Premier stresses improving people's livelihood

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has stressed the importance of improving people's well-being and meeting their material and cultural needs.

At a seminar, seeking opinions on a draft of this year's government work report, Wen said, "Improving people's livelihood is the center of the country's economic and social advancement, and also the center of government work."

Wen has chaired three such seminars from January 24 to 29, at which representatives from various sectors have been invited to give their opinions on the draft.

He said to push forward urbanization requires scientific planning and should coordinate the development of both urban and rural areas.

Speaking about the haze blanketing many Chinese cities, Wen said efforts should be taken to optimize industrial structure, promote energy saving and emission reduction and advance ecological progress.

He also urged better work to be done to create a fair competition environment for enterprises and promote reform and opening up.

Entrepreneurs, citizens and experts from education, science, culture, health and sport circles as well as members of non-communist parties attended the seminars. They gave suggestions on various subjects, ranging from preventing air pollution and income distribution mechanism reform to distribution of agricultural products.