China will further deepen reforms and expand its opening-up to maintain the momentum of its economic and social development, Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said Sunday at the opening ceremony for the 2005 China Development Forum.
  
The two-day forum has been held annually since 2000.
  
Zeng briefed the participants on China's recent economic situation. He said China's national economy witnessed smooth development in the first two months of this year, with industrial production rapidly growing and foreign trade expanding.
  
"China will continue this year to strengthen economic macro control, to take stable financial and monetary policy, to control investment scale on fixed assets, to solve problems facing agriculture, rural areas and farmers, to make reasonable use of energy and resources, and to strengthen environmental protection," he said.
  
"China will make more efforts to take further reform on such fields as rural regions, state-owned enterprises, finance, tax and investment," he said.
  
Zeng cited four measures for China to expand its opening-up and to take part in international cooperation and competition on a higher level:
  
First, China will encourage foreign entrepreneurs to invest in China's high-tech, modern service, advanced manufacture, modern agriculture and environmental industries, and to participate in reform of China's state-owned businesses.
  
Second, China will attract more foreign advanced technology and management experiences, and take further measures to protect intellectual property.
  
Third, China will further expand trade cooperation with foreign partners, improving the quality of exported products and orderly importing agricultural products, industrial products, energy, raw material and important equipment as the domestic market demands.
  
Fourth, China will strengthen cooperation with international community in environmental field, promote clean production and make new contribution to achieve sustainable development.
  
The forum, with a theme of "China in the World Economy," provides an opportunity for both Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs, experts and officials to exchange views and share experiences on promoting the mutually beneficial economic growth of China and the world, according to the Development Research Center of the State Council, sponsor of the forum.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2005)