A Xinhua News Agency report said Premier Wen Jiabao attended the meeting, which was presided over by Wu Guanzheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Vice President Zeng Qinghong, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a speech at the meeting, Xinhua said.

Hu Yaobang's birthday to be commemorated

China's Foreign Ministry has said that a meeting will be held in mid-November in Beijing to commemorate the 90th birthday of former Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Yaobang, who died in April 1989.

"Commemorative activities marking the 90th anniversary of the birth of Hu Yaobang will be held in Beijing in mid-November," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at the ministry's regular news briefing on Tuesday.

"China's central leadership will attend the meeting," he said.

The spokesman said he did not have details on the exact date of the event or which Chinese leaders would attend.

(CRI November 18, 2005)