Henan to Focus on Adjustments for Higher Growth

Henan Province in central China will carry out strategic structural adjustment to ensure higher and better economic growth in the next five years, provincial governor Li Keqiang said Wednesday.

Li, who is here for the annual session of the National People's Congress as a deputy, said the structural adjustment is aimed at adjusting the product mix, industrial structure, urban-rural structure, ownership structure and educational structure.

To ensure success, the province, one of China's major grain producers, will try to become a leading quality wheat production and processing base and a leading animal by-product production and processing base, while upgrading pillar industries and developing the high-tech industry.

The governor said Henan will also strive to boost its tourism and produce quality tourism products and services.

While enhancing some major water conservancy facilities for an all-round improvement in the anti-drought and flood-control ability, the province will accelerate the transformation of its road system with priority given to the construction of expressways.

Li said the province will make full use of its rich coal resources to build a number of large pit-mouth power plants and make the province a major coal-fired power generating base of the country.

Efforts will be made to steadily promote urbanization in the province and promote the development of education, the governor said, adding that the number of college students will be doubled to 500,000 by the year 2005.

(Xinhua 03/15/2001)