President Hu Jintao and other leaders said Thursday that China is at a pivotal stage of reform and development, and a new concept is required to promote coordinated social and economic growth and harmonious development of human and nature.

Noting that China is confronted with numerous, unavoidable issues that call for urgent resolution, President Hu said that persistent efforts must be made to seek truth from facts and to keep pace with the times, especially to implement the strategic concept that "development is the overriding principle" as advocated by late senior leader Deng Xiaoping.

The Chinese president made these remarks to members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a broad-based national advisory body, on the site of its ongoing annual session from March 3 to 12.

Hu and other leaders, including Wu Bangguo, chairman of the country's top legislature, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong, exchanged views in panel discussions on Thursday with different groups of National Committee members.

Hu acknowledged that efforts must be made to strengthen and consolidate the economy of public ownership and at the same time to encourage, support and guide non-public sector economies.

Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that it is essential to bear in mind and implement the scientific concept of development.

Moreover, he said, China must adhere to the strategies of making overall plans and taking into account rural and urban development, regional development, economic and social growth, harmonious development of human and nature, and domestic construction and opening to the outside world.

Premier Wen Jiabao said China is at a critical juncture of economic development.

"We should, by taking advantage of this crucial strategic period, do a good job of guiding, protecting and giving full scope to the enthusiasms of all sides in accelerating the pace of development."

China should pay close attention to macro-economic regulation, employing appropriate and effective measures, Wen told members of CPPCC National Committee representing economic and agricultural sectors.

Wen said he is convinced that China will overcome various difficulties and hardships and promote and carry forward the current strengths as long as "we are a sober-minded and do things in line with the objective law."

Vice President Zeng Qinghong said advancing social and economic development is of vital importance, and the primary objective of various non-Communist parties participating in state affairs is precisely to promote the country's development.

The vice president called on non-Communist parties, which are represented in the CPPCC, to continue offering their proposals to help the Chinese government further improve its administration of the country.

(People's Daily March 5, 2004)