Economic reform top of agenda

ECONOMIC development and reform are the most important issues for deputies to the NPC, according to a brief survey by Xinhua (the New China News Agency) just before the opening ceremony yesterday.

A Xinhua survey of 50 deputies shows 30 consider economic development and reform the most important issue.

Other main issues are the reform of the state-owned enterprises, protection of peasants' interests, development of ethnic minority areas, prices and social order.

Yue Qifeng, Governor of Liaoning province, said he was most concerned about invigorating the state-owned enterprises.

Xie Shijie, party secretary of Sichuan province, said he concentrated his attention on boosting peasants' income, as Sichuan is the biggest agricultural province in China.

Li Yukun, deputy director of the Rugao Silk Carpet Factory in Jiangsu province, said he was interested in the reform of the foreign trade system.