Chinese President Emphasizes State-Owned Enterprise Reforms 　　China's state-owned enterprises need dynamic management systems and operation mechanisms and should keep improving themselves to face the challenges of the socialist market economy, President Jiang Zemin told a two-day symposium on reforms and development in state-owned enterprises which closed in Wuhan Sunday. 　　Jiang said that reforms and development in these enterprises play a key role in the country's economic restructuring efforts and should get the attention of the Party and all government departments. 　　The symposium, held in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in central China, focused on reforms and development in Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces and in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 　　Jiang noted that the international situation is undergoing profound changes and developing new characteristics and China needs to keep improving the its national strength to safeguard its state security and the people's interests. 　　Over the next decade, efforts should be made to help large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises get out of difficulties, initially build a modern system in most of them in three years, and basically complete the strategic adjustment of them in a longer period, he said. 　　Only by accomplishing this task can the country achieve greater progress in the development of the state sector and give full play to its leading role in the national economy in the next century, Jiang added. 　　Jiang emphasized that to improve the socialist market economic system and strengthen state-owned enterprises, efforts must be redoubled to increase reforms. 　　Development is an absolute necessity and implementing this principle is vital to the improvement of the social productive force, national strength, and standard of living, the president pointed out. 　　He said that efforts should also be made to further develop rural markets, try to find substitutes for imported products and increase exports, adding that the state needs to develop a group of large enterprises in important industries that are vital to the national economy and make them the main force of the national economy. 　　The president urged state-owned enterprises to improve their technological level and develop a technological innovation mechanism by making use of domestic and overseas state-of-the-art technologies. 　　He also called for efforts to correctly handle the relations between reforms, development and stability, and properly and promptly handle contradictions among people to maintain social stability and unity. 　　Jiang emphasized the importance of theoretical studies, political awareness and healthy practices of leading cadres all over the country, saying that it is key to ensure the smooth proceeding of the country's reform and modernization drive. 　　Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo, Director of the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Zeng Qinghong, and leading Party and government officials from these six provinces and autonomous regions also attended the symposium. (Xinhua) Economicnews 1999-05-31 Page1 Full Story in Chinese