At an executive meeting Wednesday, the State Council examined and approved, in principle, the Blueprint on the Construction of Ports in the Deltas of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River and the Bay of Bohai Sea.

Premier Wen Jiabao presided over the meeting.

The participants heard a report on the issue made by the State Development and Reform Commission. The Council said that it is of great importance to outline the development of ports in these coastal areas, which play a great role in China's economic and social development.

While working on the outline for port development in the deltas and bay areas, efforts should be made to work out a plan for the development of entire ports countrywide, according to the State Council meeting.

At the same meeting, the participants checked and approved, in principle, another two regulations. One is the revised draft of the Provisions on the Protection of Railway Transport, which will be published by the cabinet after revisions, and the other is the draft of the Provisions on the Collective Management of Copyrights. The latter has been enacted by the cabinet.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2004)