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Top political advisor calls for enhancing regional co-op
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-12 15:21

China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin on Monday called for enhancing regional economic cooperation in northern part of the country including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, told deputies to a regional economic development forum that "coordinated regional development is needed to enhance the country's overall economic level."

He said the forum, jointly organized by local advisory bodies of the five provinces, municipalities and autonomous region, had offered in-depth advises to the Party and government over the past five years on issues such as the move of the Shougang Group, a major steel company, out of the capital, the construction of Hebei's Caofeidian Industrial Zone and Tianjin's Binhai New Area, as well as topics like energy saving and emission reduction and environmental protection.

Jia, also member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, said the central government had implemented a package of policies to expand domestic demand and promote a stable and relatively fast economic development against a background of international financial crisis.

"These policies have reaped initial fruit and the country's economic development has turned positive and is better than expected," he said, adding, however, the crisis was still spreading and continued to affect the Chinese economy.

"The foundation for economic recovery has not become solid enough and there is still pressure for the economy to descend," he said, adding the role of the CPPCC should be strengthened to promote economic development.

He called on local advisory bodies to offer more contributions to economic development and social harmony and stability.

Efforts should be made to study coordinated regional development so as to narrow wealth gap among regions and improve relations among parties, ethnic groups, religions, social strata and compatriots at home and abroad, he said.

"Patriotism of different parties, social groups, religions and people from all walks of life should be transformed into powerful motive to maintain economic growth, improve people's livelihood and maintain stability so as to build a peace social environment for the 60 anniversary of the New China," he said.

Jia called for innovation of the CPPCC work and bringing its role into full play.