Province should be regional service centre, says premier
Premier Wen Jiabao has called on Guangdong to speed up economic restructuring and deepen reforms to turn the province into a world-class manufacturing base and a regional centre for modern services.
Mr Wen also acknowledged that the nation's economic development faced many problems and contradictions and called on cadres to keep control of prices and ensure stable economic development.
His remarks, made during a two-day inspection tour to the province that ended yesterday, came amid rising concern in the central leadership that the mainland's economy has been hit by inflation, soaring labour and raw-material costs, and the global economic slowdown.
The trip was part of the leaders' recent fact-finding missions to economic strongholds and key export bases, including Shanghai, Jiangsu , Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shandong .
During his trip to Qingdao yesterday to observe the Olympic facilities, President Hu Jintao also inspected operations at several enterprises.
Describing Guangdong, especially Shenzhen, as standing at a 'new historical starting point', Mr Wen said the province faced new challenges but also had opportunities, China National Radio reported.