China will adjust the orientation of investment using treasury bonds to make full use of their role in promoting restructuring and balancing development, the country' s top legislature was told Saturday.

Ma Kai, minister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission, made the remarks in his report to the legislature on the implementation of the 2003 Plan for National Economic and Social Development and on the 2004 Draft Plan for National Economic and Social Development.

"Premier Wen Jiabao pointed out in his government work report yesterday that we would issue 110 billion yuan worth of long-term construction treasury bonds this year. We must manage and use them well in line with the resolutions of this session."

This year, he said, the focus of these funds will be shifted from the previous emphasis on expanding domestic demand and stimulating economic growth to promoting restructuring and balancing economic and social development.

They will be mainly used for the following:

- to increase support for developing agriculture and rural areas by building more small and medium-sized infrastructure projects such as water-efficient irrigation facilities, potable water supplies, roads, methane production facilities, hydroelectric plants and pasture enclosure projects, so as to promote balanced urban and rural development, he said.

- to place greater emphasis on developing social undertakings by investing more in infrastructure projects for public health and medical care, elementary education, primary-level governments, people's courts and public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, so as to promote balanced economic and social development;

- to support development of the western region and adjustment and transformation of northeast China and other old industrial bases, so as to promote balanced regional development and;

- to continue to improve ecological conservation and environmental protection, so as to promote balanced development between man and nature; and to build more key infrastructure projects, so as to create the conditions necessary for long-term, stable economic and social development.

(China Daily March 6, 2004)