Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao inspects the layout of the pilot's compartment in an A320 plane under assembly in Tianjin on the sidelines of the 2010 Summer Davos Forum, Sept 12. [Photo/Xinhua]

TIANJIN - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the Binhai New Area of Tianjin Municipality to take the lead in China's development.

Wen made the remarks during his inspection tour of the coastal municipality in north China Sunday on the sidelines of the 2010 Summer Davos Forum, which opened Monday.

Details of Premier Wen's inspection tour of the Tianjin Binhai New Area were made public in a press release by the General Office of the State Council Tuesday.

After hearing a report by the Tianjin municipal government, Premier Wen said the Binhai New Area was at the forefront of China's reform and opening up drive and must seize opportunities and explore a new path to reform boldly and lead the country's development.

He said the area should lead the country's scientific and technological innovation by adopting a core strategy of training and attract talented workers while upgrading innovation capabilities.

The premier urged the Binhai New Area to start trials of major reforms and opening-up and be a model in its reform of important fields and key sectors.

The new area, which is 2,270-square km in size, has doubled its gross domestic product (GDP) in the past three years and contributed to half of the municipality's economy.

Lying between China's national capital of Beijing and the Bohai Bay, the area is seen by the State Council, or the Cabinet, as one of the country's key economic hubs.

After arriving at the Binhai New Area on Sunday morning, Premier Wen inspected the aerospace industry.

When he visited the industrialization base of China's next-generation carrier rocket, Premier Wen told scientific researchers to advance the construction of the base to better satisfy the need of China's future space transportation and commercial launching service for international satellites.

The premier then inspected an assembly factory of the Airbus A320 model in the area. Two years ago, he attended a ceremony marking the factory's inauguration.

The Airbus assembly factory has delivered 29 A320 passenger planes in the past two years and will produce 44 more next year.

Wen boarded an A320 plane under assembly and inspected the layout of the passenger cabin and pilot's compartment.

"The development of the Airbus Tianjin assembly factory proves Chinese technicians are aspiring," Wen told foreign and Chinese scientists and engineers at the factory, calling the factory "a result of the China-Europe friendship."

"China's market is of great potential and we welcome the long-stay of foreign experts here," Wen said.

Premier Wen then visited the biotechnological research institute, the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin and the bonded zone around Tianjin Port. He also urged the municipal government to take concrete measures to improve residents' livelihoods in the area.

Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao visits residents in a local community during his inspection tour in Tianjin on the sidelines of the 2010 Summer Davos Forum, Sept 12, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]