"The year 2004 is a crucial year for China's reform and development," said Premier Wen Jiabao Friday, when he delivered a report on the work of the government at the opening of the Second Session of the Tenth National People's Congress.

Wen listed the principal domestic tasks for 2004 as follows:

-- To pay more attention to exercising macro-control, balancing the interests of all parties, putting people first, and promoting reform and innovation in accordance with the "five balanced aspects" (balancing urban and rural development, balancing development among regions, balancing economic and social development, balancing development of man and nature, and balancing domestic development and opening wider to the outside world);

-- To concentrate on resolving prominent conflicts in economic and social development and acute problems concerning the vital interests of the people and properly balancing reform, development and stability;

--To promote all-round, balanced and sustainable development of the economy and society; and to coordinate the progress of socialist material, political and spiritual civilizations.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2004)