Chinese President Hu Jintao said in Beijing Saturday that the current international financial crisis, despite its severe impact on China's economy, also means an opportunity for the country.

China should take the opportunity to change its development pattern and realize structural adjustment so as to maintain a steady and relatively fast economic growth, Hu said when joining a panel discussion with deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) from south China's Guangdong Province.

"Challenge and opportunity always come together. Under certain conditions, one could be transformed into the other," Hu said.

Hu said China should make full use of its advantages to break the bottlenecks of development. He also urged the deputies to promptly and creatively implement the policies and plans of the central government to create conditions for a solid and rapid development in the future.

In a panel discussion with NPC deputies from Shandong Province, top legislator Wu Bangguo said to maintain economic growth is China's top priority now, and efforts should be made to boost domestic consumption so as to secure this year's economic development targets.

In face of impacts of global financial crisis, China should seek both a temporary solution and a permanent cure, and make efforts to upgrade its industry and improve competitiveness of Chinese enterprises, said Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Premier Wen Jiabao said maintaining steady and relatively fast economic development amid the global financial crisis should be the focus of local governments.

The task can affect the overall development of the national economy and society, the people's interests, and the long-term development of the country's modernization drive, said Wen when joining NPC deputies from the central Hubei Province.

Governments at all levels should incorporate improving people's well-being into the efforts on maintaining economic growth to benefit the people and promote harmony and stability of society, Wen said.

He also urged local governments to take the opportunity to enhance their capabilities in dealing with complicated situations, keeping close contact with commoners and implementing policies.

Governments should also improve their credibility among the people, Wen said.

Top political advisor Jia Qinglin attended on Saturday a joint panel discussion with political advisors from circles of trade unions, the youth league, and women's federations.

These social groups should "take initiative to coordinate relations, resolve disputes, address depression of the public, and safeguard the rights of the employees, young people, and women," he said.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also called on them to help those with difficulties to find jobs.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said publicity work should serve the overall objectives of ensuring economic growth, people's well-being and social stability.

During the discussion with lawmakers from northwest Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, he called on media and cultural workers to provide "spiritual" support for economic growth amid global financial crisis.

Vice President Xi Jinping joined panel discussions with lawmakers from Hong Kong and Macao respectively.

Xi said the governments of both Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SAR) have taken prompt and effective measures to counter the impact of global financial crisis.

Xi said lawmakers from Hong Kong and Macao have played a positive role in the country's political affairs since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over the two regions in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

He hopes the lawmakers fully exercise their functions and powers with focus on the country's measures of maintaining economic growth and social stability, Xi said.

In a panel discussion with lawmakers from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said China can enjoy large room for economic manoeuvre due to its vast territory and the high mutual complementarity in economy between different regions.

"We should turn challenges into opportunities, boost the development of the western region, make full use of advantages (of different regions), tap the market, speed up industrial restructuring, and cultivate new economic growth areas so as to keep a steady and relatively fast economic growth," Li said.

He said Xinjiang enjoys a particularly important strategic status for China's development and stability. Efforts should be made to secure Xinjiang's stable and prosperous development, enrich people and safeguard the frontiers and strengthen national unity, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)