In a speech at the opening of the national legislature's annual session, Wen also pledged technology upgrading for the country's big but largely outdated armed forces. The comments came a day after the government announced a 17.8 percent increase in its defense budget the biggest jump in more than a decade.

He also said China would work with other nations to address global security threats but gave no details.

Wen's budget priorities reflect Beijing's recent focus on shifting spending to education, health care and other social programs that have been neglected while the government concentrated on boosting investment and trade.

Wen and other Chinese leaders have promised repeatedly to close a growing gap between China's rich and poor.

Tuition and other fees for all rural students will be eliminated, easing the financial burden on 150 million rural households, the premier said. He said the government will step up spending on rural primary and middle schools by 21 percent to $29 billion. The government will also create national scholarships and tuition assistance for colleges and vocational schools, he added.

"Education is the bedrock of China's development, and fairness in education is an important form of social fairness," Wen said in the speech at the cavernous Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

He also pledged more support for health care, especially in rural areas where 90 percent of the population has no health insurance and little access to doctors.

Wen said a trial cooperative medical care system would cover 80 percent of China, with the government more than doubling subsidies to it to $1.31 billion. The plan is aimed at ensuring that rural residents have access to "safe, effective, convenient and reasonably priced medical and health care services," Wen said.

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