From our archives

May 21, 1984

Shenzhen SEZ's output up tenfold

The value of output in Shenzhen, China's first special economic zone (SEZ), from 1980 to 1983 surpassed the total of the 30 years before the SEZ was established in 1979.

Shenzhen Mayor Liang Xiang said this on Friday at a panel discussion of the National People's Congress for the premier's government work report.

Shenzhen's industrial output value reached 673 million yuan last year, 10.7 times that of 1978, Liang said. Increased production has led to a marked improvement in the livelihood of the people.

Insurance company for Tibet planned

Preparations for starting an insurance company in Tibet are underway, the People's Insurance Company of China has said.

A large number of Tibetan enterprises have shown interest in insuring their property because of the economic growth in the region. An insurance company would soon be set up in the region with the help of the Tibet branch of the People's Bank of China.

Self-employed want welfare, pension

A young restaurant owner from Hubei province has proposed to the National People's Congress (NPC) that a welfare and pension plan be worked out for self-employed workers.

Wei Junhong, one of the two self-employed workers elected to the NPC last year, asked the government to implement concrete measures on social insurance of the self-employed.

Wei proposed establishing a national federation of self-employed workers, too.

(China Daily 05/21/2009 page9)