Premier Zhu Rongji said Saturday during a grand reception marking the 51st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China that main tasks set in the country's 1996-2000 five-year plan have been accomplished.

About 1,500 people, including representatives from across the country and foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing attended the reception. Zhu told them that China is now enjoying a "significant turn for the better" in the country's economic development.

"We have endeavored to do a good job in all fields and attained remarkable achievements," he said. "Social demand is rebounding on all fronts and economic growth accelerating, as evidenced by the apparently improving efficiency, growing revenues, sound and stable financial operation and a fairly rapid rise in foreign trade."

In addition, the premier said the reform of the state-owned enterprises is making progress, and the process of China's entry into the WTO is picking up speed. Science, technology, education and other social undertakings are making further headway.

"The main tasks set by the ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) have been successfully completed," he said. "The 10th Five-Year Plan is to be implemented as of next year."

Zhu said China will in the new century enter a new stage of development, which will bring about a "comfortable life for the whole society" and "expedite the socialist modernization drive."

The premier said China's national economy will continue to enjoy a sustainable, rapid and sound growth in the years to come.

In particular, Zhu said China will speed up the building of an information-based national economy and society, with which to stimulate the industrialization process and optimize the industrial structure in an all-round way.

(People's Daily 09/30/2000)