Premier Zhu Solicits Opinions for Five-Year Plan

Premier Zhu Solicits Opinions for Five-Year Plan

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Premier Zhu Rongji said Friday that the government will carefully study and adopt the opinions offered by non-communist party sectors regarding the country's development plan for the next five years.

Premier Zhu presided over a seminar attended by democratic parties, federations of industry and commerce and personages without party affiliation in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the central government in Beijing.

The participants put forward their opinions about the draft Five-Year Plan for the period of 2001-2005. They said that the draft plan is not only realistic about the achievements and experiences over the past five years, but also to-the-point and doable in terms of construction and development in the next five years.

Agreeing to the framework and the bulk of the draft plan's content, they suggested adjustments be made to some points, such as reinforcing the fundamental position of agriculture, increasing farmers' incomes, developing China's western part, promoting science and education, fostering talents, pushing forward socialist cultural and ethical advancement, and promoting democracy and legal systems.

Premier Zhu exchanged ideas with the participants about industrial restructuring, social security, development of western China and cultural and ethical progress.

He also presided over meetings on Tuesday and earlier Friday to gather opinions from people in the science, education, culture, art, public health and sports circles.