Li stresses regional economic structure adjustment

China needs a stronger adjustment in regional economic institutions and policies to promote the country's economic sustainability and healthy development, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday.

"Sustainable development of the economy, improvement of people's livelihood and promotion of social justice are the government's main tasks and goals," Li said while presiding over an economic meeting in Gansu.

Li said that China should strive to improve the quality of growth, efficiency and sustainability - and combine the economic development with the improvement of people's livelihood as China's economy has entered a transition period.

"China should make the most of the dividend from reform and stimulate the market's vitality, enhance the endogenous power to promote the country's economic sustainable and healthy development," Li stressed.

Li urged transformation of the economic development mode as the key to maintain long-term substantial and sound development. When the economy surges up to or goes down to the limited line, proper measures that both stabilize the current situation and benefit the future must be taken to maintain the stable growth.

Li said problems in the country's economic structure are most conspicuous in the unbalanced urban and rural development and unbalanced regional development. Central and West China have the most room for improvement. And the western part of China should be given priority within the overall development layout.

Li urged local leaders to boost infrastructure construction and labor-intensive industries and environmentally friendly industries. He also emphasizes the importance of improving incentives to attract fresh talents.

Economic reforms should move ahead of poverty eradication in the western regions, Li said. Financial support and preferential policies are needed especially in the impoverished areas as the western regions are home to half of people who still live under the poverty line.

But economic growth should be environment-friendly, he reiterated, noting that ecological problems like deforestation must be addressed.