For a stronger private sector

Premier Wen Jiabao's call to open up the economy further to private investors is a reminder that we have a lot more to do to provide a level playing field for the private sector. Wen urged the country during Monday's executive meeting of the State Council to fully implement the policies encouraging the private sector's growth.

Admittedly, the government has been increasingly aware of the importance of the private sector and has devised a series of policies to facilitate the growth of private enterprises. It issued a landmark policy to support individual and private business owners in early 2005. Since then, a number of regulations have been issued to make the policy a success.

But private enterprises still complain of facing obstacles when they try to enter certain fields, prompting the government to tackle the problem.