"Labor and social security departments at all levels should earnestly study and implement the guidelines of the 16th Party Congress and the important thought of the Three Represents, and strive to create a new situation," said Wu at a meeting with National Model Units and Individuals in Labor and Social Security Work here.

Wu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that China's labor and social security work had achieved conspicuous progress thanks to efforts by the Party's third generation collective leadership with Jiang Zemin at its core.

"The framework of a labor and social security system with Chinese characteristics has been basically established," he said.

However, he said, as the 16th CPC National Congress in November had put forward the goal of building a moderately affluent society in China, labor and social security departments across the country still shouldered an "important historical mission" and "arduous long-term tasks".

"The 16th Party Congress set two targets for labor and social security work, which were to build a fairly complete social security network and to achieve extensive social employment," said Wu. "We must double our efforts and work even harder to attain the targets."

Wu also met with winners of the Sixth China Professional Skills Awards and workers honored as "National Competent Technicians" by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security here Thursday.

Wu said that just like scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, skilled workers and competent technicians were also "talents" and key to China's industrialization, modernization and international competitiveness.

Greater efforts should be made to promote vocational training and education across the country and encourage workers and technicians, especially younger generations, to improve their skills and competence, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2002)