CHINA'S leading newspaper has called for unified and correct understanding of pleas made by patriarch Deng Xiaoping for a faster pace of economic reform. In a signed commentary yesterday, the People's Daily said localities and departments should increase their sense of awareness about the importance of national interest as against regional interest. They ''should see that there will only be a good external environment for localities if the overall situation is stable'', the article said. The half-page article is part of the orchestrated move by mainland media to call for action in unison among regions to implement the central economic orders. In a frank admission of the existence of dissenting views, if not resistance, it said efforts to ''further unify'' the thoughts between the central Government and the regions were imperative to ensure the macro economic control was a success. It said: ''Only when one takes an overall perspective will one be able to have a clear view of the macro economy . . . and reach a consensus on the state of the national economy.'' The article said the consensus should be that there were contradictions and problems with the economy which could not be neglected. ''If they [contradictions and problems] are allowed to develop without any action, there will be major fluctuations with the economy. It will then spoil the advantageous chance for a faster pace of economic growth and adversely affect the smooth progressof economic development and reform,'' it said. The article also underscored the significance of a ''positive, full and correct'' understanding on the Deng call for a quicker pace of economic development. It criticised the blind chase for high-speed growth regardless of efficiency, viability and national needs in the development of projects. ''It [such behaviour] is not a grasp of the chance to develop but a move which will result a higher cost to pay,'' the article said. Furthermore, it stressed that although some comrades in the regions were fully aware of the problems with the national economy, they failed to act in unison with the central Government when its interests conflicted with the localities. ''Some regions have insisted on going ahead with their plans although they know very well that their plans are too ambitious. ''Some comrades are afraid that they will lose the chance to accelerate their reforms if they follow strictly what the central Government has ordered. Therefore, they adopt a wait-and-see attitude,'' the article said. In addition to the tightening of discipline, it said the more fundamental way to revamp the economy was to solve outstanding problems in the economic structure such as finance, taxation and investment system. The strengthening of macro control should become the impetus to speed up reform and establish a socialist market economy.
