Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets
with President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick in Beijing, capital of
China, on Dec. 16, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
said here Tuesday in response to the global financial crisis, China will focus
on expanding domestic demand as an effective way to stimulate economic growth.
Wen made the remarks when meeting with President
Robert Zoellick of the World Bank (WB). Wen briefed the WB President about
China's economic situation and its measures to address the global financial
crisis.
Wen said China, with a 1.3-billion population, has
yet to overcome the disparity between urban and rural areas, relatively low per
capita incomes and a relatively large number of poverty-stricken people.
Wen said China's move to expand domestic demand is
aimed to gradually meet the people's demands through economic growth, which will
be achieved by stimulating the ultimate consumption market.
To meet this end, Wen said China will focus on
improving incomes of rural residents and social security for low-income groups.
He said China will strive to expand employment. It will also work on the
development of such social causes as education, medical service and culture. Wen
said China will advance development of infrastructure in rural areas, including
drinking water, bio-gas, roads, electricity and telecommunications. He said
China will continue to protect the environment, while working on the
rehabilitation of earthquake-stricken areas and poverty elimination.
Zoellick said the current financial global crisis
calls for closer cooperation among the international community. He said the
World Bank will continue to play a role in helping China overcome difficulties
in financing and employment.
Zoellick appreciated the Chinese government's
measures to expand domestic demand. He said sustaining its own economy will be
China's biggest contribution to maintaining financial stability and the economic
growth of the world.
Zoellick also met with Chinese
Vice Premier Li Keqiang Monday.
Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R)
meets with Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, in Beijing,
capital of China, on Dec. 15, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Li said during the meeting that the World Bank should
play its due role as the world's largest multilateral development financial
institute to help developing countries to fend off external impacts and maintain
financial stability and economic growth.
Li said China has been participating in international
cooperation on addressing the financial crisis. He said China will continue to
act in a responsible way by making its own contribution to maintaining the
stability of global finance and economy.
Li said the fundamentals and long-term trend of
China's economic growth remained unchanged despite the many difficulties and
grim challenges it faces.
Zoellick spoke highly about China's performance in
addressing the global financial crisis. He expressed the willingness to further
expand cooperation between the World Bank and China.
FUKUOKA, Japan, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- China can not only
maintain a steady and relatively fast economic growth through efforts and
getting over difficulties, but also elevate its economy to a new level by
overcoming the ongoing financial crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here
Saturday.
The Chinese government has put top priority on maintaining
a steady and relatively rapid growth of its economy mainly by expanding domestic
demand, especially the consumption demand, Premier said when meeting with staff
members from the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Japan and representatives of
overseas Chinese and Chinese students studying in Japan. Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- China plans to increase its
currency supply by 17 percent in 2009, 3 or 4 percentage points more than the
combined GDP and price rise, the State Council, or the cabinet, said in an
on-line statement on Saturday.
At the same time, the State Council decides to increase
100 billion yuan (14.61 billion U.S. dollars) of loans this year for the
country's policy banks, and encourage commercial banks to provide loans for
projects with central investment to make it possible that the total loans of
financial institutions would increase more than 4 trillion yuan in 2008. Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's annual Central
Economic Work Conference opened here Monday to set tone for the economic
development next year.
priority would be given to projects improving
people's livelihood, including those in rural areas, housing projects for
low-income earners in urban areas, and social undertakings. Full story
