Premier Zhu Rongji outlined the guidelines and tasks of China's economic development in 2000 on January 7. Zhu also delivered a report on China's achievement in the past year and an economic outlook for this year to more than 3,300 senior Communist Party officials and army officers at the Great Hall of the People.

Zhu said that China should determinedly implement policies that will stimulate domestic demand, accelerate economic growth, focus on the reform of state-owned enterprises (SOE) to help them out of difficulties, vigorously promote economic restructuring, increase exports, encourage the influx of more overseas investment, and improve China's social security system.

Despite last year's difficult circumstances, Zhu said, China managed to achieve its growth target, with the national economy keeping sustained rapid growth, major progress in SOE reforms, a stable exchange rate, growing exports and foreign exchange reserves, considerable fiscal revenue increases, and improved standards of living of the Chinese people.

The premier urged officials in all trades and at all levels to strictly implement the central government's policies to improve management and ensure sustainable, rapid and healthy growth of the national economy.