes hands with a worker as he visits the Baiyun Electric Group in south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 4, 2012. Premier Wen made a visit to Guangdong, a southern province that took the lead in China's opening-up and reform, from Friday to Saturday on an inspection tour. [File photo]

Over the past week, the premier attended five separate meetings to solicit opinions from representatives of different sectors of society on the draft of a government work report to be delivered at the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, early next month.

The government is required to better handle issues related to people's livelihood and address public concerns on price levels, the affordability of housing, and incomes.

The government is paying close attention to the economic situation in January and the first quarter of this year, and should make a proper judgement as early as possible, Wen said.

The government will also work to bring housing prices back to "reasonable levels" while promoting the long-term, stable and healthy development of the industry, he said.

With regards to the reforms of the country's taxation, administrative management, income distribution systems and monopoly industries, Wen said the reform of monopoly industries is “an important task," and private capital should be encouraged into sectors of finance, energy, transport and social services.

According to the premier, the government will draw up details relaxing the current investment restrictions for those industries in the first half of the year.

In railway construction, investment will mainly be covered by state capital and funds raised through treasury-guaranteed bonds issuance, but private capital will be introduced in an orderly way after careful planning.

To respond to economic difficulty this year, the government will further support the real economy, small and micro-sized enterprises in particular, Wen said.

During a visit to south China's Guangdong Province earlier this month, Wen urged?the?government to?firmly push forward opening-up and reform and protect farmers' rights to vote.

"Opening-up and reform should be implemented unswervingly, or there will only be a dead end," he said, citing former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who made a famous speech during his inspection tour of south China 20 years ago.?