Freeze on public sector spending for 2009, as govt targets thrift society

Government agency spending will be frozen at this year's level in 2009, halting the average annual 5 percent increase of the past five years, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

"The budgets for next year should be capped at the same amount as this year's and every project would be looked at," a notice on the ministry's website said.

As spelled out by Premier Wen Jiabao in official reports, the central government is striving to cultivate a thrift society.