Li Wancai, mayor of Dalian, urged on Wednesday the SOEs to accelerate the transformation of development pattern, especially when facing the currently unstable economic situation both at home and abroad.

Li noted at a conference the importance of the SOEs for the city's development.

Statistics show, the total state-owned assets reached 223 billion yuan ($35.3 billion) in Dalian by the end of 2011, up 18.3 percent year-on-year. The main economic indicators of the SOEs in Dalian continued to rank the top ones among the cities in Northeast China.

Dalian, with advantaged location, environment, and policy, is becoming an ideal place for industrial transfer, as high value-added industries are gradually transferring to emerging economies and industries in southern China are shifting northward.

Li proposed some specific actions for the SOEs to take the opportunity and carry out the transformation: promote industrial upgrading and restructuring; optimize the allocation of resources by coalition, acquisition, merger, and going public; and boost stable growth by enhancing competitiveness and capability of shielding risks.

"Besides, we should further implement the policy of opening up, make good use of advanced technologies, and intensify technological investment," said Li.

Li also required the SOEs in Dalian to enhance safety in production and protect the legitimate rights of the employees.